October is the orangest month
Well, June and July went to Jamaica, and here we are. Now what? We are possibly only two weeks away from the first frost. Do you know where your flannels are? In case you don’t remember what October asks of gardeners, here are suggestions from the October Guide to Garden Happiness.
Have a discussion with your garden. Every bed or row has a story to tell, so listen. If a certain corner is suddenly too shady, autumn and winter is the time to open up the space and plan for the future. Clearing out the bean vines and bean bushes also opens up space.
Open space means an opportunity to replenish the soil that spent six months feeding plants. For example, I have a row of tomato vines that have retired early (bless their hearts), so out they go, the soil gets refreshed with magic powders and potions and topped off with mulch. The Worm Quality of Life Committee reported worms and their neighbors in artistically mulched soil sing and dance far more than those in unmulched soil (bless their hearts).
And, just in time, October makes more mulch than most months. Leaves start falling. If you have grass to mow, mow it a couple more times. That would mean 1) you might win Yard of the Month, or 2) you will have grass clippings for mulch. Easy to rake up and apply and it stays put. You can arrange it in a houndstooth pattern with sassafras leaves, for example.
Part of the discussion with your garden will be about lessons learned and what might work better next time. The many zinnias brightened the air this year, so do that again in next year’s garden, which will be, based on my vision, .049 acres of paradise. But before that, reclaim and refurbish the soil.
Maybe your plan could include more space for native plants which attract pollinators or planting more perennials. Prepare ahead because blackberries and raspberries will ask you to learn berry vine care. Pruning is required. I planted beautyberries three years ago, and the four plants are popping out berries by the handfuls. I did not know what I had asked for. What do I do with a bowl of beautyberries? You can mix them with blueberries in yogurt or on the breakfast flakes of your choice. You could also make jelly or put them in a pie. I admire folks who make pies.
October inspires visions of goji berries and exotic peppers but also hands-on disciplined work… gardener stuff… knees might get dirty. Leaf mulch piles, like compost, are magical – plant parts of many shapes, smells, sizes perform the decompose dance, and the results go back into the soil. In October, the gardener adds to the pile and the plant parts take it from there.
October is also the time to plant seeds of plants such as echinacea and nettles that need cold stratification.
Last year, I overwintered kale, chard and lettuce by crafting a makeshift greenhouse over them the day before the big freeze was to happen. Gardeners who plan ahead could get the materials together now… or wait… what’s the hurry?
October is the time to clear out the plants we call weeds. Pile them on an empty bed for the winter. You might be spreading seeds, but it’s worth it because action begins immediately in the soil community below. Your soil likes action like that. Also, that kind of action leads to less tilling or not much digging at all.
I sometimes dig in new straw or leaves, but that’s just an old habit. Soil becomes loose and friable naturally over time if it regularly gets compost and mulch. I once easily transplanted seedlings using a tablespoon, and that’s not about me – that is what naturally happens in soil when the mixture is right.
October is here to help. Appreciate the colors and listen to your peas.