like having options — from which flavor of tea to drink after lunch to which route I’ll take to walk home. Gardening this month is no different. Whether you’re after garden chores or perhaps some seasonal puttering, it’s all about picking your own path.
You can prep soil for spring planting, divide grasses and transplant perennials, even tuck in more cool-season edibles. Alternatively, you can just enjoy fall’s splendor and put off some of the season’s more tedious tasks. Let fallen leaves provide hearty mulch for your lawns and hold off, for now, on cutting back spent summer and fall plants. Instead, take some time to sit back and watch the leaves change. It’s your garden, so enjoy it. Here’s what you can do in your garden this October.
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For a festive fall arrangement, she says that “small conifers, bright spurge (Euphorbia spp) and evergreen sedums are easy candidates for containers — especially when dressed up with a few cheerful pansies.”
It’s also time to plant spring-blooming bulbs — even in containers. “Dwarf daffodils, hyacinths and crocuses are just a few of the possibilities,” Chapman says.
Shown: ‘Princess Irene’ tulips are stunning with ‘Peach Flambe’ coral bells (Heuchera).
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California. Garden editor Bill Marken suggests potting trees and shrubs for a permanent and festive seasonal touch. “Pomegranates symbolize fall in Mediterannean climates,” Marken writes. “Like early Christmas ornaments, the fat, round red fruits hang heavy on spindly branches along with small leaves turning an autumn yellow. For a container, look for a dwarf variety such as ‘Nana’, displaying fall foliage and tiny red fruits if you’re lucky.” Get his California October checklist | More tips for the California garden |
Southwest. Water management is still important this month. “Continue to monitor and reset the timers on any controllers you may have, especially in the low and middle zones. As temperatures decrease, reduce the water needed,” writes New Mexico landscape designer David Cristiani. “If you are planning a landscape for a barren area or for an area outside plant roots, create water harvesting opportunities to benefit plantings and some visual interest by installing subtle basins, swales and berms away from structures, where lush plantings are desired,” he says. Get his Southwest October checklist |
