A golden October sunset, Coronado Beach, San Diego
The Garden Website for October
New: Fast & Inexpensive Fall Wreath
Colourful Fall Trees - Colourful Fall Shrubs - Colourful Fall Vines - Berries for Fall - Ornamental Grasses for Fall
Overwintering Tender Bulbs - Winter Protection - Vegetable Garden Prep - Garden Bed Prep
Fall Pruning - Planters for Fall - Protecting Planters - Caterpillar Control - Fall Lawn Care
October Introduction - October Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - October Garden Chores
October Garden Stars - Plant Police - October Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Beautyberries
Need Help? - Job Postings - Learn How to Prune - Garden & Plant Events - For the Tropical Gardener
Colourful Fall Trees - Colourful Fall Shrubs - Colourful Fall Vines - Berries for Fall - Ornamental Grasses for Fall
Overwintering Tender Bulbs - Winter Protection - Vegetable Garden Prep - Garden Bed Prep
Fall Pruning - Planters for Fall - Protecting Planters - Caterpillar Control - Fall Lawn Care
October Introduction - October Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - October Garden Chores
October Garden Stars - Plant Police - October Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Beautyberries
Need Help? - Job Postings - Learn How to Prune - Garden & Plant Events - For the Tropical Gardener
October Intro
An autumnal display at Harris Nurseryland, Ladner.
And suddenly it’s October. Autumn foliage and brilliant sunsets are the charm before dreary Old Man Winter comes to town. In Southern coastal British Columbia, that’s usually November, making each and every lovely day in October a special treat.
I love all the colours of the fall foliage but no matter how pretty they are, it’s a real pain raking them off the lawn. They have no regard where they fall. Gardens are smothered and plants hidden, but it’s all part of nature replenishing the soil with nutrient rich foliage. It’s a boon for the earthworms and all the beneficial organisms that enrich the soil, which provides food for plants so don’t remove it from the garden, just the lawn and evergreens to prevent rotting. It great to have enough leaves to generously cover all the garden beds. Whenever I don’t have enough, I grab a few curbside bags from neighbourhood. They must think I have a screw loose, but hey, I’m just a gardener doing my ‘thang’ like many other plant nuts. We are out there. Disguised as normal people, hidden in plain sight. But beware, we’re coming to abscond with your bagged leaves! Cheers, Amanda 
The yellow fall foliage of a flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum.
October PLANT COMBO
Dusty miller and Audrey, a dwarf New York aster, love full sun and good draining soil.
Dusty miller and dwarf asters are a simple but pleasing combination. Although duster millers (Jacobaea maritima) are commonly considered annuals, they will last a few years if planted in Zones 7 to 10. To prolong their life, remove any flower buds as soon as they form. The dwarf aster above is a New York aster called 'Audrey' (Aster novi-belgii 'Audrey'). Both plants prefer full sun and good draining soil.
plant police
These strange growths on the tree trunks are called bracket fungi.
These weird growths on the tree trunks are referred to as bracket fungi. They decompose the trees from the inside. The shelf-like fungi appear on the trunk and/or main branches. Affected trees have branches die back from the tips, which often break and fall off. When you see fungus like this growing on a tree, it's a gonner. It's best to cut the tree down and don't replant in that same soil as it's contaminated and will spread to the new tree.
Colourful FALL Trees
The fan-shaped leaves of the maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) turn a brilliant yellow in the autumn.
Colourful Fall Shrubs
Burning bush (Euonymus alatus 'Compactus')
Colourful Fall Vines
Grape vines colour up nicely in fall. This one is located at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, California.
Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
Berries for Fall
Laurustinus viburnum bears incredible metallic-like blue berries.
Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri) purple berries, firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea) orange berries.
Lavallée's hawthorn (Crataegus x lavalleei)
Grasses for fall
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola')
Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum')
Overwintering Tender Bulbs
Wait for gladiolus foliage to yellow before digging them up and storing for winter.
Gladious: Allow their leaves to turn yellow before lifted them. If you can't wait, lift them while still green and hang them upside down in a frost free location until the leaves yellow. Once the leaves turn yellow, cut off the stems just above the corms. Place dry corms in a cardboard box surround by vermiculite, peat moss, sawdust of clean, dry potting soil. Dust with layer of cinnamon to reduce disease. Store in a frost free location. Avoid storing in plastic to reduce rotting.
