A seasonal display of pumpkins & gourds at Art's Nursery, Port Kells, B.C.
October Garden Chores
Jeans become fun planters at Vanderveen Hay Sales in Surrey, B.C.
In This Issue
There are many types of funky pumpkins.
Get Planting & Transplanting - Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs - Saving Dahlias
Saving Glads, Cannas & Tuberous Begonias - October Lawns - Garden Beds - Weeds & Bedding Plants
Perennials - October Roses - Fall Veggie Gardening - Seasonal Planters - Composting Wisdom
Houseplants in Winter & Saving Tropical Plants - What to Prune in Fall - Collecting Seeds
Cleaning & Putting Stuff Away - Prepping For Winter - Bananas & Palm Tree Protection
Plant of the Month: Staghorn Sumac
Saving Glads, Cannas & Tuberous Begonias - October Lawns - Garden Beds - Weeds & Bedding Plants
Perennials - October Roses - Fall Veggie Gardening - Seasonal Planters - Composting Wisdom
Houseplants in Winter & Saving Tropical Plants - What to Prune in Fall - Collecting Seeds
Cleaning & Putting Stuff Away - Prepping For Winter - Bananas & Palm Tree Protection
Plant of the Month: Staghorn Sumac
Happy Thanksgiving Canada!
Fellow Gardeners..
It's autumn already!
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
Now that the growing season has come to an end, it’s time to work on the soil. The garden under my kitchen window is the perfect candidate. My efforts to lighten this heavy clay soil has seen little improvement. I’ve mixed in tons of fall foliage, straw, compost, cover crops and composted manure over the years, which has helped, but it’s still a sticky, cloying, heavy clay. So now I am going all out with adding organic stuff to lighten it up, however I am changing my tactics. Instead of adding it to the soil surface, it’s going to being buried in a wide, 8” to 12” deep trench. I have done trench composting in the past, but on a small scale. I was pleased with the results so this should work. Candidates for this soil conditioning and improvement project will be vetted before they are trench bound. There will be no weeds added or any plants like wild violets or dill with immortal seeds. I swear they do exist. Plants with runners will also be exempt, sod, ornamental grasses, buttercups and bindweed. No cooked food because they don’t decompose properly, they smell and they attract rodents. Same thing with meat and fat. When the trench is filled with 2” to 4” of kitchen and garden scraps, it must be watered to spur on decomposition. Bury everything by raking the excavated soil overtop. I’m filling up portions of the trench weekly and covering each portion as is fills. Once the entire trench is full and topped with 4” to 8” of soil, I’ll cover the entire bed with a few inches of straw. In spring, when the soil is workable and has dried out after the winter, it will need a good turning over with a garden fork to mix it all together. By planting time, nature should have worked its magic and turned the clay into a rich loam, fingers crossed. In the meantime, there’s lots of other garden chores to occupy everyone as it’s time to put the garden to bed. It will be winter before you know it. Enjoy your October garden and don’t work too hard out there. Cheers, Amanda 
A trench compost promises better soil.
October's Floral Arrangement
October 2026
October's garden flowers are hydrangeas, asters and ferns. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements
Add Fall Colour
Autumn Applause is an aptly named American ash.
There are many wonderful trees, shrubs and vines that bring colour and excitement to fall gardens. Click on the pic for a list that also includes pictures to entice and delight.
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October's Plant of the Month
Staghorn Sumac
Staghorn sumac shows off its brilliant October colours at VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Native to North America staghorn sumacs, Rhus typhina, offer colourful autumnal foliage, deep red velvet seed heads, which are also edible. To learn more about Staghorn sumacs click on the picture.
Garden Videos
Click on the pic to visit my garden channel.
Need A Garden Consultation?
Get all your questions answered with a garden consultation.
Book a home visit and have your garden questions answered including trouble shooting sickly plants, pest control, plant ID, garden design, veggie gardening advice, pruning and how to lower your garden maintenance. Learn how to become a better gardener and enjoy your garden. Serving Metro Vancouver. Book here.
Gift Cards Available
A personal garden consultation is the ideal gift for gardeners and non-gardeners alike. This two-hour consultation covers landscape design, trouble shooting, plant ID, lawn care, veggie gardening and other garden related issues. A $200.00 value. Serving Metro Vancouver. Click here to fill out the form.
