I love this time of year – waking up to a chilly morning that warms up rapidly to give summer vibes and then, by sunset we reach for a light jacket and consider if it is too early to light a fire or turn on the heat. The leaves are dropping crisp and tawny from some trees, turning all the various shades of ocher on others and still others resplendently green and loathe to let go of summer. October, you are a month that tantalizes and teases.
It’s also the second busiest time in the garden. So without much ado, I present to you October’s To-Do List –
1. Yes, weeding continues!
2. Time to plant perennials and trees. Give a good dose of compost to each. Water regularly. Perennials already in place can be divided and re-planted as well.
3. Cut back all spent plants except what is needed by the birds as well as for seasonal interest.
4. Collect seeds. Store in labeled envelopes in a cool, dry space.
5. Last call to root cuttings of geraniums, coleus, rosemary etc.,
6. Get all pots of tender perennials into clean greenhouse or other winter shelters. Wash plants and pots thoroughly first – minimizes pest infestation.
7. Plant bulbs as weather gets consistently cooler. Bulbs can be planted until soil freezes solid.
8. Rake leaves but only if you must. Leaves can be left in place to provide winter shelter for small critters. However, it is not always possible to do so when the amount of leaves is way too much and can create conditions that completely smother the grass or plants beneath. Add raked leaves to compost pile or deposit in woods.
9. Give compost heap a good stir.
10. Clean out vegetable garden except for cool weather plants that are still producing. Apply several inches of compost on cleared beds. Plant green manure to enrich the soil – optional.
11. Clean and put away (or cover) outdoor furniture.
12. Check what needs repairing, repainting, replacing and get to it!
13. Lift tender bulbs, corms and tubers. Store in a dry, frost-free place.
14. Drain and close all outdoor water faucets. Empty rain barrel and hoses. Store.
15 Clean all equipment and tools. Store neatly.
16. As temperatures plummet, protect tender shrubs and immovable frost sensitive pots and statuary. I cover the former with burlap and for the latter, I first cover with sturdy plastic and then use burlap so it looks halfway decent. Plastic looks even more unsightly in winter when the landscape is already stark.
17. Remove suckers from ornamental and fruit trees. Prune roses and wisteria. Remove dead and decaying limbs from all plants.
18. Fill up bird feeders. Keep them filled through the winter. Put up nest boxes for the spring.
19. Get into the autumnal spirit – fill window boxes and urns with seasonal plants and produce.
Some seasonal scenes from my wanderings –
(c) 2025 Shobha Vanchiswar
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