The Garden At Rock Cottage by Lance Brilliantine

October Chores

October is a wonderful month in the Northeast. It is an ideal time to take the dogs to the beach for a leisurely walk. The last sequence of warm days and lingering rays of sun provide just enough warmth to still enjoy the salt air and sand. These days are often contrasted with indicators of the colder weather to follow, though we have had an unusual, lingering Indian summer this year.

For gardeners, October is a busy month for planting and cleanup. It is also a time to consider wildlife and to consider helping them during the coming winter.

I always enjoy the last few butterflies that visit the garden, like tiny kites floating among the browning leaves. They like to feed on the late sedums and remaining buddleia flowers before hibernating somewhere unknown. The Monarch butterflies that we see each season have all migrated southward to Morelia by this time.

Now is a good time to store some of the natural seeds, fruits and nuts that are abundant at this time of year. We store sunflower heads and gather hickory nuts and acorns from the lawn. These will be set out in winter when the pickings are slim.

If you have not done so, late October is a good time to aerate lawns. Aerating helps grass to tolerate more soggy soil from winter rain. Subsequent mowing helps break up the plugs - which should not be removed. Because the weather has provided warmer days this year, lawns still require mowing. Set the mowing height at about one-and-a-half inches. This shorter mowing height will help to break up aeration plugs and also reduce diseases during rainy winter weather. If you have shady lawn areas where moss is a problem, now is a good time to apply moss control. This will help prevent the moss from crowding out the grass as winter proceeds.

Spring-flowering bulbs can be planted through November; but the earlier the better, so that they develop adequate roots to support spring flowers. Be sure to plant bulbs in soil that has been amended for good drainage. It is also time to dig and divide crowded bulbs to improve blooms next season.

Late October is still a good time to plant evergreen trees and shrubs, provided the weather stays warm. Deciduous trees and shrubs can be planted all winter provided soil is workable and you provide adequate water to keep roots from drying out. When planting, always remove burlap wrapping from the roots. Despite the fact that many nurseries say it is okay to plant the burlap, we know from experience that it impedes successful ongoing rooting.

On the East End, where the soil is typically acidic, late October is a good time to apply lime treatment to soil. We prefer to use powdered white lime, though some of the pelletized lime works equally well. An application now means that winter rains will carry the lime deep into the soil and sweeten it for spring. Overly acidic soil can prevent the uptake of nutrients by roots, so it is especially good when used on flower beds and lawns.

Many insects and diseases make it through the winter by hibernating on fallen leaves and dead branches. We discovered years ago that we could virtually eradicate ticks by removing leaves in fall. (We have not seen a tick in years since we have been diligent about leaf removal. Only place leaves without disease onto the compost heap.)

October is also a good time to prune away dead or diseased wood on trees and shrubs. Perform this task before leaves fall, so that you can see where pruning is needed. Cut away any remaining perennial stems and spread mulch over flower beds to protect them. We have found that peat moss makes an excellent mulch, especially when combined with some compost and dehydrated cow manure. A four-inch layer of this mixture protects perennials and provides nutrients to the soil for spring. Avoid using shredded bark as mulch. It seems to provide a habitat for over-wintering and attracts mice, moles, and voles.

While the weather continues to provide some warmth and fair days to work in the garden, it is an excellent time to fantasize about spring, and to make that fantasy a realty. Put in some effort late this month to pay off in abundance next spring. An hour or two in the garden now will not be time wasted!

You can contact Lance Brilliantine with any questions or comments at GardenLance@yahoo.com.

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