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by Lisa Grugin
October in the Garden Hurray for October!
Hurray for cooler weather, bright autumn leaves, pumpkins, mums, and pansies! Hurray for bonfires, cider, carving pumpkins! Can you tell I’m happy to see fall coming? October is one of the best gardening months, so I have plenty to talk about. ›› The first thing you need to do is walk around and see what’s going on in your yard. I’m betting that a fair amount of you have some things that are dead or close to it. At this point in the lecture, let me make a confession: I killed an entire flower bed this summer. I was in such a funk after a close friend died that I didn’t even look at my flower beds for a month. By the time I did, the weeds were taller than me. I had to mow them all down, spray an herbicide on them, and start my landscape bed all over. I’m not saying this to be depressing; I’m saying this to reassure you that if you have a bed
or beds in your landscape that have gone to weeds, there are always second and third and twentieth chances! Fall is a great time for new beginnings. ›› With that in mind, October is generally the best month for planting (or re-planting, as the case may be) trees, shrubs, and perennials. Our soil temperature stays warm, and we usually get rain during the winter, so the plants have several months to get their roots established before it starts getting hot. ›› If you haven’t gotten your pansies planted, it’s not too late. Pansies can be planted now and will last all winter and on through spring. Don’t forget containers! Consider putting mums, cabbage, kale, mustard, or grasses in with pansies for interesting colors and textures. ›› If you’ve noticed that your yard is boring now that summer blooming flowers are done, add plants with fall and winter
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9885 Highway 11E, Lenoir City, TN 37772 www.meadowviewgreenhouse.com • 865-986-7229 42
EVERYTHING KNOXVILLE October 2013
appeal. Some trees, shrubs, and perennials are at their best this time of year. Burning bush and nandina turn fiery red, beautyberry and winterberry hollies put on clusters of berries, and fall annuals and perennials are showing off their blooms. ›› Fall is cleanup time! I have already seen several plants dropping leaves. If the leaves were unhealthy or if you have lots of them, you need to get them up. Otherwise, they can be shredded and used as mulch or compost. ›› Speaking of compost, this is a terrific time to add organic “stuff” to your flower beds. If you add it now, it has all winter to break down and add nutrients to your soil. When spring gets here, all those nutrients will be ready to make your plants grow. ›› Let’s talk about water. I know I got lazy because we didn’t have to water at all during the spring and early summer. One day I looked out and saw that my poor hydrangeas and azaleas were literally dying of thirst! If we’re not getting at least an inch of rain a week, you’ll need to water. This is especially true for those plants that you put in now. ›› While you’re overcome with your enthusiasm for gardening, resist the urge to prune. This isn’t a good time to do any cutting except to remove dead branches. ›› October is a great time to mulch. It’s nice and cool, and the mulch will help preserve moisture and stabilize ground temperatures during the winter. Don’t bury your plants! Three inches is enough. ›› You can never stop weeding. Get weeds out and do a new application of a pre-emergent to keep them from taking over your beds during the winter. ›› It’s time to start planting bulbs! Some people are intimidated by bulbs, but please don’t be. They are a terrific lesson in delayed gratification. Different bulbs have different requirements, so read the packaging for directions. ›› If you’ve been ignoring your bird feeders, it’s time to start filling them again. Make sure they’re clean, and buy a good quality food. Don’t forget the birdbaths either! Keep them full and clean as well. Glass and ceramic baths should be brought in before a freeze, but metal and plastic baths can stay out all year. We have several terrific workshops and events coming up, so stop by and see what’s new. We want to help you make your little corner of the world more beautiful.
Meadow View Greenhouses & Garden Center
9885 Highway 11E Lenoir City, TN 37772 865.986.7229 www.meadowviewgreenhouse.com