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October Garden Stars
Chinese witch hazel, Hamamelis mollis, deciduous shrub, zones 5 - 8, 10 to 15' tall, wide, fragrant winter flowers. Sun to part shade. Click on the pic for more.
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Japanese silver grass, Miscanthus sinensis, 5-9ft x 4-5ft, reddish brown blooms age to silver, sun to part shade. Zones 5-9
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Chinese lantern, Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii, herbaceous perennial, 2'-3', invasive, sun to part shade. Zones 3 to 9.
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Sourwood, sorrel tree, Oxydendrum arboreum, deciduous tree, 20-50’ x 10-25’, fragrant, sun, part shade. Zone 5 to 9.
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Autumn crocus, Colchicum autumnale, corm, 6 - 10”, spring leaves, fall flowers, sun to shade. Zones 4 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Japanese Stewartia, S. pseudocamellia, deciduous tree, 20 - 40' x 10 - 25', sun part shade. Zones 5-8. Click on pic for more.
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Gaultheria procumbens, winterberry, broadleaf evergreen groundcover, 6” x 1’, white flowers, edible berries, part shade to shade. Zones 3 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Hardy cyclamen, Cyclamen hederifolium, 6-8” x 12”, herbaceous perennial, blooms Sept – Oct, part shade, mulch. Zones 5 to 9.
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Doll's Eyes, Actaea pachypoda f. pachypoda, herbaceous perennial, 18-30”, white flowers & poisonous berries, part shade to shade. Zones 3 to 9.
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Beautyberry, Callicarpa bodinieri, deciduous shrub, 6-10', sun to part shade. Zones 6-8. Click on the pic for more.
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Oregon grape holly, Mahonia aquifolium, broadleaf evergreen, 3-6' x 2', sun, part shade. Zones 5 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Guernsey lily, Nerine bowdenii, perennial bulb, 14-18”x3-6”, sun, fall flowers, well-drained soil. Zones 8 to 10.
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Persian Ironwood, Parrotia persica, deciduous tree, zones 4-8, 20 to 40' x 30', sun. Click on the pic for more.
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Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, broadleaf evergreen, 10’-20’ tall & wide, fragrant flowers Oct to Dec. Zones 7 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Red maple, Acer rubrum, deciduous tree, zones 3 -9, 40 to 70' tall, 30 to 50' wide. Indigenous to North America.
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Sweet autumn clematis/virgins bower (C. ternifolia), deciduous vine, 15-30ft, fragrant, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9.
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Dwarf winged burning bush, Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', deciduous shrub, 9 to 10' tall & wide, sun to part shade. Zones 4-8. Click on pic for more.
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Honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, deciduous tree, 60’-80’ x 60’-80’, sun, fall colour. Zones 3 to 8.
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Ox eye, Heliopsis helianthoides var scabra 'Bleeding Hearts', herbaceous perennial, 3’ to 4’, sun. Zones 3 to 9.
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Ornamental kale, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, biennial, 1’x 15”, sun, part shade. Zones 2-9. Click on the pic for more.
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Chrysanthemums, herbaceous perennial, 1-3’ x 1-2’, flowers from September to frost. Zones 5 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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October Garden Chores
Click on the coloured links to be redirected.
Visit Your Garden
October gardens are full of autumnal colours.
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Late flowers of a pink Guy de Maupassant floribunda rose and Audrey, a New York aster.
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It’s a nice time to visit the garden before winter takes hold and give it a thorough inspection. October gardens are known to be fleeting in colour as trees and shrubs shed their gold, yellow and red foliage, whilst late flowering plants succumb to the passage of time. The end of season garden chores are plenty so you might as well enjoy the garden while you can before the ‘games’ begin and the knees give out.
Visit local nurseries for great end of season sales and for colourful fall plants.
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Plant trees so their trunk flair is above ground.
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This tree is planted too deeply.
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This burlap will soon strangle this poor tree.
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Loosen roots before planting.
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Get Planting: Take advantage of the local garden centres end of season sales for great plant deals. Plant your new plants in the ground as soon as possible as frost usually arrives in November. Water thoroughly and provide winter protection with thick layers of fall leaves, straw or wood chips. Be mindful to set plants at the correct depth. Plant trees so their trunk flare is above the ground and the shrub’s crowns at ground level. Firmly place plants into the soil so there are no air spaces. To learn more about successful planting techniques click on Planting Know How.
