October -Your garden ......

Plant 

• Lily bulbs, trees and shrubs (do not plant broad leaf evergreens such as magnolia, holly, etc.)
• Daffodils 
• Boxwood (take boxwood blight precautions when selecting and planting)
  

Pruning and Cleaning Up

• Cut phlox stems to ground level but discard leaves to prevent powdery mildew
• Cut lily stems to the ground
  
• Do not prune established shrubs and plants in the fall
  

Fertilize and Mulch

• Pine needles, rotted sawdust, straw, and leaves  make great mulch
• Mulching flowerbeds improves soil texture and preserves moisture

Chores

• Divide and transplant overgrown perennials once the flash drought ends and the ground softens. A rule of thumb that generally works is - if it blooms in spring, move in fall; if it blooms in summer or fall, move it in the spring
• Clean clay pots for storage. Remove salt deposits with a 1 to 5 solution of vinegar and water. 
• Weed, edge and tidy flower beds
• Remove annuals after frost and add to compost pile

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Tip of the month:  

• Place a piece of ripe apple in a closed container with your green tomatoes to encourage the tomatoes to ripen and turn red

Tips for Every month: ​

• Take care of hoses to avoid having to buy new hoses . 
• Keep your tools clean - Clean your tools after every use to prevent spreading disease from plant to plant 

• Wear gloves - Use gloves for all of your gardening chores; gloves will keep your skin out of direct contact with toxic plant substances and critters too
• Wear long sleeves to protect arms from poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac and to minimize tick bites 
• Beware of Giant Hogweed - Giant Hogweed is in our area; it is a member of the wild carrot family native to Asia and can reach heights of 6-10 feet. It looks like a giant Queen Anne's Lace as it grows. It is highly toxic! Do NOT touch, pull, brush against, or weed-whack this plant. Do NOT handle this plant. Do NOT try to remove this plant yourself.  Direct contact with this plant sensitizes the skin to the sun and leaves 3rd degree burns. If you see or suspect Giant Hogweed take digital photos of the leaf, stem, and flower and contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension Office.   (photo Robert Videki, Doronicum Kft.)​

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Thanks to Suzanne Aiello who compiled these tips for the Dolley Madison Garden Club.