Halloween Decor and October Gardening Calendar

 

October Gardening Calendar – 2022

As the gardening calendar turns to October the fall season begins to unfold with beautiful cooler weather and the start of seasonal color changes. The season brings all of us 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.

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.

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 your 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 in 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 3 weeks away and we have wonderful Halloween Decorations and Home Decor. To View all Halloween Decorations, Click Here. 40% off Halloween Decor Click Here.

Need botanical stock photography? Click Here.

Cheryl Meola © 2022.   

Spooky Halloween - Cheryl Meola © 2022. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November Gardening Calendar

November Gardening Calendar

Blow or rake fallen leaves from lawn areas. The leaves left on the lawn block the sunlight to your grass and will create bare spots. Don’t forget to compost the leaves. Spray each layer with water. Need a composter? This month all Cedar Products are 30% off. Click To Order Your Handcrafted Cedar Composter.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs now and add bone meal to the planting hole. For more information on fall bulbs Click Here.

You can save your Elephant Ears, Dahlias, and Caladiums by digging them up now. Let the tubers dry out before storing for the winter. Store tubers in boxes layered with peat moss or vermiculite, then layer tubers on top of your choice of medium. Store boxes in a cool, dry place.

After the flowers have faded on Chrysanthemums and Asters prune to 4 inches.

Fill bird feeders with black oil sunflower seeds. Need a new bird feeder this fall season? Click To Order Your Bird Feeders.

Plant New Shrubs and Trees: Have you been thinking about replacing a few shrubs that just did not quite get established in the landscape, 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 and trees to your landscape. This time of year will let your newly planted shrubs and trees get a head start by developing and establishing new root growth in the soil.

You still have time to plant your winter color such as: Chrysanthemums, Pansy, Viola, Snapdragons, Stock, Cyclamen, Dianthus, Sweet Alyssum, Flowering Cabbage and Kale provide winter color through the spring and should be still available at garden centers. For spring blooms plant Bluebonnet and Poppy seeds this fall. For more information on fall and winter annuals click here.

Holiday Plants that you kept last year need to be placed in a dark room during the evening hours for the plants to bloom this holiday season. I remember this gardening ritual when it is time to turn back our clocks; it is time to give my holiday plants total darkness until I see buds or bracts forming. Christmas Cactus and Poinsettias are night dependent plants for them to bloom; these plants need so many hours of darkness to bloom. The cooler weather also helps in the blooming process. If you purchased new holiday plants, try to place them in the coolest area of your home.

Have you ever tried forcing Paperwhites for the holidays and the stems and blooms became leggy? Here is a link to an article about what to do to prevent the legginess from occurring. Click Here To Read More: http://www.hortmag.com/weekly-tips/cultivation/growing-paperwhites?et_mid=525016&rid=2111517

House Plants that were brought indoors need a ¼ turn to prevent leaning towards the light. Turn your house plants weekly to prevent this. House plants do not need as much water during the winter months, water when the top one inch of the soil is dry. Hibiscus and More has a selection of plant stands. This month all plant stands and garden décor are 30% off. Click to order.

Cheryl Ann Meola

Certified Texas Nursery Professional #1282

September Gardening Calendar 2012

September Gardening Calendar

Check flowerbeds for pooped-out perennials such as Purple Coneflower, Black-Eyed Susan, and Shasta Daisy. Trim dead flower heads and brown leaves for fall.

Fertilize Chrysanthemums and Salvia with a liquid plant food. You will be rewarded with blooms later in the fall.

Chrysanthemums, Pansy, Viola, and Snapdragons provide winter color through the spring and should be available by mid-September at garden centers. For a complete list of Fall Color Annuals. Click Here For More Information. For spring blooms plant Bluebonnet and Poppy seeds.

Now is the time to divide Monkey Grass, Iris, and Daylily while the weather is still warm. 

Are you planning to bring your Tropical Hibiscus in this winter? Place in a sunny window.

Preserve excess Basil leaves by pureeing in a blender with ¼ cup of water. Pour the mixture in ice trays and use the cubes in your wintertime Italian dishes.

Spring-flowering bulbs should be on sale. Plan to plant in mid-October or when the weather cools to the 60’s or below.

