By Mary Jane Frogge, Extension Associate in Lancaster County
Plant spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, snowdrops and crocus in October.
Fall watering is important for trees and shrubs. Continue to water until the soil freezes.
Remove leaves from lawn to reduce lawn problems. Compost or shred and use them for mulch.
Fall is an excellent time for taking soil samples in your lawn and garden. Soil tests will measure the pH of the soil, organic matter content and the levels of some of the major elements required for plant growth, such as phosphorus and potassium.
Cut down stems and foliage of herbaceous perennials after two or three hard frosts and when leaves begin to brown.
Christmas cactus needs special care now to get its beautiful flowers this December. Buds will form at 50° to 60° F or if the plant is exposed to at least 13 hours of complete darkness each night.
After several hard frosts add mulch to your perennial flower garden. A one-inch layer of straw or chopped leaves will help conserve soil moisture and protect the root system.
When deciding on new trees or shrubs to plant around your home, remember to select varieties that will fit the location when they are at their mature height. This will greatly reduce pruning and other maintenance in the future.
Make a note of any particularly productive or unsatisfactory varieties of vegetables you planted this year. Such information can be very useful when planning next year’s garden.
Remove any diseased or insect-infested plant material from your garden, it may harbor over wintering stages of disease or insect pests. If you leave this plant material in your garden, you are leaving diseases and insects which will begin to reproduce again next spring and add to next year’s pest problem.
October is a good time to control broadleaf weeds in the lawn, such as white clover, dandelion and ground ivy.