Gardening Tips for October
First Frost – October 27 is the average first frost date in Lynchburg. Drain rain barrels before hard freeze. Unhook garden hoses from your buildings and drain them.
Lawn Fertilization – If you are only going to apply one application of fertilizer, do so in October.
Leaves – Don’t let leaves lay on your lawn. Run over them with a mulching mower or pick them up and compost or use as mulch.
Weed Control – Annual bluegrass and other winter weeds germinate when air temperatures fall below 75 F for extended periods as autumn approaches. Controlling these weeds with pre-emergence herbicides is similar to controlling crabgrass with pre-emergence herbicides except for the timing. If fall seeding is planned, control weeds at least 1 month prior to seeding.
Bulbs/Tubers – Plant bulbs in soil with good drainage and fertilize with low nitrogen, high phosphate fertilizer.
Focus on Natives
Now that the rain has stopped, and I can get out in my garden again, I am enjoying the Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum), a native perennial which is sometimes called “wild ageratum” which it resembles. I’ve been waiting all summer to see it bloom, and now that fall is here, it is in its glory, providing abundant nectar for butterflies as they take in food to prepare for migrating or overwintering. The photo here shows an American Lady butterfly relaxing on a mound of blue mistflower in my garden.
Blue Mistflower
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Blue mistflower likes full sun but will do well in part shade also. It prefers moist soil, but mine survived the summer’s drought with only maybe two or three waterings from me. My native garden has a healthy layer of accumulated leaves also, which serve as mulch and help retain moisture in the soil.
Early in the season, well before bloom time, this plant was browsed by the neighborhood deer, but recovered well, and looks great now in October, at about three feet tall. It is supposed to be an aggressive plant, spreading through abundant seed production and rhizomes. Mine is at least twice the size it was last year! I will be dividing this one when it emerges in early spring. My native garden is ever-expanding, so I’m glad to have a good spreader.
Some older references to this plant classify it as a Eupatorium, but recent phylogenetic studies have indicated the genus should be divided, and it is now classified with Conoclinium. It is native to about 50% of North America, the eastern and central portion. Several other species of Conoclinium are native to Texas, Mexico, and the southwestern U.S.
FESTIVAL OF GARDENING
The 2024 Festival of Gardening, our annual plant sale and celebration of all things gardening, was a smashing success. The rain held off just long enough for crowds of plant shoppers to find their favorite tomato variety or a sought-after native plant. Thousands of plants went to new homes. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
SAVE THE DATE!
FOG 2025
Saturday, May 3, 2025
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Cooler AUTUMN days have arrived and the lush growth of summer is beginning to ebb. A time for harvest, it’s also time to plant bulbs in anticipation of Spring. As leaves begin to fall new beauty emerges.
There is always something new to see as the garden transforms through the seasons. Whether planning the next season’s planting, moving the garden indoors, or shifting to maintenance projects, there’s always lots to learn and lots to do. A garden gives back everything that you put into it.
What’s next for your garden?
Our next Master Gardener Training Class will start in February. Information and the online Application are available now on our Become a Master Gardener page. The Training Schedule will be available for download soon.
In the Garden This Month
OCTOBER
Gardening Tips for October
First Frost - October 27 is the average first frost date in Lynchburg. Drain rain barrels before hard freeze. Unhook garden hoses from your buildings and drain them.
Lawn Fertilization - If you are only going to apply one application of fertilizer, do so in October.
Leaves - Don't let leaves lay on your lawn. Run over them with a mulching mower or pick them up and compost or use as mulch.
Weed Control - Annual bluegrass and other winter weeds germinate when air temperatures fall below 75 F for extended periods as autumn approaches. Controlling these weeds with pre-emergence herbicides is similar to controlling crabgrass with pre-emergence herbicides except for the timing. If fall seeding is planned, control weeds at least 1 month prior to seeding.
Bulbs/Tubers - Plant bulbs in soil with good drainage and fertilize with low nitrogen, high phosphate fertilizer. If you are not sure which end of the bulb is the top, plant it on its side. The stem will always grow upright. Canna, ginger and elephant ear may be overwintered by cutting stalks to the ground after killing frost, potting up and storing in an unheated garage or porch. Water lightly no more than once a month.
Perennials/Annuals - Cut Sweet Autumn Clematis back to 6-12 inches if you want to remove all those vines from arbors or railings before the winter. Do not mulch the crowns of cardinal flower and use very little mulch over peonies. They like the cold. Divide and plant ferns in early fall for best results. Plant pansies for fall, winter and spring color. Place in a sunny spot in the garden or in a container with good drainage.
Vegetables - Remove asparagus ferns once they have yellowed. If they are green, they are still nourishing the crowns.
A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows. – Doug Larson.
