October is an ideal month to refresh garden beds, add compost, and plant spring-blooming bulbs before the winter chill sets in. Read on for more timely gardening tips!

Plant Doctor Quips

Nick Macaluso, Plant Doctor at our Pyramid Way store, explains, “October is a great time to get spring blooming bulbs in the ground. This includes Tulips, Narcissus, Hyacinth, and more. Planting these is as easy as sticking them in the ground, watering them in well, and then waiting a couple months for the blooms. It can be difficult to know exactly how far down to plant bulbs, a good rule of thumb is planting them two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall. So if a bulb is one inch tall you would plant it two or three inches down. Bulbs are an easy way to add color to your garden, and are a happy surprise in the spring.”

Steve Packer, Plant Doctor at our S. Virginia store, explains, “Perennial grasses can be cut back 6” above ground in late fall or early next spring before new growth arises at the base. For me, on the other hand, I like to leave my ornamental grasses left uncut to provide fall & winter interest with showy seed heads and whimsical leaf blades dancing in the wind. ”

Jeni Ware, Plant Doctor at our S. Virginia store, says, “Having a lush lawn can be a source of pride, but can be very challenging in our climate. We now have a great product that is specifically made for our area, the intermountain West. This time of year is when to apply the most important step of their program. The IFA Fall & Winter Lawn food will provide your lawn with much needed nutrients, building strong roots and stores energy for early Spring green up. Each pellet is coated with an omnicote containing iron to ensure even nutrient distribution. Apply to a dry lawn and then water thoroughly. In Spring, you’ll be thanking yourself while enjoying your lawn.“

Bird Nerd, Annemarie Tillotson explains, “With incoming rain and snow, now is a great time to invest in a platform ground feeder to keep all seed lifted and dry. Wet seed from rain or snow can easily rot or spoil, so using a lifted mesh tray will keep the seed dry and birds happy. As an added bonus, ground feeding birds will now create less mess, as millet or sunflower seed shells will be kept contained in the feeder.“

