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October Rescue Mission
Written By: Jeannie Chambers - The Accidental Gardener | Issue: 2016/10 - October
Ahhhhh.
October has arrived. Cool days, cold nights. Blazing shades of red and yellow against the azure Carolina blue skies. Sitting by the hearth with a good book and conversation, the sound of the leaves rustling underfoot on a mountain hike.
What’s not to love about October?
I referred to the Old Farmer’s Almanac for some of these tips, others from experience:
*Move potted chrysanthemums to a sheltered spot, water heavily, and “heel in” or mulch well with leaves.
*Dig up dahlias and gladioli. Separate them by color (if possible), remove the green part and let the tubers dry indoors on newspaper. Put the dried tubers in a marked paper bag and keep in a dark place between 40-50 degrees.
*Geraniums need a three-month dormant period to produce well for the next season. Gently pull the flowers from the ground, shake off the dirt and hang upside down in a cool dark place. For potted geraniums, you can bring them inside – water well once, then give them very little water over the winter. These plants will bloom some during the winter, but when you put them back out in the Spring. You’ll need to heavily prune them to avoid leggy geraniums (Unless you like seeing flowers on stilts).
*Roses: Remove all the dead canes, and mulch at the base of the plant. Remove the rose hips – these can be used for decoration or teas. If you’re in an area where daily temps drop below freezing, climbing roses should be pulled down to the ground and covered with mulch.
*Apple trees: Remove any dead fruit still attached to branches (incidentally, these are called “mummies” – I guess apple trees dress up for Halloween, too.) Rake away any dead fruit from the base of the tree to help prevent rot and disease.
*Ceramic containers need to be stored upside down to avoid cracking in freezing temperatures. Unglazed terra cotta pots need to be protected to prohibit ‘chipping’ (best stored in a garage).
*Rake leaves away from homes/garages, then mow the leaves for mulch to be used over your flowerbeds.
The act of preparing your garden and landscape for winter may not be high on your list of Fall activities, but with a little time and effort, you could be rewarded with better plants next Spring and Summer.