Dahlias: Cut all stems back to 4 inches, wait a week then dig them up with a garden fork and label. Knock off the soil and remove any dead, diseased and damaged tubers. Place in a dry frost-free area to cure for a week. Before storing the tubers, cut back the stems to 1 inch and place into cardboard boxes that are ¼ filled with sterile dry media such as vermiculite, peat moss, sawdust or clean potting soil. Lay the labelled tubers right side up in the box so they don’t touch each other. Dust each dahlia with a good coating of cinnamon to prevent fungi. Add the media ensuring that all the tubers are buried. Store in a cool 5 - 10°C (40-50°F), dry area such as a garage or basement. Check every monthly for any mushy or dry shriveled tubers and discard.
Once tuberous begonias start to decline cut them back and bring them inside.
Tuberous Begonias: Bring them inside when they start to decline or bitten by frost. Cut off all the stems within to 5 inches. Remove all debris from the pots and soil surface. There’s no need to remove them from their pots for storing. Cure indoors at room temperature out of direct sun until the remaining stems have withered. Store in the basement or another cool, dark but frost-free location. Check monthly and water if soil becomes to dry. Another option is to store the cured tubers in a cardboard box full vermiculite or other sterile media. Check monthly and discard any mushy or emaciated tubers.
Store tuberous begonias in their pots and repot in spring.
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Amanda's Garden Blog & New articles
Learn How to PruneWhat to prune now? How to prune? What tools to use? How far can a plant be cut back? All are great questions. Register here for Amanda to teach you all about pruning your plants in your garden at your convenience.
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October Garden Chores
Pansies are perfect to brighten gardens and planters during fall and winter.
A cultivator, a claw shaped trowel, is an efficient way to remove weeds and weed seeds from garden beds.
Where's my seed?
Move fertilizers, seeds and other products from your shed to a frost free and dry area over the winter.
Veggie Garden Prep
Straw mulch on veggie beds protects plants and soil.
Torn newspaper also works well to cover veggie beds for the winter. It should be a couple of inches thick so it doesn't blow away.
Garden Bed Prep
My front garden bed before being tidied up.
After all the unhealthy plant growth has been removed. There's no need to rake the soil of all the debris, but do put down a couple of inches of fall leaves to protect the soil and plants.
If you haven’t got down on your hands and knees to clean up garden beds, try to squeeze it into your schedule as soon as possible. To start, discard buggy, diseased and dead plants. Remove the foliage from iris and peonies, but keep perennials with attractive seed heads like ornamental grasses, cone flowers and any roses that bear colourful rose hips. Cut back other perennials but not all the way to the ground. Leave about 6 inches to protect the crowns from the harshness of winter. Hollow stems also provides a place for beneficial insects to overwinter such as delphiniums, Autumn Joy sedum, Himalayan honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa) and ornamental grasses.
Chop & drop method works well for hydrangeas as their flower heads make a pretty mulch.
Chop & Drop: If you want low maintenance, this clean up strategy fits the bill. When cutting back healthy perennials place the leaves, flowers and stems on top of the soil around the plant. Don’t chop and drop if the plant is diseased or is infested. Always remove and discard peony leaves to prevent Peony Measles (Red Spot, Leaf Blotch).
No Raking! I know I sound like a broken record, but save yourself the hassle of raking debris from beds. Just leave it be as it benefits the soil and plants. Do remove any infected and infest foliage etc. Rake the soil if necessary but don’t leave it bare. Apply 2 to 3 inches of fall leaves on top of the soil. Rake them from the lawn or mow and bag them with the lawnmower, then place on top of the soil around plants. Pruning
Prune back overly long rose canes to prevent 'wind rock'.
Only remove dead, diseased and broken branches from trees and shrubs. The only exceptions are rose of Sharon, butterfly bushes, hydrangeas and roses. Take off a third of growth from the Rose of Sharon after their leaves drop. Cut back butterfly bushes (Buddleia) by half. Remove flowers from hydrangeas by cutting just above 2 fat buds at the top of the stem. Cut back overly long canes on roses, especially climbers, or secure then to a support. This prevents wind rock, which dislodges plant roots when the wind catches any lengthy canes.