Transplant: There’s no need to wait for spring to move plants around the garden. Fall planting is preferable as the soil is warm and there’s abundant rain followed by cool, wet weather unlike spring planting, which is followed by hot, dry summer weather.
Transplant: There’s no need to wait for spring to move plants around the garden. Fall planting is preferable as the soil is warm and there’s abundant rain followed by cool, wet weather unlike spring planting, which is followed by hot, dry summer weather.
Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs
Tulips mingle with hellebores and bridal wreath spirea.
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A beautiful tulip display at Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver.
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Dust bulbs with cinnamon.
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Chicken wire protects bulbs.
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For the best selection of healthy bulbs, purchase and plant them this month. Planting now gives the roots time to grow before the ground freezes. To hide their dying foliage once they've finished flowering, incorporate daffodils, tulips and other spring bulbs into your garden by burying them among ferns, irises, hostas and low growing plants. Planting them among other plants helps to disguise their dying leaves after their blossoms fade.
Insert bulbs into existing containers for a pop of spring colour.
Insert bulbs into existing containers for a pop of spring colour.
Spring Bulbs in Pots
Plant bulbs in pots for portability.
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Potted tulips provide a splash of colour wherever you desire.
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Bury potted bulbs to overwinter.
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Force bulbs for early blossoms.
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For portability and convenience, consider planting bulbs in pots. Use potting soil, not soil from the garden as it contains pathogens and weeds. For a burst of blooms, plant numerous types of bulbs together by layering them in deep pots. Do not cover the drainage holes as good drainage is essential. For a ‘layered’ planting, place daffodils 6” deep, add an inch or two of soil, then plant tulips, repeat the layering with hyacinths, followed by grape hyacinths and/or crocus. Label, and water.
Place potted bulbs in protected locations against the house, or bury the pots and cover the tops with straw or fallen leaves. In spring, remove the mulch and place the potted bulbs anywhere that needs an injection of spring colour. When planting bulbs in the garden select sunny spots with good drainage so they don’t rot. Plants in groups and the more the merrier. To learn more about planting spring bulbs, critter protection, design and growing tips click on Spring Flowering Bulbs. Click on Planting Tulips for a video.
Forcing Spring Bulbs: Pot up daffodils, tulips and hyacinths with the pointed end up in pots filled with potting soil. Place in a dark frost free area (4°-14° C.) such as a garage or bury potted bulbs in the garden for 12 to 15 weeks. When roots poke through drainage holes, move indoors to a sunny window and water as needed.
Place potted bulbs in protected locations against the house, or bury the pots and cover the tops with straw or fallen leaves. In spring, remove the mulch and place the potted bulbs anywhere that needs an injection of spring colour. When planting bulbs in the garden select sunny spots with good drainage so they don’t rot. Plants in groups and the more the merrier. To learn more about planting spring bulbs, critter protection, design and growing tips click on Spring Flowering Bulbs. Click on Planting Tulips for a video.
Forcing Spring Bulbs: Pot up daffodils, tulips and hyacinths with the pointed end up in pots filled with potting soil. Place in a dark frost free area (4°-14° C.) such as a garage or bury potted bulbs in the garden for 12 to 15 weeks. When roots poke through drainage holes, move indoors to a sunny window and water as needed.
Saving Dahlias
Hot Shot cactus dahlia.
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Frost bitten dahlias are ready to be dug up.
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Use a garden fork to dig up dahlia tubers.
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Cure dahlias before storing.
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Store dry dahlia tubers in cardboard boxes.
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Although dahlias may be left in the ground in USDA zones 8 to 11, there are no guarantees they’ll survive the winter especially in zone 8 if the weather is severe. This is why it is recommended to dig them up once they either get hit by frost or when they start to decline. Here’s more on overwintering dahlias.
Saving Gladiolus
There's no need to dig up glads in temperate climates.
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Cure gladiolus corms before storing.
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Dig up glads once their leaves yellow.
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It’s not necessary to dig up glads in USDA zones 8 to 11. In cool climates wait for their leaves to yellow before lifting them. If you can’t wait, dig them up but be careful not to detach the stems from the corms. Hang them upside down by their stems in a frost free location until they yellow. Cut off the stems, remove the old corm underneath, then dust with cinnamon. Bury the corms in a cardboard box filled with vermiculite, peat moss, sawdust or clean, dry potting soil. Store in a frost free location. Avoid storing in plastic to reduce rotting. Here's more on Gladiolus.
