A Japanese maple in full fall colour. Photo by Amanda Jarrett
The Garden Website for October
October Introduction - October Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - Garden Chores - Why Leaves Change Colour
October Garden Stars - Plant Police - Lawn Care – Prepping for Winter - Protecting Plants - Storing Dahlias etc
Containers for Fall & Winter - Ban Bad Caterpillars - The Veggie Bed - What to do with Fall Leaves
October Arrangement - Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Virginia Creeper
October Garden Stars - Plant Police - Lawn Care – Prepping for Winter - Protecting Plants - Storing Dahlias etc
Containers for Fall & Winter - Ban Bad Caterpillars - The Veggie Bed - What to do with Fall Leaves
October Arrangement - Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Virginia Creeper
An autumnal display at Harris Nurseries, Ladner.
October Intro
The colourful toadstool, Amanita muscaria (fly agaric or fly amanita) growing amid fallen oak leaves.
It’s hard to believe that it’s October already. It seems like just a moment ago I was preparing the winter garden for spring! Has winter come knocking at your door yet? Has snow and freezing temperatures killed your tomato plants and petunias? If so, garden clean-up takes priority - unless everything is covered in snow, then just do what you can.
For those living in more temperate climates, we still have this month to get our gardens in order, apply mulch, move plants around, finish fall planting of trees, shrubs and spring flowering bulbs. There’s so much to do, and I am not sure I will get it all done this month, but I sure will give it a try. I try to schedule any planting on a fair weather day, followed by a rainy one. It is certainly better than the other way around. I’m just hoping my schedule coincides with the weather. Cheers, Amanda 
Red maple, Acer rubrum, a deciduous tree, zone 3-9, 40 to 70' tall.
|
Amanda's Garden Blog
|
Samarai toad lily, Tricyrtis formosana 'Samarai', a herbaceous perennial, zone 4-9, 2 to 4' tall x 3', shade to part shade.
October Garden Stars
Beautyberry, Callicarpa bodinieri, a North American deciduous shrub, zones 6-8, 6-10', sun to part shade.
|
Blackgum, Nyssa sylvatica, zones 3 -9, 30 to 50' tall and 20 to 30' wide, sun.
|
Fullmoon maple, Acer japonicum, deciduous tree, zones 5 -7, 20 to 30' tall and wide, sun to part shade.
|
Chinese witch hazel, Hamamelis mollis, deciduous shrub, zones 5 - 8, 10 to 15' tall and wide, fragrant flowers January to March. Sun to part shade.
|
Ornamental kale, a hardy annual, size of a cabbage, full sun best.
|
Barberry, Berberis thunbergii, a thorny, deciduous shrub, zone 4-8, 3 to 6' tall, 4 to 7' wide, yellow flowers in April to May, full sun.
|
Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina 'Laciniata', deciduous shrub, zone 3-8, 10 to 15' tall and wide. Flowers in July, showy red fuzzy fruit in clusters, sun to part shade. Produces suckers.
|
Weigela, deciduous shrub, zones 4-8, 6 to 10' x 9 to 12'. Trumpet pink or red flowers April to June, sun to part shade.
|
Asters (Michaelmas daisies)
are herbaceous perennials, full sun to part shade, zones 4-8, flowers in September through fall, size depend on variety and cultivar, from 1 to 6 feet.
|
Japanese Stewartia, Stewartia pseudocamellia, a deciduous tree, zone 5-8, 20 to 40' tall, 10 to 25' wide, sun part shade, attractive bark, white camellia-like flowers June to July.
|
Paperbark maple, Acer griseum, deciduous tree, zones 4-8, 20 to 30' x 15 to 25', sun to part shade, attractive peeling bark.
|
Persian Ironwood, Parrotia persica, deciduous tree, zones 4-8, 20 to 40' tall to 30' wide, full sun, interesting bark.
|
Dwarf Winged Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', deciduous shrub, zones 4-8, 9 to 10' tall and wide, sun to part shade.
|
Red twigged dogwood, Cornus sericea, decidous shrub, North America native, zones 3-7, 6 to 9' tall, 7 to 10' wide. Sun to part shade, white flower clusters, May to June. Tolerates moist soil.
|
Red maple, Acer rubrum, deciduous tree, zones 3 -9, 40 to 70' tall, 30 to 50' wide. Indigenous to North America.
October PLANT COMBO
The scarlet leaf of the Red Wall Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia 'Troki') provides a rich backdrop for the dangling bead-like seeds clusters of
the Himalayan honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa),
Prepping Gardens for winter
Why throw out hydrangea flowers? Chop them up and place around the plant for instant and easy mulch.
Pruning
This damaged branch is a safety hazard and should be removed asap.
plant police
Trees with codominant stems on a single trunk is often a result from incorrect pruning.
This mimosa has suffered from incorrect training and pruning as a sapling. When the main stem (leader) of a tree is cut, two new leaders form. These co-dominant stems becomes a weak point where they join. Moisture collects between the squished (included) bark. On this specimen, rot has formed. Its days are numbered as it will soon split in half. So when you buy a single trunk tree, don't cut off its leader.