Planters for Fall
All you need is some fall flowering plants, funky stems and ornamental gourds to transform a summer planter.
To transform summer planters with little fuss, remove spent plants and replace with winter pansies, ornamental kale and a few ornamental gourds.
Otherwise, start off with a sturdy container with drainage holes. Mix together 3 parts sterile potting soil, 1 part Sea soil or compost and 2 parts vermiculite and place in the container so it’s 2/3rd full. Plant with evergreen perennials such as coral bells (Heuchera sp.), English daisies (Bellis perennis), primroses, pansies, variegated Japanese sedge (Carex oshimensis 'Evergold', bergenia, winter heather (Erica carnea). Add snowdrops, crocus and other spring flowering bulbs. Stick in a few interesting stems such as Harry Lauder's walking stick, curly willow, redtwig dogwood and ones with colourful berries such as beautyberry . Keep in a protected area away from soaking rains. Water occasionally if placed under the eaves. Protecting Planters
Caterpillar Control
Stop insects in their tracks by wrapping trees with a sticky tree band.
To prevent forest tent caterpillars and other insects from infesting fruit trees, ornamental Japanese cherries, and any other susceptible trees, stop them in their tracks with a sticky trap. Wrap a 15 centimetre (6 inch) wide band of plastic wrap or foil backed pink insulation around tree trunks at a convenient height. Spread Vaseline or Tanglefoot ® on the band. If using Tanglefoot, wear rubber gloves and use an old or foam paintbrush, or sturdy stick to spread this sticky, thick goopy stuff. And don’t get it in your hair – nuff said. The sticky band catches insects before they do any damage. It is an effective way to control pests without using any insecticides.
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October Garden Stars
Variegated winter daphne, Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata', broadleaf evergreen, 3 - 4' x 2 - 4', part shade, fragrant. Zones 7 to 9.
Ornamental kale, biennial, 1’x 15”, sun. Zones 2-9
Autumn Joy sedum, herbaceous perennial, sun, 1 to 3 ft, Zones 3 to 9.
Autumn crocus, Colchicum autumnale, corm, 6 to 10”, leaves appear in spring then disappear, only flowers appear in fall, sun to shade. Zones 4 to 8.
Chrysanthemum, herbaceous perennial, 1-3’ x 2’, many colours & colour combinations, full sun. Zones 5 to 9.
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Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’, pink Japanese anemone, herbaceous perennial, 4ft, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9.
Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, broadleaf evergreen, 10’-20’ tall & wide, fragrant flowers Oct to Dec, fruit resembles strawberries. Zones 7 to 9.
Red Cascade spindle bush, Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’, deciduous shrub, 10 ’x 8’, sun to part shade, attracts birds. Zones 4 to 7.
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Hardy fuchsia, Fuchsia magellanica, tender perennial, sun to part shade, 3' - 5'. Zones 8 to 10.
Viburnum davidii, David viburnum, broadleaf evergreen, 2-3’ x 3-4’, white blooms April to May, sun to part shade, blue/black berries, butterflies. Zones 7 to 9
Glossy abelia, Abelia x grandiflora, broad leaf evergreen shrub, 4 - 6’ x 5’, sun to part shade. Zones 6 to 9.
Samarai toad lily, Tricyrtis formosana 'Samarai', herbaceous perennial, zone 4-9, 2 to 4' tall x 3', shade to part shade.
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Winter protection
Spanish lavender, Lavandula stoechas 'Anouk', needs extra protection in Canada.
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Fall Lawn Care
Mowing: If your lawn is still green and growing a little TLC now will go a long way for a happier lawn. Mow when dry and frost free, which might be a bit tricky this time of year. Set the mower at 2.0 to 2.5 inches high. Keep the clippings on the lawn if they are short and don’t clump up.
