Fort Bend County Master Gardeners

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		Monthly Gardening Tasks - October If you want to have Hyacinths in bloom for the holidays, they must be refrigerated for four to six weeks before they are planted. Plant, divide and reset perennials Prune Fertilize Plant your wildflowers Add woody plants, and keep watered regularly DO NOT prune your Wisterias now Plant pansies in full sun or light shade Harvest pecans and DO NOT fertilize your Pecan trees Watch for fall webworms on your pecan trees Lay new sod at the end of the month and water regularly Watch out for spider mites To grow your own Coleus, Impatiens, Copper plants or Geraniums for next spring’s garden, take cuttings from these plants now Begin to plan and build new planting areas YOUR WINTER GARDEN An autumn garden is a glorious sight, especially with the weather finally cool enough to encourage one to stay outside to savor the colors and scents of fall. Plant Mums in any color for a traditional look that should last into mid-November. Pansies bloom from fall into winter and survive several degrees of frost; they grow 6 to 9 inches high. Generally, pansies with flowers in solid blue or yellow hues are the toughest. Also consider ornamental peppers, ornamental cabbages, and kale for a truly unique effect. Ornamental grasses are striking in the fall and don't forget that fall is a good time to get shrubs and trees in the ground. Take advantage of the cooler weather and rework that tired summer garden! WINTER FERTILIZING Plants differ in their fertilizer requirements at different times so cooler weather signals a change needed in fertilizing. Fertilizers contain 3 main nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K), which are represented by the 3 numbers noted on the fertilizer container, for example: 5-10-5. Nitrogen promotes leafy plant growth and lush leaves. Phosphorous promotes root development and flower production. K, or potassium, promotes disease-resistant healthy flowers and is always helpful. Consider the numbers before choosing your winter fertilizer. Look for colorful blooms and a good root system for new bedding plants, which means choosing a higher middle number for winter than you would in the spring. For existing bloomers, trees, and shrubs, select a fertilizer high in phosphorous, such as 0-10-10. Winter vegetables do better with 5-10-10; new bedding plants could use an infusion such as 10-52-10. Read labels carefully to be guided to the right fertilizer for the job! BULBS Buy enough bulbs to make an impact. Have enough variety that something is in bloom all through the bulb season. Buy quality bulbs. Pick the best possible sites. Choose your bulb type according to the look you want. Meet the bulbs chilling requirements. BEST BULBS TO PLANT Allium Alstroemeria Amaryllis Anemone Calla Cooperia Dietes Hemerocallis Iris Ixia Leucojum Lilies Liriope Lycoris Ornithogalum Oxalis Ranunculus Tritonia Watsonia SEEDS TO PLANT THIS MONTH Alyssum Arctotis Bluebonnet Calendula Cornflower Delphimium Gerbera Nasturtium Pansy Petunia Snapdragon Stock BEDDING PLANTS TO PLANT THIS MONTH Agapanthus Ageratum Chrysathemum Cosmos Dahlia Petunia Portulaca Verbena VEGETABLES Last chance to put out in the ground by mid October Beets Chinese cabbage (celery cabbage) Collard seeds Garlic Lettuce Parsley Swiss chard For a slightly different look to your garden, mix vegetables and herb plants in the landscape, rather than segregating them to their own separate garden. PLANT THE FOLLOWING THIS MONTH Arugula – seed Beets – seed Broccoli – seed/transplants Brussels Sprouts – seed/transplants Cabbage – transplants Cauliflower – transplants Celery – seed/transplants Chard – seed/transplants Endive–seed/transplant Garlic – cloves Kale – seed/transplants Kohlrab – seed/transplants Mizuna – seed/transplants Leeks – seed Lettuce – seed Radishes – seed Spinach- seed/transplants Turnips – seed/transplants

Monthly Gardening Tasks - October