Lawn Care
Don't mow frosty lawns as injures the grass crowns.
Prepping for winter
Tie up your evergreens so they don't get squashed by heavy snow.
So this year I promised my globe cypress that I would remember to tie it together before the snow squashes it flat. I said the same thing to my narrow pyramidal North Pole arborvitae. I have to admit, they did suffer last year – tsk, tsk. Heavy, wet snow not only smashes plants, it breaks their limbs. All you need is some string to wrap around the plant tying it together and to actually do it - argh!
Plants are susceptible to cold damage when temperatures fluctuate from warm, sunny days that dip to below freezing at night. The contraction and expansion soil loosens roots dislodging plants. Even a light frost kills tender plants like begonias and tomatoes, however cold hardy plants such as spinach will suffer no ill effects. A little frost is not an issue for the most part, however, prolonged freezing temperatures will injure some perennials, shrubs and trees that are not cold hardy. Protect new plants planted late in the season, and don't allow them to dry out. But most of all, know your hardiness zone and select suitable hardy plants. Protecting Plants
This tree fern is protected with cage full of straw at VanDusen Botanical Gardens, BC.
A New Zealand bronze flax, Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum', benefits from a winter mulch in hardiness zone 8.
Why Leaves Change Colour
An orange skeletonized grape leaf.
Have you have ever wondered why leaves change colour in the fall? How do they know its fall? This splendid rite of autumn, comes about because of the short warm days and long cool nights. Deciduous trees and shrubs prepare for winter by reducing their intake of nutrients and water. They also store food in their stems and roots. This combination of reduced light and no nutrients kills any green pigment (chlorophyll) whilst preventing more from forming. As the green fades, other hidden colours that existed within the foliage are revealed. These pigments, anthocyanin (red) and carotene (yellow) become visible and colourful leaves are revealed. The sunnier the fall, the more vivid the colours.
Maples (Acer spp.), ash (Fraxinus spp.), red oak (Quercus rubra), aspen (Populus tremuloides), Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) and the maidenhair tree (Gingko biloba) are a few of our local vibrantly coloured trees. Colourful shrubs include the burning bush (Cornus alatus), staghorn sumac (Rhus spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica), oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) and fothergilla. Not to be outdone, there are two vines that also colour-up in fall: Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and Boston ivy (P. tricuspidata). Storing Dahlias Etc.
Dahlias & Summer Bulbs: Dig up and store dahlias, callas, cannas, gladiolus, tuberous begonias and other tender summer bulbs. In Southwest British Columbia, dahlias and callas are often left in the ground since our winters’ are generally mild. However, I have lost some lovely ones in past years so I usually dig up my dahlias and store them, just to be on the safe side.
Before storing, let them dry for a couple of days. Remove any diseased and icky stuff, extra soil and place in a cardboard box. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon, cover with peat moss, vermiculite or potting soil. Store in a frost free place. |
October Garden Chores
Plant daffodils asap to enjoy their sunny faces in spring.
Avoid putting horsetail in the compost and other aggressive weeds.
Containers for fall & wInter
A container full of evergreen perennials: bugle weed, creeping jenny, Lime Marmalade coral bells and Japanese forest grass.
A seasonal planter by the front door is always a welcoming sight. It doesn’t take much to convert an existing one left over from summer. Those spent petunias and other annuals are easily replaced with colourful fall gems such as funky, fat, frilly ornamental kales. Add some colourful gourds, a few natty twigs and voila – a lively fall display. For a long lasting, more permanent display consider using perennials. They last for years and many are well suited for container growing. Select evergreen perennials so planters don’t turn bare in the winter.
The round frilly orange, red and pink leaves of the Marmalade coral bells (Heuchera ‘Marmalade’) pair well with yellow and orange chrysanthemums. The strappy cream and green striped leaves of the Evergold Japanese sedge (Carex oshimensis 'Evergold') contrasts nicely with the bold leathery deep green and purplish leaves of the bergenia. Add some winter heather (Erica carnea) for mounds of green foliage and billows of purple, pink and white soft flower spikes. Tuck in some tulips, daffodils, grape hyacinths, crocus, snowdrops and other spring bulbs to extend the life of the planter even longer. Plus it will be a welcoming sight to see them peak their little heads out late winter and early spring. A quick reminder to remove all drainage trays underneath pots so plants don’t become swamped. Planters that can’t handle the winter rain because they just become a sodden mass are best placed in a protected area, such as under eaves or a tree. Do check on them monthly as the soil shouldn’t dry out. 
Plant spring bulbs in containers now for a colourful show in spring.
Ban Bad Caterpillars
Plastic wrap smothered with Tanglefoot, stops crawling insects from infesting susceptible trees.
Stop caterpillars and other climbing insects safely and effectively with ‘tree bands’. Tree banding kits are commonly available where garden products are sold, or make your own. Wrap Silken threads that dangle from trees are from wee caterpillars that hang from seemingly invisible threads.