October
Moana Nursery High Desert Gardening
Timely Tips

  • Plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and spring flowering bulbs (which are planted only in the fall) – fall is the best time to plant!
  • Mulch, mulch, mulch. The best thing you can do to prepare and protect your trees and shrubs for winter is to mulch them with a 2 -3” layer of G&B Organics Soil Building Conditioner or walk-on bark, keeping mulch a minimum of 3-6” away from trunks.
  • Yellowing & dropping of pine, spruce, cedar & juniper needles – It is common for evergreens with needles to shed their interior foliage annually. As long as the needles are on the inside of the branch (close to the trunk) instead of at the tip of the branch, there is generally nothing to worry about. If needles are browning and dropping at the tip of branches, there is a problem; in this instance, bring a branch in to one of our plant doctors for a diagnosis.
  • Continue watering all trees, shrubs, perennials and lawns regularly until the ground freezes, gradually reducing the amount of water provided and lengthening the time between watering. You’ll find great watering tips on our website. Efficient Watering is just one of our High Desert Fact Sheets which can help you save water and give your plants all the water they need.
  • Core aerate your lawn with Green Thumb Coring Aerator if you didn’t do so in the spring or if you have heavy clay soils or areas of compaction.
  • If disease problems have been identified in your lawn or landscape, now may be the best time to treat. Visit one of our stores for specific information and bring samples so that we can best assist you.
  • Treat beds to prevent weeds now with Hi-Yield Herbicide Granules Weed and Grass Preventer or organically with Jonathan Green Corn Gluten Weed Preventer. Lawns can be treated with Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper unless they were recently seeded.
  • Reinvigorate tired lawns with top dressing and overseeding while daytime temperatures are still mild.
  • Fertilize lawn with G&B Organics Lawn Fertilizer or Fertilome Winterizer for Established Lawns if you haven’t done so yet.
  • Keep compost pile active by adding layers of green material (grass clippings and frost-killed annuals or perennials) and brown, dried material (fallen leaves, shredded twigs, dried grasses) with small amounts of soil & water. Turn regularly. Keep diseased material out of the pile. Regular additions of Fertilome Compost Maker help accelerate the composting process.
  • Continue to mow lawns at 3-1/2 – 4 inches. Reduce height to 2-1/2” (never shorter) for final mowing before winter.
  • Wait until trees and shrubs drop their leaves or undergo color change before digging and moving them to new sites.
  • Continue to water newly planted trees and shrubs, especially evergreens, until ground freezes.
  • If plants have not been fertilized this year and demonstrate a need for fertilizer because they have stunted growth, undersized fruit, off- color foliage, failed to fully flower or leaf out, or are recovering from disease or insect attack, apply G&B Organics All Purpose Fertilizer or slow-release G&B Organics Paradise Fertilizer according to the label or less. Do not use a fast-acting fertilizer.
  • Prior to leaf drop, while problems can be easily identified, prune dead wood out of trees and shrubs.
  • To keep deer from rubbing antlers on tree trunks, spread garden netting or snow fencing around abused trees.
  • Apply Wilt Pruf to broadleaf evergreens, such as rhododendrons, laurels, hollies, and photinia to protect from winter desiccation, especially those that are newly planted. It’s also great for cut greens and Christmas trees to help extend their time indoors.
  • Deter rabbits and rodents from over-wintering in gardens by using Plantskydd or Fertilome CritterGo and cutting down their winter habitats – ornamental grasses (except pampas grass) and perennials – instead of leaving them standing for winter interest.
  • Wrap columnar evergreens such as arborvitaes, columnar pines, and spruces with green ties to prevent damage during the winter from heavy snow accumulations.
  • Harvest pumpkins before a killing frost.
  • If hard frost threatens, pick all tomatoes and store in cardboard boxes or paper bags in cool, dry place. Or protect them and other tender veggies with DeWitt N-Sulate frost protection fabric. Tip: Make fried green tomatoes with your green tomatoes instead of storing them for later.
  • Frost protection in the fall can be challenging – but Dalen Insulated Plant Protectors can help. Just open the tubes and add water, place the filled teepees over your seedlings, young plants or vegetable crops. The Plant Protector becomes an igloo, keeping in the heat and warmth from the soil.
  • Harvest watermelons the second week of October – or right before a killing frost. The warm days and cool nights will increase their sweetness.
  • Allow collards, kale and brussels sprouts to be hit with frost before harvesting to improve their flavor.
  • Plant garlic and onion bulbs for spring harvest.
  • After a hard frost, remove previously healthy dead plant material from the vegetable garden and compost. Any diseased foliage or weed seeds should be kept out of the compost. Till 1 to 2 inches of G&B Organics Purely Compost into garden soil.
  • Refresh flower beds and containers with cool-season favorites such as pansies, ornamental cabbage & kale, chrysanthemums, sedums, ornamental grasses and fall-blooming asters.
  • Begin to plant spring blooming bulbs; be sure to add G&B Organics Rose, Flower & Bulb Fertilizer water well and mulch with G&B Organics Soil Building Conditioner after planting.
  • Allow certain dried flower heads to remain standing for fall and winter interest and as an attraction for birds — astilbe, coneflower, cosmos, and others.
  • Divide daylilies, peonies & iris; transplant while soil is still warm.
  • Harvest seed from non-hybridized flowering perennials.
  • Remove annual plant material from garden & containers and add to the compost pile.
  • For easier spring clean-up, cut back the following plants that don’t look very attractive after frost when their leaves and stems have lost all green color: bearded iris, peonies, bee balm, blanket flower, catmint, columbine, crocosmia, daylilies, phlox paniculata, salvia nemorosa, veronica, yarrow and wild indigo (baptisia).
  • Clean and sterilize containers before storing over winter.
  • Wait until the ground has frozen hard to mulch perennial beds.
  • Winterize aquatic gardens – click here to read our fact sheet WG-2 on winterizing ponds/aquatic gardens.
  • Many birds will be finishing their main molt (replacement of their feathers) this month, and require extra protein to grow strong feathers for proper flight and effective insulation. Continue to offer high-protein, high-fat bird foods, such as Nyjer®, peanuts, black oil sunflower, sunflower chips, Jim’s Birdacious Bark Butter® and mealworms.
  • We recommend feeding suet year ‘round which will help attract insect-eating birds and will make certain that birds have access to the extra fats they need while molting. Be sure to use regular (not no-melt) suet when night temperatures are freezing.
  • Bark Butter Bits are an attractive treat for birds that commonly feed on tree seeds, like jays, nuthatches, and chickadees, and they’ll become more common at feeders as they move down from higher elevations.
  • Ground-feeding birds are also arriving for the winter; now is a great time to add a Quail Block to your feeder offerings.
  • Goldfinches are returning to backyard feeders in full force. In summer they may seem scarce as they nest later and molt later than many other birds, but be sure to re-invite this social, entertaining bird to your yard by putting out a fresh supply of the seeds they love, like Nyjer®, Finch Blend, or sunflower chips.
  • Black bears are a potential problem this time of year for backyard bird feeders. Now through mid-December, bears will forage for food up to 20 hours a day to store enough fat to sustain them through hibernation. To deter them from gaining an easy meal and still feed your feathered friends, consider doing the following:
    Clean up seed that has fallen to the ground as much as possible; attach seed trays to your feeders to make this easier.
    Use ammonia on ground and around your feeders to deter bears.
    Consider only putting out Nyjer® as bears are less likely to be attracted to it versus other nut blends.
    When bear activity has been noted in your area, bring feeders in at night.
  • Ensure that the seed you offer stays fresh and dry by installing appropriate weather protection against any expected weather.
  • Hummers are pretty well gone now except for some Annas that have been known to stay through the winter. If you continue to put out nectar during the winter months, placing a source of low heat like Christmas lights next to your feeder can keep it from freezing, or easier still, use a hummingbird feeder heater meant specifically for this purpose, or have feeders that you can switch out readily – our 4 ounce High Perch feeder is ideal.
  • Continue to offer a clean, fresh source of water for birds. As nights get colder, consider a birdbath heater or heated birdbath to provide a consistent source of water.
  • To prevent the chance of disease, clean birdbath weekly with a weak bleach solution (1-part bleach to 9 parts water). Rinse well.
  • Install a customized Wild Birds Unlimited bird feeding station where you can easily watch the birds it attracts. It can be installed in the ground, on a patio or on a deck.
  • Our Seasonal Color Team can help you with custom containers, annual planting beds or a simple refresh of your existing garden. Schedule a free consultation today!
  • Need help with your indoor plants? Contact our Interior Plant Services team. They can help you design, install, and maintain your indoor plants! Want a WOW plant presentation? Ask about installing a LIVING PLANT WALL! Examples of plant walls are available to see at both our Moana Lane and Pyramid Way locations.
  • Our expert Plant Doctors can help you with your high desert gardening;
    • Diagnose disease & insect problems on trees, shrubs & lawns;
    • Identify existing plants in your landscape and how to care for them;
    • Provide plant placement for DIY customers.
    • Stop by any location to ask questions or email plantdoctor@moananursery.com.