October Gardening Calendar – 2023

October Gardening Calendar – 2023

As the gardening calendar turns to October the fall season begins to unfold with beautiful cooler weather and the start of seasonal color changes. October brings gardener’s wonderful cooler weather to get out in our garden and perform our October gardening calendar tasks. I would like to mention a few gardening tips for the month of October.

Plant New Shrubs, Trees, and Perennials: Have you been thinking about replacing a few shrubs that just did not quite get established in the landscape or just need to be replaced, or planting a new shade or flowering tree that you just cannot live without in your landscape? Now, is the time to start thinking about making that purchase? The fall season is an excellent time to add new shrubs, trees, and perennials to your landscape. This time of year will let your newly planted shrubs, trees, and perennials to get a head start by developing and establishing new root growth in the soil. Garden centers advertise Fall is For Planting with several fall sales and advice. Plant a tree to help combat Climate Change.

General Watering Tips For Newly Planted Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials: A landscape can be designed to fit a plant's water requirements.  Failing to water properly is a common error among gardeners.  All plants should be moist before planting, plants get all of their moisture and nutrients from the original root ball until establishment.  Shrubs should be watered slowly at the base of the plant for 20 to 30 minutes.  This method waters the area of the root ball and the surrounding soil.  The water will move deeply into the soil encouraging the roots to grow deeper into the soil, instead of along the surface.  Roots that grow along the surface are more prone to wilting.  Trees should be watered slowly for 20 to 30 minutes; the watered area should reach the tree's branch circumference.  This procedure encourages the roots to grow deeper and throughout the soil. Newly planted trees and shrubs should be watered twice a week during the fall and winter months; and newly planted trees and shrubs should be watered three times a week during the spring and summer months. Continue to water your newly planted trees and shrubs for the first year and half or 18 months. After that water once or twice a week. After the third-year or fourth-year watering should be during periods of drought.

Fall Color Annuals and Fall Bulbs: Fall color annuals and bulbs are ready to purchase at your local retail garden center. Add a little color to your garden this season by planting these wonderful, low maintenance beauties. Mentioned in the fall color annuals newsletter, you can still plant annuals in a container even if you have a garden. Fall color containers make wonderful accent pieces to your patio, deck, front porch, or any outdoor living space. Purchase your fall bulbs early for spring color. A few varieties can be used for forcing color for the holidays. For More Information On Fall Color Annuals: Click Here. For More Information On Fall Bulbs: Click Here.

Houseplants: Start planning where you will place your Tropical Plants that spent the summer outdoors. When the temperatures start shifting to towards 55 degrees at night start planning on bringing them in. Trim back, if necessary and inspect for insects. Before bringing indoors it is a good idea to spray with Neem Oil or Horticultural oil a week before coming inside. I prefer to use horticulture oil on my houseplants. Neem Oil and Horticultural oils are environmentally friendly and will give your Houseplants a nice shine along with killing any insects. Neem Oil or Horticultural Oil are both recommended to spray on Houseplants. Read the label for the dosage for houseplants or tender plants. Check out our selection of Tropical Plants.

Fall Vegetables: If you are planning to start a fall vegetable garden early, October is the best time to purchase your vegetable starts. Broccoli, cabbage, collards, beets, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, onion, kale, spinach will grow excellent in the fall. Don’t have room to plant a fall vegetable garden, but would like to grow your own vegetables? A planting container 16 inches or larger can be used to grow fall vegetables. For More Information on Fall Vegetables: Click Here.

Mulching: Rake up all the old mulch under your crabapples, red tip photinia, roses, and replace. This will help prevent diseases on next year’s new leaves. The plants listed are prone to diseases. With all new plants planted in the fall it is highly recommended to add 4 – 6 inches of mulch. Mulch acts as an insulator in fall and winter and in spring and summer will help keep your plants cool.

Composting: Fall is a good time to start composting all the leaves falling off the trees. Composting is a natural form of recycling that continually occurs in nature. Studies have shown that by home composting you can divert an average of 700 pounds per household per year from the waste stream. In addition to the leaves, you can compost kitchen scraps such as, apples, carrots, onions, potatoes peels, tea leaves, coffee grounds, yard clippings, or anything else organic. Your planting beds and garden plants will enjoy the treat. For my information on composting Click Here.

Weeds: Apply a pre-emergent weed killer to lawn and shrub bed areas. The pre-emergent works by killing the weed seeds from germinating. The application will last about three months or longer. Check package label for how long the product last and when to reapply next application. This product does not kill existing weeds, existing weeds need to be pulled or spray with a weed killer.

