October Task List for Dependable Gardens Spring is coming! Yes, it is still six months away, but it is not too early to begin preparing your garden for next year. If you are like many of us, the heat this summer dampened your enthusiasm for yard work. With the cooler weather (and accumulated guilt) now is the time to play catch-up. Pull old tomato, bean, and squash vines in your garden, cut them up and turn the healthy plant material into your compost pile, discarding the rest. Remove any black plastic or other inorganic mulches that may encourage the over-wintering of insect pests. Do a final weeding to prevent weeds from going to seed and lightly turn fresh organic material into your soil for next spring. Do not forget your lawn, trees, and shrubs. They will also benefit from some last minute care. Keep mowing your lawn as long as the grass is growing and spread an application of cool season fertilizer, such as Fertilome's Winterizer, at the end of the month. Rake up debris from underneath the trees and shrubs, composting clean, disease-free material. Fertilize trees and shrubs and apply a fresh layer of mulch. Protect the trunks of young and newly planted trees with tree wrap to prevent damage from winter sunscald. Remember to check and water, as necessary, newly planted trees, shrubs, and flowers until plants go dormant. Decorate those empty planter pots and boxes with ornamental kale, cabbage, pansies, asters and grasses for fall and early winter color. Plant tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and other spring bulbs, adding a small amount of bone meal in to each hole to promote fantastic flowers next spring. Dahlias, gladiolas, and other tender bulbs should be dug before the ground freezes and stored in a cool, dry, dark area. Clean, sharpen, and oil pruners, shovels, hoes, and other tools that you will not be using until next spring. After the irrigation water is shut off have your sprinkler system drained and blown out. Take down hummingbird feeders, clean and dry thoroughly before storing for the winter. Fill seed feeders to attract migrating and year-round resident birds to your yard. Leave peanuts, sunflower seeds, or walnuts in the shell and fruit, such as apples & pears, outside to distract squirrels from your bird feeders. Fall is a great time to lay sod. Fresh sod is available (weather permitting) for pick-up at the nursery. Delivery can be arranged for orders over 1,000 sq. ft. Varieties available: bluegrass blend & rhizome-enhanced tall fescue. Call the nursery at 938-3535 for pricing and more information. New and unique Fall decor items have arrived at the nursery. Stop by and get inspired!

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