Overwinter cannas in a cool, dry place.
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Save tuberous begonias for next year.
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Allow begonia stems to break free before storing.
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Cannas: Dig up and store the tubers as you would dahlias or keep potted cannas in their pots in a cool, frost-free basement and cover with newspaper.
Tuberous begonias: Bring them indoors into a frost free area when their tops are killed by frost or when they start to yellow. Withhold water to spur on their dormancy, which initiates the stems to break off from the tuber. Click on Tuberous Begonias for more.
Tuberous begonias: Bring them indoors into a frost free area when their tops are killed by frost or when they start to yellow. Withhold water to spur on their dormancy, which initiates the stems to break off from the tuber. Click on Tuberous Begonias for more.
October Lawn Care
Grass stops growing when temps drop to 10°C (50°F).
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A winterizer fertilizer promotes hardiness.
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Clear leaves from the lawn before winter.
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Mow dry fallen leaves & place on garden beds.
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Lawns 101: It’s time to prepare the lawn for winter, which means mowing it to 2” and fertilizing with a low nitrogen, high phosphorous winterizer fertilizer ex: 9-4-18. Apply Dolopril lime on mossy lawns to raise the pH and treat with a moss killer. Aerate the lawn if you didn’t do so last spring. Hire someone to do the job or rent an aerator. Leave the sod 'cores' as they add nutrients when they decompose.
To improve overall growth, topdress the entire lawn with screened compost. Follow up by sowing grass seed over the area and water thoroughly.
Keep the lawn free of fall foliage as best as you can; either mow and bag them or rake them into nearby garden beds. Stop mowing the lawn when daytime temperatures dip below 10°C, 50°F. For the last cut of the year, set the mower to 1.5 inches. For more on lawns click on Lawn 101 - Moss in Lawns - Lawn Maintenance - Fertilizers & Ratios - Lawn Grub Control
To improve overall growth, topdress the entire lawn with screened compost. Follow up by sowing grass seed over the area and water thoroughly.
Keep the lawn free of fall foliage as best as you can; either mow and bag them or rake them into nearby garden beds. Stop mowing the lawn when daytime temperatures dip below 10°C, 50°F. For the last cut of the year, set the mower to 1.5 inches. For more on lawns click on Lawn 101 - Moss in Lawns - Lawn Maintenance - Fertilizers & Ratios - Lawn Grub Control
Repair Lawns & Install New Ones
Now's the time to fix the lawn!
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A soil test takes the guesswork out of lawn care.
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Sow grass seed.
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Lay sod for an instant lawn.
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Get a soil test before installing a new lawn or repairing an existing one. To fix yellow and dead patches, cut them out of the lawn then mix in some bone meal and/or a starter fertilizer, then add the grass seeds. Firmly press them into the ground with your hand, the back of the rake, plank or stiff mat. Keep seeds moist until they germinate then water as needed. For more information on laying sod, seeding and renovation, click on Lawn Reno.
Garden Bed Winter Prep
Leave organic debris on garden beds.
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Ladybugs overwinter in leaf litter.
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Make new beds now for spring planting.
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There's no need to dig up the lawn with lasagna gardening.
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Reduce your Maintenance: It is a mistake to rake off the leaves, twigs and other organic litter from garden beds. All that organic debris breaks down to add nutrients and protects the ground from erosion, temperature fluctuations and from weeds. It also provides habitat for bees, ladybugs and other beneficial insects to overwinter.
New & Bigger Beds: It’s a good time to modify existing gardens and install new ones now. Use a garden hose to outline beds. Instead of digging up the grass, smother it with cardboard and/or newspaper. To learn more about sheet mulching click on Lasagna Gardening.
New & Bigger Beds: It’s a good time to modify existing gardens and install new ones now. Use a garden hose to outline beds. Instead of digging up the grass, smother it with cardboard and/or newspaper. To learn more about sheet mulching click on Lasagna Gardening.
Weeds
Pull out roots & runners.
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Weeds proliferate on bare soil.
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Landscape fabric doesn't stop weeds & causes more harm than good.
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To prevent weeds, add a thick layer of mulch.
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Weeds: Take the time to remove as many weeds as you can before winter arrives. You’ll be glad you did when spring rolls around. Hand weeding gives instant results, but do try to get all the runners, roots and seed heads. For obnoxious weeds such as horsetails and bindweed, pull them out of the ground as digging them up spreads them even more. If using herbicides, select Safer’s fatty acid, horticultural grade vinegar and other organic products and follow their instructions. To prevent more weeds from popping up, once an area is weeded, lay 3 inches of mulch on top of the soil surface. Anything less than 3 inches weeds are quicker to reinfest.
Bedding Plants - Annuals
Keep the roots of this million bells, (Calibrachoa), in the ground to decompose.
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Snapdragons reseed themselves.
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Keep leaves out of ponds with netting.
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Annuals/Bedding Plants: There’s no need to dig up petunias, impatiens and other annuals/bedding plants, just cut them off at ground level. The remaining roots will add nutrients and organic matter as they decompose. Some annuals are self-seeders such as lobelias, alyssum, love-in-mist (Nigella), nasturtiums, ageratum, snapdragons, poppies, foxgloves and calendula, which means their seeds are viable and will grow if left over the winter.
Ponds: Keep ponds & other water features free from fallen leaves and other organic debris by covering them with a net. Once the overhead trees are bare, use the netting to neatly gather the leaves and place them on top of garden beds as a mulch. Here's more on Ponds in Winter.
Ponds: Keep ponds & other water features free from fallen leaves and other organic debris by covering them with a net. Once the overhead trees are bare, use the netting to neatly gather the leaves and place them on top of garden beds as a mulch. Here's more on Ponds in Winter.
Taking Care of Perennials
Cut perennials back when they yellow.
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Cut perennials back to 6 inches.
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Cut back ornamental grasses in the spring.
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Peony measles. Click on pic for more.
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Remove diseased hellebore leaves. Click on pic.
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Most perennials should be cut back once their leaves yellow, but not all. The seed heads and spent flowers from ornamental grasses, globe thistles (Echinops ritro) and redhot poker plants (Kniphofia uvaria) provide winter interest and food for hungry birds. Wait for spring to cut back chrysanthemums, but do remove their spent flowers. When daisies, irises, daylilies and other perennials start to yellow, cut their stems off to within 6” inches of the ground. The shortened stems protect plants from the cold and provide homes for beneficial insects. Don’t toss the chopped off stems instead cut them into pieces and place them on top of the soil around the plant. They not only provide winter protection, but they also enrich the soil as they decompose. This chop and drop method is not recommended for all plants, just the healthy ones. For instance, remove and discard infected leaves from Lenten roses (Hellebore) and peonies to prevent the spread of diseases.
Don't cut back red-hot poker plants in fall. Click on pic.
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Wait for spring to cut back chrysanthemums. Click on pic.
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A hollow centre indicates that needs to be divided
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Use a sharp knife or saw to cut through roots.
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Dividing Perennials: Divide hostas, irises, daylilies and other perennials when there’s few blooms, the clump becomes too wide, the centre becomes bare and the plant lacks vigour. Cut through tough roots with a bread knife, old pruning saw or drywall knife. Plant in the garden or pot them up.
October Roses
Late blossoms of a Bonica rose and its rosehips.
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Secure or cut back overly long rose canes.
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Hill soil over rose crowns.
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Remove diseased foliage.
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Roses: Don’t cut back roses too far in autumn as it makes them vulnerable to winterkill. However, a little bit of pruning won’t go amiss. First remove all dead and diseased canes followed by anything spindly and weak. Shorten the remaining stems by a quarter. Cut just above a bud (node) or leaf. Shorten or remove overly long canes to prevent the wind from dislodging the plant from the ground (windrock). Climbing Roses: Tie their canes to their supports or cut them back so they don’t rip around in the wind. To reduce the spread of disease, remove ALL infected, diseased foliage from the plant and the ground to prevent overwintering diseases. Do you want more roses? Fall is the perfect time of the year to plant new ones and to take cuttings.
Roses Winter Protection: Mound a few inches of soil or fall foliage over the plant’s crown then lay a 3-inch layer of mulch on the ground. For more click on Roses - Pruning Roses - Types of Roses - Easy Roses - Rose Insects & Diseases - Climbing Roses - Climbing Rose Winter Prep
Roses Winter Protection: Mound a few inches of soil or fall foliage over the plant’s crown then lay a 3-inch layer of mulch on the ground. For more click on Roses - Pruning Roses - Types of Roses - Easy Roses - Rose Insects & Diseases - Climbing Roses - Climbing Rose Winter Prep
Veggie Gardening TLC
A mild October's hearty harvest.