Start planning where you will place your Tropical Plants that spent the summer outdoors. Trim back, if necessary and inspect for insects. Spray with appropriate insecticide, if needed. I prefer to use horticulture oil on my houseplants. Horticulture oils are environmentally friendly and will give your Houseplants a nice shine along with killing any insects. Check out our selection of Tropical Plants.

Are you planning a fall vegetable garden? Cool weather vegetable starts such as Broccoli, Collards, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Snow Peas are good choices. Don’t have room to plant your fall vegetable garden, but would like to grow your own vegetables? Our handcrafted cedar planters are the answer and are an excellent choice to grow your own vegetables. Cedar Planters are 10% off. Click To Order. For more information onFall Vegetable Gardening Click Here.

The last week in September is the time to replace your mulch under your Roses and Red Tip Photinia to prevent diseases on next year’s leaves.

As the weather cools, this is a good time to plant shrubs and trees. When planting in the fall, it provides less stress on the plant and the roots start to get established in the ground. SuperThrive is the recommended concentrated solution of plant vitamins and hormones used to encourage plant and root growth and to revitalize stressed or dying plants. SuperThrive is not a fertilizer and can be mixed with your favorite liquid fertilizer. Dosage recommendation for transplanting or weekly use: ¼ of a teaspoon per gallon of water, or for larger projects 3 ounces to 100 gallons of water. To revitalize stressed or dying plants use: 1 ounce to five gallons of water and water the root zone or drip line. Then water every 3 – 5 days ¼ teaspoon to 1 gallon of water at the root zone or drip line. For bare root roses use: 1 ½ teaspoons per 5 gallons of water and soak for at least 30 minutes. Depending on your plant’s condition you may use weekly or monthly. 

During drought or stressful conditions it is wise to water established shrubs and trees. The recommended rate for trees is 15 gallons of water per each trunk diameter a week. Break up the amount of water to twice a week and use SuperThrive as recommended above.

Bermuda grass seed should be planted no later than September 15^th to insure that the seeds germinate and become established before winter frost.

Brown Patch fungus is more apparent in the fall months. Prevention is the best cure by watering your lawn early in the morning before 10:00 AM or after 4:00 PM.

Mid-September is the last feeding for your lawns. Use a winterizer fertilizer for best results.

Don’t forget to check our website Hibiscus and More.

Hibiscus And More now offers Halloween Decorations. Click Here to View. Please allow 7 to 10 days for delivery.

Cheryl Ann Meola

Certified Texas Nursery Professional #1282

March Gardening Calendar

March Gardening Calendar

Fertilize winter flowering annuals with a blooming type fertilizer. Water in all granular type fertilizers.

Tattered Liriope leaves can be cut either with a weed eater or your lawn mower set on its highest setting.

Lawns should have lime at least yearly. Have you limed your lawn lately? Use 40 pounds per 1000 square feet.

Start spring flowers and tomatoes from seeds indoors. It takes about 6 weeks to get strong seedlings.

Spring is a good time to prune your boxwood shrubs.

Peach and Apple trees need to be sprayed with a fungicide recommended for fruit trees, and spray the trees while the blossoms are on the tree.

Prune back Holly shrubs that have gotten too large. If needed, you can prune back to 18 inches.

Need to divide your Hostas? When the leaves start to show you can divide and plant elsewhere in a shady part of the garden. Use a solution of SuperThrive as a root stimulator for best results after planting.

Fertilize Pecan Trees with a fruit tree fertilizer and water in well after.

Check for scale insects on Camellias and Euonymus. Spray with a horticultural oil, if you detect the insects.

March is the last month recommended to prune Roses to half their original size. Fertilize with Bayer Advanced Rose Fertilizer after pruning and apply once a month. Click Here For More Information on Roses.

There is still time to plant winter veggies. Click Here For More Information. All vegetables can be grown in large containers. I prefer to grow my vegetables in containers. Click Here For Cedar Planters.

Fertilize shrubs with a shrub and tree fertilizer and water in well.

Flowering shrubs such as Winter Honeysuckle, Quince, and Forsythia can be pruned after flowering.

One of the best time to plant fruit and nut trees is in early spring. Nurseries have a good selection of these trees in spring, but hurry the selection usually goes fast.

©Cheryl Ann Meola Texas Certified Nursery Professional #1282

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.