Raking: It’s tough to keep the lawn free of fallen leaves, but it’s needed to prevent mold, diseases and all other king of nasties. A low-maintenance solution is to just rake them into garden beds. Or mow them in situ, bagging them at the same time. Place on garden beds for a nutritious and protective mulch. Feed: Fertilize lawns with a winterizer fertilizer. Select one low in nitrogen and high in potash, the last number on fertilizer labels ex: 2-4-8. Lime: If you didn’t apply lime in spring, do so now. Use Dolopril lime as it is gentler to the soil and is easier to apply than the inexpensive hydrated lime. It can cause respiratory ailments and dermatitis because it’s so fine. It’s often used because it neutralizes soil acidity quickly, however it is easy to over apply and it’s extremely caustic. Dolopril is a form of coated lime and not a fine powder. It’s gentle to the soil and its inhabitants. It’s also easy to apply and because it is slow release it doesn’t burn plants. Dolopril lime does cost more but it’s worth it. Renovate & Plant: Despite the lateness of the season, there’s still time to renovate or install a new lawn by seeding or sodding, unless the ground is frozen, covered with snow or flooded It’s great to have the rain as it helps the roots to grow and combined with the cool temperatures sod and seed establish themselves quickly. Check the stores for lawn seeding kits that come with fertilizers, mulch and other goodies to make reseeding sparse areas easy. October ArrangementTo go to the Monthly Arrangement page click here
Red drooping flowers are hardy fuchsia, purple daisies are fall asters (Michaelmas daisies), dusty pink flower clusters are Bobo hydrangea, soft pink roses are Guy de Maupassant, drooping
pink flowers are Japanese anemone, Mystery Day dahlias have deep purple petals with white tips and the colourful leaves are Virginia creeper.
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Plant of the month
Beautyberry
Callicarpa
The colourful berries provide food for birds during the winter.
Beautyberries form in late summer and last well into the winter.
All callicarpas have a loose form with arching stems.
The shiny mauve berries of the beautyberry persist after the foliage has dropped.
Flower clusters form at leaf axils, where leaves emerge.
Beautyberries do best in full sun to light shade. They become straggly in shady locations.
American beautyberries have graceful arching stems.
Purple Beautyberry, Callicarpa dichotoma, is more shrubby compared to the other beautyberries.
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Common Name: beautyberry
Botanical Name: Callicarpa species Form: cascading stems Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Callicarpa Species: numerous Plant Type: deciduous shrub Mature Size: depends on variety Growth: fast Origin: Asia, Central America, North America Hardiness Zone: depends on variety Foliage: dull green, pinnate, serrated, simple leaves 1” to 3” long turn yellow in fall Flowers: small violet, pink or white inconspicuous flowers held in clusters in the axils along stems in early summer Fruit: shiny violet bead-like drupes held in clusters that wrap around stems Stems: opposite leaf arrangement Exposure: sun to part shade, too much shade produces leggy plants Soil: soil tolerant prefers well-drained, medium moisture. Uses: garden borders, native gardens, informal, cottage, butterfly, bee and bird gardens, winter interest Propagation: softwood cuttings in spring or semi-ripe cuttings in summer Pruning: blooms on new growth, prune back to 12 inches above the ground in late winter to early spring to promote compact growth Problems: scale, mildew leaf scorch but are uncommon, may die back in harsh winters, but will regrow Cultivars: numerous, see below Comments: Flowers attract bees and butterflies, the berries attract birds. Group a few together to increase cross pollination and more fruit. The Callicarpa genus includes 140 species of shrubs and trees. All bear dense clusters of white, pink, red or purple flowers during the summer followed by clusters of purple, magenta coloured bead-like fruit that deepen in colour as they age. Berries persists well after the leaves have fallen for a dramatic and colourful fall and winter display. Four species are used in ornamental gardens American Beautyberry C. americana, which is hardy in Zones 6 to 10. The Asian species (Callicarpa japonica, C. dichotoma, C. bodinieri are hardy in Zones 5 to 8. All species bear purple berries through fall and winter.
Callicarpa formosana is a tender beautyberry for Zones 8 to 10.
Butterflies and bees love beautyberry flowers including this Callicarpa formosana.
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If you are looking for work or if you wish to post a position please go to Job Postings. Landscapers, post your contact info here.
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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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