If you’re wondering what gardening tasks to perform in October, first you need to understand your gardening zone. Now you understand your gardening zone, below defines the tasks to perform for your garden.
Zone 1
- Finish planting container-grown trees and shrubs
- Plant needle-bearing evergreens early in the month
- If the month is dry, repeat the September soaking
- Check ties on trees, and loosen any that look tight
- Finish bulb planting early in the month
- Cover compost to keep it warm and working
- Observe trees for fall color; jot names of the best in your notebook
- Dig dahlia roots after tops are frosted
Zone 2
- Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
- Protect roses for winter
Zone 3
- Start fall compost pile
- Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
- Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
- Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
- Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
- Protect roses for winter
Zone 4
- Start fall compost pile
- Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
- Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
- Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
- Buy spring-blooming bulbs
- Plant container and balled-and-burlapped fruit tree
- Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
- Plant, feed, and aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
- Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
- Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials after bloom
- Protect roses for winter
- Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
- Plant balled-and-burlapped trees
- Plant trees in containers
- Plant frost-tolerant trees
Zone 5
- Start fall compost pile
- Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
- Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
- Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
- Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees fruit trees
- Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
- Plant cool- and warm-season lawns
- Aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
- Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
- Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials after bloom
- Plant container roses
- Protect roses for winter
- Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees, shrubs, and vines
- Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
- