Gardening Tips for October

As October arrives and we move into fall, things change rapidly in the garden. Leaves drop, mums and asters are in full bloom, frost kills off tender foliage, and many of the birds start to head south. It’s time to start preparing the garden for the coming winter.

Here are some of the things to do this month:

Plant spring-blooming bulbs

Cut back and remove fallen leaves from any diseased plants and dispose in a plastic bag

Cut back dead plant material that you don’t want to see over the winter – but consider leaving some plants standing to provide food for birds and winter interest (e.g., grasses, Echinacea)

Divide or transplant perennials – the cool fall weather makes this an ideal time to move plants

Keep mowing – As long as the grass is growing, keep on mowing!