Tent caterpillars weave leaves and twigs together. Gypsy moths, canker worms, ants, and tussock moth caterpillars that devour leaves of susceptible trees, especially ornamental Japanese cherry trees, apple trees and other fruit trees. Wrap a 15 centimetre (6 inch) wide band of plastic food wrap (Saran) around tree trunks at a convenient height. Spread Tanglefoot ®, a very sticky Vaseline substance, on the band. Wear rubber gloves and use an old or foam paintbrush, or sturdy stick to spread this sticky, thick goopy stuff. When insects emerge from the soil in spring and climb the trunk, they will become stuck in the sticky trap preventing them from going any further. Remove the bands in spring. 
Tanglefoot really does stop insects in their tracts.
The Veggie Bed
Torn newspapers make an efficient mulch to protect the soil and cold hardy veg during the winter.
What to do with Fallen leaves
Leaves on the lawn? Mow them and bag as you go then place them on garden beds.
Mow them. Set your mower on the highest setting beforehand, bagging them as you go. Dump the bags of shredded leaves on garden beds, compost them or use as a winter mulch by placing them on vulnerable plants.
Mulch them! Raking up autumn leaves from the lawn and garden beds is one of the biggest gripes for most people, but hey, you don’t have to – well not off garden beds anyway. Just rake them from the lawn, and onto the beds. Improve the Soil! Fallen foliage makes a wonderful nutritional organic mulch. It inhibits weeds (yay!), reduces erosion, insulates the soil and feeds the soil, which in turn, feeds the plants. Don't worry about it being too deep as it should be no less than 3 inches in depth in order to do a good job. Place the leaves on top of the soil around plants, but keep it a few inches away from the tree trunks. Compost them! If they are free of diseases and insects, place them in your compost as they are perfect for the carbon layer. Other uses for those leaves is to add them to the compost as the carbon layer. You can also use them to make nutritious leaf mould. It is easy to do and improves soil health and fertility. Just place moist leaves in plastic bags and nature will do the rest. Store any extra leaves in paper recycle bags to top up existing mulched bed throughout the year and to add as a brown layer to compost bin. In other words - save those leaves! Buggy and Diseased Leaves: If you wish to use them, you can, but don’t place them around the plants mother plant or any other members of the family such as all members of the apply family. Big leaf maples often are covered with powdery mildew by the time autumn comes around. Leaving them on the soil around the maple will further contaminate the soil as the spores will overwinter. They can be placed around other plants as long as they are not maples. October Arrangement
Michaelmas daisy, hardy fuchsia, Jill pompom dahlia, Bobo & Peegee hydrangea, rockspray cotoneaster, autumn crocus and Royal Purple smoke bush
|
Plant of the month
Virginia Creeper
Our two cats, Chloe and Cocoa, scampering along the Red Wall Virginia creeper.
The dark blue fruit and colourful leaves are a show stopper.
My Red Wall Virginia creeper is just starting to turn colour.
Virginia creeper looks great draped on the front of this brick house, but it will damage the brick in time.
Blue berries with red stems last after the foliage has fallen.
|
Common Name: Virginia Creeper
Botanical Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia Form: deciduous vine that clings Family: Vitaceae Genus: Parthenocissus Species: quinquefolia Plant Type: deciduous vine, liana (woody vine) Mature Size: 30 to 40 feet Growth: fast Origin: Eastern and Central North America to Mexico Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9 Foliage: turns bright red in fall, compound with 5 leaflets Flowers: inconspicuous greenish white clusters Fruit: deep blue berries on red stems Exposure: partial shade to full sun Soil: moist, well-drained soil, water in summer during drought Uses: privacy screen, arbour, windbreak, wildlife, groundcover Propagation: cuttings, layering Pruning: early summer and winter Problems: red spider mite, vine weevil Cultivars: numerous ones available, all boast vivid fall colours Comments: This vigorous vine clings to their support with suction cups that are difficult to remove. Grow on trellises, arbours to reduce damage to stucco, brick and wood siding on houses. 
The lush deep green growth of the Virginia creeper during the summer.
Virginia creepers attach to their support with suction cups, that are very difficult to remove.
Virginia creeper in the fall makes a colourful and stunning screen.
|
Need Help?
|
Need help figuring what to do in your garden? Make an appointment for Amanda to come to your garden to show you how to grow food, sow seeds, prune, design beds etc. Need help trying to figure out how to get the garden ready for spring? Get Amanda to teach you the ropes by making an appointment here.
|
Job Postings
For landscapers looking for work and landscape companies looking to hire.
If you are looking for work or if you wish to post a position please go to Job Postings.
If you are looking for work or if you wish to post a position please go to Job Postings.
THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
|
Container Growing 101Monthly Flower Arrangements
Growing Roses Introduction Mulching & Types Introduction |
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.
|
|
Copyright 2017 The Garden Website.com, Amanda's Garden Consulting Company - All Rights Reserved