Halloween Decorations: Halloween is only 9 weeks away and we have wonderful Halloween Decorations and Home Decor. Order early for on time for your Halloween Party. This year Halloween is on Tuesday, October 31. To View all Halloween Decorations, Click Here.

The Blogger, Cheryl Ann Meola, has several Links to share with you featuring her fine art plant photography and merchandise. Click on the links below.

Fine Art America Portfolio.

Society6 Portfolio. Society6 has more Household merchandise. 

For Cheryl Ann Meola’s Shutterstock Stock Photography.

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For Live Herbs and Live Plants.

Cheryl Meola © 2022.

 

Fall Bulbs

Fall Bulbs

As the Labor Day Weekend comes to a close that is our signal that the fall season will be coming very soon. We as gardeners know that we have a mental list of gardening duties to perform before the fall season ends. One of the gardening duties would be to plan ahead for planting fall bulbs in your garden. Fall bulbs are sold only for a limited time during the season and should be purchased in advance because a few of the bulbs mentioned require to be chilled in the refrigerator before planting, if you reside in USDA zones 11, 10, and 9. Crocus, Hyacinths, Narcissus, Daffodils, and Paperwhites all require 4 to 6 weeks of chilling. Tulips require 8 weeks of chilling. Bulbs are easy to plant and give you wonderful spring color.

Anemone. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 10 – 15”. Planting Requirements: 2 “deep at 3 – 4” apart planting on their sides. Soak the tubers over night before planting and water well after planting. Planting months are from October through December, and to extend the blooming season you may plant the tubers at two-week intervals starting in late October. The flowers are good for cutting.

Calla Lily. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 14 – 18”. Planting Requirements: 3 to 4” deep at 1” apart. Planting months are from September through November, and to extend the blooming season you may plant the tubers at two-week intervals starting in late October. The flowers are good for cutting.

Crocus. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 4 – 6”. Planting Requirements: 1 to 2” deep at 2 – 3” apart. Planting months are from September through November and require 4 – 6 weeks of refrigeration before planting.

Freesias. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 18 – 24”. Planting Requirements: 1 – 2” deep at 3” apart. Planting months are from October to November, and to extend the blooming season you may plant the bulbs at two-week intervals starting in October. The flowers are good for cutting and are very fragrant.

Hyacinths. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 10 – 12”. Planting Requirements: 5” deep at 6” apart. Planting months are from November through December and require 4 – 6 weeks of refrigeration before planting. The flowers are good for cutting and are very fragrant. The Dutch varieties are good for forcing.

Iris – Bearded. Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade. Height: 30 – 32”. Planting Requirements: ½ - 1” deep at 8 – 12” apart. Planting months are from August through November. The flowers are good for cutting.

Iris – Dutch. Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade. Height: 18 – 22”. Planting Requirements: 2 – 4” deep at 3” apart. Planting months are October through November. The flowers are good for cutting.

Leucojum. Light Requirements: Partial shade to shade. Height: 16 – 20”. Planting Requirements: 2 to 3” deep at 4” apart. Planting months are from October through November. The flowers are good for cutting.

Muscari. Light Requirements: Full sun. Height: 5 – 6”. Planting Requirements: 1 to 2” deep at 3” apart. Planting months are from October through November.

Narcissus – Daffodils. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 18 – 20”. Planting Requirements: 4 – 5” deep with 5 to 6 bulbs per square foot. Planting months are from November through December and require 4 – 6 weeks of refrigeration before planting. The flowers are good for cutting.

Paperwhites. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 14 – 16”. Planting Requirements: 4” deep with 5 to 6 bulbs per square foot. Planting months are from October through November and require 4 – 6 weeks of refrigeration before planting. The flowers are good for cutting.

Ornithogalum. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Height: 10 – 12”. Planting Requirements: 2” deep at 5 – 6” apart. Planting months are from October through November. The flowers are good for cutting.

Ranunculus. Light Requirements: Full sun. Height: 18 – 24”. Planting Requirements: 2 “ deep at 4 – 6” apart planting with the claws pointing down. Soak the tubers over night before planting and water well after planting. Planting months are from October through December, and to extend the blooming season you may plant the tubers at two-week intervals starting in late October. Can be combined with Anemones. The flowers are good for cutting.

Tulips. Light Requirements: Full sun. Height: 20 – 22”. Planting Requirements: 6” deep at 5” apart. Planting months are from late December through January and require 8 weeks of refrigeration at 48 to 55 degrees before planting.

