OCTOBER GARDENING CALENDER

First Week of October

· Dig up gladioluses, dahlias, tubers and other tender bulbs.

· Plant budded chrysanthemums, the buds will open once planted to add color to fall landscapes. If you buy plants already in full bloom, they will not last long.

· Check your perennials some may not have survived this years heat and droughts.

· Water evergreens if needed.

· Take a soil sample of your gardens and lawn so that the results are available in time to add fertilizer or lime, which will improve or adjust soil fertility.

· Use shedding needles from pines, yews and arborvitaes as mulch around azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and andromedas.

· Bring in your houseplants which have been living outdoors all summer. Be sure to inspect for pests before you bring them in.

Second Week of October

· Dig up and pot an herb plant or two from the herb garden. Parsley, chives, sage, thyme or scented geraniums do well all winter, if watered and set in a warm sunny window.

· Rake and add the leaves that are falling from deciduous trees to the compost pile.

· Pick bagworms from the evergreens and shrubs and destroy them. This will abolish the spring hatching of over-wintering eggs.

· Plant shrubs and divide crowded perennials.

· Prune leaves and stems of herbaceous perennials as they turn brown.

Third Week of October

· Mow the lawn continually so that it will not be matted down under heavy snow (if we have another winter like last year).

· Plant spring flowering bulbs (tulips, daffodils, etc.). Master Gardeners are having a Bulb Workshop on Friday, Oct. 15, call 302-730-4000 to register.

· Protect broadleaf evergreens from winter damage caused by wind and sun.

· Rake and clean up rose gardens to prevent black spot and other diseases.

· Keep an eye open for reduced prices on end-of-the-season gardening tools and equipment to be used next year or to be given as gifts.

Last Week of October

· Transplant small trees after leaves have fallen.

· Secure vines to their support systems.

· Clean up garden debris and add to the compost pile.

MASTER GARDENER TIP:

Call your local County Extension Office to see what gardening workshops are offered this fall in Sussex County, 302-856-7303 and in Kent County 302-730-4000.