October is the last busy month of the year in the garden.
Bulbs of spring flowering plants such as tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths should be planted around October 15. The rule of thumb is to plant the top of the bulb 2 ½ times as deep as the bulb is tall. For example, if the bulb is 1 inch tall, you would dig your hole 3 ½ inches deep so that the top of the bulb is 2 ½ inches below the ground. Throw a scoop of bonemeal in the hole before placing the bulb, set the bulb firmly in the bottom – flat side down, pointy side up –fill the hole with soil and water well.
Fall is a good time to plan for next year. If you want to make a new flower bed for next spring in what is now a lawn area, here is the easiest way to do it. Mark the edges of the bed using a garden hose or spray paint. Lay newspaper several sheets thick to cover the entire area, making sure the sheets overlap. If you are ambitious, dig a trench along the edge of the bed and fold the edges of the newspaper down into the trench which makes for a neater edge. Wet the newspaper with a sprinkling can or hose and then cover the paper with wood chips or other organic mulch. That’s it! In spring, the grass under the newspaper should be dead and you can dig right through it to plant.
An important fall chore is to water evergreen plants deeply several times before the ground freezes. Evergreen needles continue to lose moisture all winter and they are unable to replenish their water supply through their roots when the ground is frozen, so it is important that they are well hydrated. There are anti-desiccants that you can spray on your plants, but that is impractical for large evergreen trees and shrubs.
My last column was about overwintering geraniums in paper bags or boxes in the basement. One reader had a few further questions. Okay, the reader was my mom, which is why I have to put the answers in my column today!
In February when the geraniums start coming out of dormancy, pull off the dead leaves, cut the stems in the healthy green area below any dead or shriveled parts, and shorten the remaining stems to 10-12 inches, leaving a nice bushy-shaped plant. Plant in any good potting soil mix – I usually add a handful each of vermiculate and perlite to each pot – and water well. Then water about once a week until it is time to move the plants outdoors.
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