Watsonia. Light Requirements: Full sun. Height: 4 – 6 feet. Planting Requirements: 3 – 4” deep at 4 – 6” apart. Planting months are from September through November. The flowers are good for cutting.

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Fall Color Annuals

Fall Color Annuals

Before we know it the arrival of fall will be on the horizon and with this in mind I would like to mention planting fall color annuals. When we as gardeners think about the season of fall, images come to us such as cooler temperatures, Halloween, fall vegetables, and fall color annuals. Picture on the right: Pink Dianthus.

The beauty of fall color is that you will have color all season long; the plants can withstand freezing temperatures after being established in the garden, and require very little care or maintenance. Fall color can be used even if you only have a patio or porch. The annuals do beautifully in containers to give you a bit of color in your outdoor living spaces.

For the annuals to be effective I prefer to plant masses of solid colors, and there is nothing more spectacular than complimentary colors massed together. For example: a mass of bright yellow pansies, and then a mass of dark purple pansies. Another color combination would be dark blue or dark purple pansies in the background and a wide front edge of white sweet alyssum. Your yard will be the hit of the season with these color combinations. You can even be very creative and plant your color in masses of diagonal strips, or horizontal strips. A few of the annuals do come in mixed colors such as pansies and there is a right place for these annuals, too. May I suggest when using mixed color annuals such as pansies either plant the mixed color alone with out using another complimentary color, or plant the mixed colors with solid pansies without “a face” (the dark center in mixed colored pansies is called a face). All the color annuals listed prefer the cooler temperatures of fall and winter, especially if you live in the south or southwest. For my newsletter subscribers that live in the northeast or northwest you may use the plants as spring color.

Calendula. Height: 12 – 24 inches. Spacing: 12 – 15 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Red Dianthus is pictured left.

Cyclamen. Height: 4 – 6 inches. Spacing: 10 – 12 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.

Dianthus. Height: 6 – 15 inches. Spacing: 8 – 15 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.

Johnny Jump Up. Height: 6 – 8 inches. Spacing: 8 – 10 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Pictured right.

Mums. Height: 24 – 36 inches. Spacing: 24 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Mums make an excellent cut flower.

Ornamental Cabbage and Kale. Height: 15 – 18 inches. Spacing: 12 – 15 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Pictured left.

Pansy. Height: 6 – 8 inches. Spacing: 8 – 10 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.

Petunia. Height: 8 – 12 inches. Spacing: 8 – 10 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Pictured right.

Primrose. Height: 6 – 10 inches. Spacing: 8 – 10 inches apart. Light Requirements: Partial shade to shade.

Snapdragons. Height: 6 – 36 inches. Spacing: 10 – 15 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Snapdragons make excellent fresh cut flowers. Pictured left.

Stocks. Height: 12 – 20 inches. Spacing: 8 – 12 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Stocks have a wonderful fragrance and make excellent cut flowers.

Sweet Alyssum. Height: 4 – 6 inches. Spacing: 4 – 6 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Sweet Alyssum has a wonderful fragrance and requires less water than all the other annuals mentioned.

Viola. Height: 6 – 8 inches. Spacing: 8 – 10 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Pictured left.

With the coming of fall we think of what fall brings to us. I think of Halloween Decorations, Fall Vegetable Gardening, Bird Feeders, putting on your gardening gloves, and the wonderful cooler temperatures that come with the season. What Images Do You Imagine With The Coming Fall Season? Check Out Our End of Season Sale. Hibiscus and More is having an early fall season sale to get you ready for the upcoming holiday - Halloween!!! New this Halloween Season we are offering solar Halloween Decoration garden products. Hibiscus and More has a solar jack-o-lantern and a solar spooky skull. Our early season sale will only last until September 18, 2009. This offer is for a limited time only. The jack-o-lantern is originally priced at $34.95 and with your early purchase you save 37% off the original retail price. The spooky skull is originally priced at $29.95 and with your early purchase you save 27% off the original retail price. Hurry!! This is a limited time offer to all my newsletter subscribers.

Don’t Forget To Plan Your Fall Vegetable Garden: Click Here For More Information On Planning Your Garden. Tip: Keep your bird feeders full all year long, and attract more birds by providing a variety of bird feeders. Click Here To Order. Take advantage of Hibiscus and More’s End Of Season Sale On Hibiscus Plants in 4.5 inch Containers and Gardening Gloves. Click Here To Check Out The latest News From Hibiscus and More.