For:
By: Daniel E. Mullins
Extension Horticulture Agent
October Gardening Tips
■ Prepare beds for the planting of cool season flowers. Bedding plants of these will begin appearing at garden centers and nurseries this month. Some of the well adapted flowers for fall planting include pansy, petunia, Shasta daisy, snapdragon and Digitalis (foxglove).
■ In the vegetable garden plant seeds of beets, carrots, collards,
kale, kohlrabi, leek, mustard, parsley,
radish, spinach and turnips. Establish
transplants of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese
cabbage, collard, onion and strawberry.
■ Allow the permanent lawn to gradually slow down and go dormant as shorter days and cooler temperatures of fall approach by withholding high nitrogen containing fertilizers. Don’t make any radical change in the mowing height between now and the first freeze.
The height that lawns are mowed during late summer and fall has effects upon their degree of cold tolerance. Recent studies have shown that centipede grass experiences less cold injury when the last several mowings are at a two inch height, when compared to a one inch and a three inch cutting height.
■ Cool season grasses can be seeded during this month for winter lawn color. Overseeding is not for everyone. Though the cool season grasses make for an attractive lawn during the winter, average to high maintenance is required.
Fescues, bent grasses and ryegrasses are used for this purpose. However, for the typical home lawn annual ryegrass is normally recommended. The suggested seeding rate is ten pounds per one thousand square feet of area.
■ This is the month that most pine trees shed their leaves and pine needles make excellent mulch for flower, vegetable and shrub beds. Rake and use the needles while they are fresh.
■ Make plans to provide cold protection for tropical perennials that were established in the landscape. Valuable specimens such as plumbago, penta, Tibouchina and shrimp plant can be dug, potted and moved to a protected area. Large plantings can be protected by mounding pine needles, shavings or other coarse material around the plant bases.
■ Sansanqua camellias are showing their colors this month. These are our most cold hardy camellias and the species that flowers in the fall, when few other woody shrubs do. Visit local nurseries and garden centers in order to choose cultivars in colors and shades that compliment your landscape.
■ Locate sources of fruiting plants for winter
establishment. Locally adapted fruits
include blueberry, grape, fig, peach, persimmon, plum, apple, pear, pecan and
blackberry. The selection of the right
varieties for the
Question of the Week: I have Elaeagnus shrubs that have many small dots on the leaves. What could be causing this?
Answer: The most common
species that is grown in our area is Elaeagnus pungens which is a known as
Silverthorn or thorny elaeagnus. The
leaves are evergreen and silvery underneath with many small brown scales which
appear as dots. The leaves on your
plants are apparently normal.