Swiss chard is cold hardy.
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Leave carrots in the ground.
Plant garlic in full sun.
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Harvest kale throughout the winter.
Broccoli side shoots.
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Harvest: Cut off broccoli heads from the plant as new heads will develop. Harvest tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, basil, zucchini and all other non-hardy crops while they are still producing and looking good.
Plant garlic & shallots: Plant now and harvest in June and July. Select a sunny location with excellent drainage to encourage large bulbs.
Remaining Hardy Crops: Protect any remaining crops by mulching the ground with a thick layer of autumn leaves, straw or newspapers. As the weather cools, consider covering them with a frost blanket or a cloche. Keep carrots, beets, parsnips and other root crops in the ground and harvest as needed. For a list on what to do, click on Fall Veggie Garden Clean-up.
Plant garlic & shallots: Plant now and harvest in June and July. Select a sunny location with excellent drainage to encourage large bulbs.
Remaining Hardy Crops: Protect any remaining crops by mulching the ground with a thick layer of autumn leaves, straw or newspapers. As the weather cools, consider covering them with a frost blanket or a cloche. Keep carrots, beets, parsnips and other root crops in the ground and harvest as needed. For a list on what to do, click on Fall Veggie Garden Clean-up.
Straw mulch protects veggie beds from the elements.
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A cloche and straw protects hardy crops.
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Use fallen leaves to mulch veggie beds.
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Cover Bare Veggie Beds: Unprotected soil is subject to nutrient loss, erosion and winter weeds so it’s crucial to cover it. Mulch the soil with 3 inches or more of fall foliage, straw (not hay) or a thick layer of ripped up newspaper.
Reduce Overwintering Pests & Diseases: Remove and discard all dead, dying, diseased remnants from all remaining crops and from the ground. Don’t dig up chard, kale, broccoli and other hardy veggies as they will continue to grow. Do remove all yellow and dodgy looking foliage and plants.
Reduce Overwintering Pests & Diseases: Remove and discard all dead, dying, diseased remnants from all remaining crops and from the ground. Don’t dig up chard, kale, broccoli and other hardy veggies as they will continue to grow. Do remove all yellow and dodgy looking foliage and plants.
Tomato blight.
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Remove all tomato debris.
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Wipe down squashes before storing.
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Cover rhubarb with their leaves.
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Make a plan of the veggie garden.
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Tomatoes: Harvest green and ripe fruit and discard plants once they start to decline. Don’t compost them to prevent contamination. Remove and discard all tomato remnants including fallen tomatoes, foliage and roots.
Harvest Winter Squash: Cure acorn, spaghetti squash, pumpkins etc. in a warm, frost free location to cure for 4 to 5 days before storing. After curing, wipe them down with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to prevent mould. Store at 10 to 15°C (50 to 60°F).
Take Notes & Pics: To remember your hits and misses from this gardening year, take notes of why you think some plants failed, what worked and any good plant combinations. Take pics of the veggie garden so you can rotate crops next year. To learn more about vegetable gardening click on Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting, and Food Gardening.
Harvest Winter Squash: Cure acorn, spaghetti squash, pumpkins etc. in a warm, frost free location to cure for 4 to 5 days before storing. After curing, wipe them down with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to prevent mould. Store at 10 to 15°C (50 to 60°F).
Take Notes & Pics: To remember your hits and misses from this gardening year, take notes of why you think some plants failed, what worked and any good plant combinations. Take pics of the veggie garden so you can rotate crops next year. To learn more about vegetable gardening click on Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting, and Food Gardening.
Houseplants & Savings Tropical Plants
Keep potted fuchsias indoors or bury them in the garden.
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Coleus make great houseplants.
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Bring angel trumpets & other tender plants indoors.
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It's easy to overwinter geraniums.
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Frost-tender plants that have been vacationing outside during the summer should be brought inside preferably while they are still looking good and before nighttime temperatures drop to 10°C. Clean their pots and drainage trays before you bring them indoors to thwart any hijacking slugs and bugs. Don’t be alarmed when their leaves yellow and fall off as plants adjust to their new environment. New leaves will soon emerge, especially if they overwinter under grow lights or fluorescents. To learn more, click on Overwintering Tender Plants and Houseplants in Winter & Saving Geraniums & Tropicals.
What to Prune in October
It's too late to shear hedges.
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Only remove hydrangea flowers.
