October brings a farewell to warmth and sunshine and the crucial task of readying our gardens for the colder months ahead. I live in the Midwest, and like many of my fellow gardeners, I’m currently focused on tidying my garden beds and lawn, harvesting the last of my vegetables and herbs, and adding a touch of autumn with vibrant chrysanthemums. Preparing for the coming year is also essential, and planting spring-blooming bulbs is at the top of my list.
Outside of actual plants, I also use this time to prepare my bird feeders and heated bird baths for the winter, a crucial step that helps attract various bird species that visit during the fall.
Let’s dive into some of the easy gardening chores that should be on your Autumn garden chores list.
Add Vibrancy to Outdoor Spaces with Mums
Florist’s mums are not suitable for winter weather but boast a neat appearance with large blossoms, making them ideal for container gardening. On the other hand, garden mums have a more natural look and return annually, making them excellent for planting directly in the ground as perennials.
Tip: To keep your garden mums blooming longer, pinch off spent flowers to encourage new growth and prevent the plant from putting energy into seed production. Water them consistently, but avoid waterlogging, as mums prefer well-drained soil.
Schedule Spring Flower Bulb Planting
The ideal time to plant spring-blooming bulbs in the Midwest is early October. Group bulbs in clusters of eight or more, which not only enhances their visual impact but also facilitates soil preparation. When planting, I suggest improving soil quality by mixing in compost or sphagnum peat moss.
Tip: After planting, consider adding a layer of mulch over your bulbs to retain moisture and insulate them from fluctuating autumn temperatures. Mulch also helps prevent weeds from growing in the spring.
Prepare Bulbs for Indoor Winter Flowers
If you want to prepare your garden for a colorful Spring, you can do this by potting bulbs like tulips, daffodils, or crocuses for indoor winter blooming. This process, known as forcing, involves planting the bulbs in pots, chilling them in a refrigerator, and then shifting them indoors in January or February so they can bloom like any other houseplant.
Tip: To make the most of forced bulbs indoors, rotate the pots every few days to ensure even light exposure and prevent the stems from leaning too much towards the window. Additionally, ensure the pots have good drainage to avoid root rot.
Replant and Divide Select Flora
In the southern Midwest, October offers a prime opportunity to divide and plant many herbaceous perennials and roses, while the northern part may be too late in the season. Also, planting trees and shrubs across the Midwest can be successful, provided they receive adequate water, particularly during a dry autumn.
Tip: When dividing perennials, water the plants thoroughly the day before, and after dividing, replant them immediately. Adding a slow-release fertilizer can help them establish strong roots before winter.
Regularly Gather Fallen Leaves
Leaving leaves on the grass for too long can cause the lawn to suffocate. While removing them from grassy areas is crucial, they can be beneficial around shrubs and perennials, offering some protection from winter’s chill.
Tip: Instead of bagging leaves, run a lawn mower over them to shred them into smaller pieces. This will allow them to decompose quicker and return valuable nutrients to your lawn without the risk of suffocation.
Consider a Composting Area
If there’s room, create a composting space, like a pit behind a fence or larger plants. This method effectively manages the excess leaves. Gather them in this spot and cover the pile with the soil initially excavated.
Tip: To speed up the composting process, alternate layers of green materials like grass clippings or kitchen scraps with brown materials like leaves. Turning the pile every few weeks will also introduce oxygen, accelerating decomposition.
Monitor Moisture Levels
Consistent watering remains important in dry autumn periods, especially for newer vegetation. Even after a mild freeze, it’s essential to maintain moisture. Inadequate hydration can lead to plant dehydration, increasing the likelihood of winter dieback. Tools like a water container can help manage water use efficiently in the garden to avoid waterlogging and encourage healthy growth.
Tip: Install a rain gauge to monitor how much water your garden receives naturally. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, either from rainfall or supplemental watering, especially for newly planted trees and shrubs.
Monitor Frost Arrivals
The initial frost across much of the Midwest tends to appear around mid-October. To extend the life of annuals and sensitive plants, it’s advisable to shield them during these early frosts. Coverings like blankets or sheets can help protect plants from sudden temperature drops.
Tip: Use frost blankets or row covers designed explicitly for gardens to provide better protection from frost without crushing plants. These blankets or covers are also reusable for future cold snaps.
Tidy Up Garden Spaces
The first hard frost signals the time to remove annuals and trim perennials. While some perennials, like certain grasses, can be left for winter interest, beginning this task in the fall can make the garden easier to manage in spring. Mulching can also offer extra protection against chill.
Tip: Leave some seed heads from perennials like coneflowers or black-eyed Susans for birds to feed on during winter. This helps wildlife and adds visual interest to an otherwise bare garden.
Gather Aromatic Herbs
Before frost arrives, it is prudent to snip herbs growing in the garden. This involves trimming them, placing them in water-filled jars, and covering them with plastic bags. Such steps ensure herbs remain fresh for several weeks, with regular water changes.
Tip: For more extended storage, consider drying or freezing your herbs. Bundle and hang herbs like rosemary or thyme upside down in a cool, dark area, chop them up, and freeze them in ice cube trays with water or olive oil.
Collect Ripening Tomatoes Swiftly
As temperatures drop, harvesting tomatoes becomes essential. Green tomatoes should be brought inside before frost sets in, which is ideal for culinary uses that utilize their unripe state. For the best flavor, pick tomatoes when they are nearly ripe.
Tip: If you still have an abundance of green tomatoes, consider ripening them indoors by placing them in a paper bag with an apple or banana. The ethylene gas these fruits produce helps tomatoes ripen faster.
Address Plants with Cultivation Issues
Vegetable gardens often suffer from insects and pests, particularly tomato plants. Removing these diseased plants is imperative to prevent overwintering eggs and germs, which could cause pest issues in the future spring season.
Tip: After removing diseased plants, avoid composting them, as this can spread the problem. Instead, dispose of them in a way that prevents pests and diseases from being carried into the next growing season.
Patch Up and Renew
For those in the Midwest with a short window before the first frost, this period is ideal for resolving bare spots in the lawn or laying new sod. It is crucial to maintain consistent moisture for newly laid sod to ensure healthy growth.
Tip: When overseeding bare spots, lightly rake the area to loosen the soil before applying the seed. Cover the newly seeded areas with straw to protect the seeded reas from birds and help retain moisture during germination. I also like performing a winter seeding right before a big snowfall in late December or early January.
Nourish the Turf
Providing nutrients to the lawn is essential for fostering robust root systems. While cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescues benefit from an application in October even after a September treatment, warm-season varieties like bermudagrass and zoysiagrass also require attention now. A soil test can guide the appropriate fertilizer choice, promoting robust growth. Cover crops might also be considered to enrich soil health during the off-season.
Tip: For even better results, aerate your lawn before fertilizing. This allows the nutrients to penetrate deeper into the soil, fostering stronger root growth and improving the overall health of your lawn come spring.
