October 2022 Gardening Tips

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• Annuals - Calendula, Pansies and Iceland Poppies (get them in the ground by the second week of this month). Watch The Gardening Tutor Video: Pansies 101 - How to Choose, Plant, and Care for Pansies.
• Perennials - Many frost hardy perennials are on sale now at local nurseries. They may be finished flowering and look tattered but planted now they will be back next year. 
• Trees - Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle), Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn', Chionanthus retusus (Chinese Fringe).
• Bulbs - Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-valley), Alliums, Muscari, Freesia, Scilla peruviana, Sparaxis.  
• Veggies - Buy garlic now for planting in November.  
• Products - Frost cloth (before frost arrives and stores run out). Bonemeal for planting bulbs next month.
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• There are only 4 weeks until the beginning of frost season here in Sonoma County. Frost season runs from approximately end of October through mid to late April.
• Bulbs - Buy spring blooming bulbs now while the selection is still good at the nursery. Store the bulbs in a brown paper bag in a cool dark place until ready to plant in November. Areas where bulbs will be planted can be prepared now to make planting time more fun!
• Planting: This is plantapolooza time in Sonoma County for frost tolerant trees, shrubs, perennials and veggies. Keep plants watered well until rains arrive in earnest. Many perennials, such as Hemerocallis (Daylily), Monarda (Beebalm), Agapanthus, can be divided now and replanted. When trading divisions with other gardeners be careful to inspect the soil around the roots of the transplants to make sure no pests travel to your garden.
• Fertilizing/Mulching: At this time of year gardeners tend to want to fertilize all their plants but frost will arrive at the end of the month here in Zone 9. Pushing new growth now may mean extra frost damage to your plants. Instead of liquid fertilizer, add a layer of compost as mulch on top of the soil. The benefits of a thick (at least 3 inches) layer of mulch are many. Especially important is the mulch layer helps with erosion control and keeps soil a little warmer during winter. Mulching also helps suppress weeds! Watch The Gardening Tutor Video: Mulch vs. Compost.
• Pests: Mealybug and aphids can be controlled with insecticidal soap. When pesticide is needed, please avoid using Broad Spectrum pesticides whenever possible. Instead, use pesticides such as baits or pheromone traps that are for a specific pest. Also, start with the least toxic (water spray-for aphids) and step up to insecticidal soap or Neem oil. Always consider what can be done to improve the growing conditions to keep pests from populating a plant.

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