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Cut suckers off trees.
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Prune off dead wood.
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Don't prune lilacs.
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Take it Easy: Refrain from cutting back trees, shrubs and vines this time of year as it compromises their hardiness. It’s best to wait until winter when they are fully dormant. Lilacs and other spring flowering plants have already set their buds, so wait to prune them after they have finished flowering. It’s fine to remove all dead, diseased, broken, spindly growth and any suckers any time of the year. Pruning 101 - Pruning Tools
Seasonal Planters
Mums, winter pansies and seasonal ornaments convert a heavenly bamboo planter.
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A dollar store pumpkin accompanies Gary the Gnome.
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Don't forget to add spring bulbs.
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Seasonal Planters: Brighten up the garden with colourful and welcoming containers full of winter lovelies. Select hardy plants that are one or two hardiness zone lower than your local zone. For example, Vancouver, BC is zone 8, so select plants for zone 7 and lower. Instead of planting up a new container, renovate an existing one left over from the summer. Remove anything that’s dead and sickly and replace with colourful cool cats such as ornamental kale, winter pansies, winter heather, dwarf evergreens, coral bells (Heuchera), carex and don’t forget to throw in some daffodils or other spring flowering bulbs. For seasonal displays, add funky gourds & twisty branches in autumn and Christmas baubles in December. For more click on Container Growing. Click here for a video.
Unwanted Garden Visitors
Tree banding stops caterpillars in their tracts.
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Forest tent caterpillars.
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This is the only type of mouse I want in my home.
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Stink bugs overwinter indoors. Click on pic for more.
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Outdoor lights attract insects.
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Stop Bugs in Their Tracks. Stop forest tent caterpillars, fall cankerworms, winter moths, spanworms, and ants from overwintering in the bark of fruit trees, ornamental cherries and other susceptible trees. Wrap tree trunks with sticky tree bands to stop the insects from crawling up to overwinter in tree bark. For more click here.
Bug & Rodent Free Home: It’s that time of year when rodents, stink bugs, spiders and insects sneak into homes looking for a warm, dry place to spend the winter. Use outdoor high-quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk sealants to seal cracks in the foundation, siding, doors and around windows. Look for gaps around utility pipes, outlets, and behind chimneys. Replace damaged door and window screens. Make sure the weather stripping around the front and back doors are intact. To deter stink bugs and other insects, replace outdoor lighting with yellow bulbs or don’t turn them on at night.
Bug & Rodent Free Home: It’s that time of year when rodents, stink bugs, spiders and insects sneak into homes looking for a warm, dry place to spend the winter. Use outdoor high-quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk sealants to seal cracks in the foundation, siding, doors and around windows. Look for gaps around utility pipes, outlets, and behind chimneys. Replace damaged door and window screens. Make sure the weather stripping around the front and back doors are intact. To deter stink bugs and other insects, replace outdoor lighting with yellow bulbs or don’t turn them on at night.
Save Money on Seeds
Seeds are often contained in pods or capsules.
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Collect seeds from brown seed pods on the left, not green.
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Lettuce produce many seeds.
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Store seeds in paper envelopes.
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Collect Seeds: Saving seeds from your own plants, including veggies, is a smart money saving move, and rather fun too. Collect seeds, seedheads and capsules when they are brown and dry. Store in paper envelopes where its dry and away from freezing temperatures. Don’t forget to add the name of the plant and the date. For more click on Collecting Seeds.
Cleaning & Putting Stuff Away
Prepare ponds for winter.
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Give your lawn mower some TLC before storing.
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Don't forget to clean out the shed.
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Remove fertilizer & products from the shed so they don't freeze.
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Garden Hoses & Tools: Clean and store garden tools and hoses once they are no longer needed. Drain garden hoses of water and remove their nozzles. Store garden tools in a dry place away from the weather. Sharpen pruning equipment and spray all tools with vegetable oil, such as Pam to prevent rust and corrosion.
Shed/Garage: Remove liquids and fertilizer including dormant oil and lime sulfur kits and store indoors.
Lawn Mowers: Remove mower blades to clean and sharpen. Scrape off caked-on grass from the mower deck. Remove the batteries on cordless mowers. For gas mowers, drain the gas tank, disconnect and clean.
Shed/Garage: Remove liquids and fertilizer including dormant oil and lime sulfur kits and store indoors.
