October -Your garden during the pandemic

Plant, Tend, and Journal

• ​Plant lily bulbs that you ordered as soon as they arrive
• Continue to plant trees and shrubs but not broad leaf evergreens (they won't have time to get established before cold weather)
• Find space to plant cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower seeds that you sowed in flats for fall planting
• Find space to plant cool season biennials and perennials that you sowed in flats to set out in later in October but keep the flats moist and shaded

Pruning and Cleaning Up

•  This is a good time to look carefully at your trees and shrubs to see how healthy they are and prune out deadwood removing the lower canes from shrubs
• Prune maples and birches
• Don't overclear your plants and gardens, the old growth provides protection for plants and habitat for birds and others
• Cut lily stems to the ground
• Divide and transport overgrown perennials (rule of thumb - if it blooms in the spring, move it in the fall

Fertilize and Mulch

• Pine needles, rotted sawdust, straw, and leaves make great mulch.
• ​Mulch poppies with oak or sycamore leaves.
  
• Mulching flowerbeds improves soil texture.​

Chores

•  Clean out your pots
• Take care of your hoses
• Remember - a ripe apple placed in a bag of unripened tomatoes will help the tomatoes ripen

Tips:  

• Think about which plants need to be overwintered and begin to make space for them indoors or in a protected outer building.
• As always, keep your tools clean and clean your tools as you move from plant to plant. 
• Wear gloves for all of your gardening and yard chores;  protect your skin from sun, dirt, bugs, and poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.  ​

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