Lawn Mowers: Remove mower blades to clean and sharpen. Scrape off caked-on grass from the mower deck. Remove the batteries on cordless mowers. For gas mowers, drain the gas tank, disconnect and clean.
Prepping for Winter
Protect pineapple lily & other tender plants.
Brush off fallen leaves from the top of shrubs.
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Cover tender plants with fallen leaves.
Frost blankets are available at dollar stores.
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Overwinter potted plants in trenches & cover with straw.
Protect shrubs with fabric, not plastic.
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Tie up evergreens.
Protect the ground with a thick layer of foliage.
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Protect plants from the hostilities of winter, above and below the ground. Start off by covering the soil with a 3 inch layer of an organic mulch. Take advantage of the free and plentiful fall foliage and don’t skimp, as anything less than 3 inches blows away and is less effective.
Mulch protects plant’s roots, but to protect plants above the ground, different strategies are needed. The first line of defense, is to protect borderline hardy plants such hybrid teas and other grafted roses, New Zealand flax (Phormium sp.), pineapple lily (Eucomis autumnalis), freesias, elephant ear (Colocasia spp.), rock rose (Cistus spp.), rosemary and French & Spanish lavenders.
It’s wise to protect any newly planted plants as their roots are probably not fully established in their new location. Cover perennials and the base of shrubs with thick layers of leaves, mulch or straw. Wrap evergreen conifers with string to stop heavy snow from crushing their branches. For extra protection, especially in cold climates, wrap them in frost blankets, burlap or old sheets. For more click on Winter Protection.
Mulch protects plant’s roots, but to protect plants above the ground, different strategies are needed. The first line of defense, is to protect borderline hardy plants such hybrid teas and other grafted roses, New Zealand flax (Phormium sp.), pineapple lily (Eucomis autumnalis), freesias, elephant ear (Colocasia spp.), rock rose (Cistus spp.), rosemary and French & Spanish lavenders.
It’s wise to protect any newly planted plants as their roots are probably not fully established in their new location. Cover perennials and the base of shrubs with thick layers of leaves, mulch or straw. Wrap evergreen conifers with string to stop heavy snow from crushing their branches. For extra protection, especially in cold climates, wrap them in frost blankets, burlap or old sheets. For more click on Winter Protection.
Bananas & Palms Winter Protection
Protect bananas with their chopped up leaves & stems.
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Plastic causes more harm than good.
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Protect palm tree's central bud.
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Cover gunneras with their own leaves.
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To protect hardy Japanese bananas (Musa basjoo) in USDA zone 5 to 8, cut down all their stems to 2 feet. Don’t worry as new stems will take their place next year. Bananas are technically not trees, but are herbaceous perennials that grow from rhizomes. Use the cut stems to cover the plant in addition to fall leaves and/or newspapers. If the soil is dry, water well before preparing them for winter.
To protect Chinese windmill palms, first water them as dry soil compromises their hardiness. Wrap the trunk all the way to the very top of the palm tree with numerous layers of burlap, frost blankets, sheets or insulation. Tie the frond together on top of the palm to cover the central bud. If that centre bud dies, so does the palm tree. Add at least three inches of fall leaves or straw around the base of the plant to protect the roots. For more tips click on Banana & Palm Tree Winter Protection. Avoid wrapping plants in plastic as it promotes rotting, mould and has no insulating value.
To protect Chinese windmill palms, first water them as dry soil compromises their hardiness. Wrap the trunk all the way to the very top of the palm tree with numerous layers of burlap, frost blankets, sheets or insulation. Tie the frond together on top of the palm to cover the central bud. If that centre bud dies, so does the palm tree. Add at least three inches of fall leaves or straw around the base of the plant to protect the roots. For more tips click on Banana & Palm Tree Winter Protection. Avoid wrapping plants in plastic as it promotes rotting, mould and has no insulating value.
Composting Wisdom
Be mindful of what you put in the compost.
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Don't compost dill and other seedy plants.
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Don't compost bindweed.
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Cover compost with fall leaves, soil or newspaper. click on pic for more.
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Composting: Cut up healthy plants into pieces to speed up decomposition. Avoid weeds, anything buggy, diseased, cooked food, fat, dairy and meat. Turn the pile and add water if dry, and torn newspaper or dried fall foliage if it’s too wet. Mix well and finish off with a thick layer of fall leaves, newspaper or soil.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
Click on the links below to be redirected.
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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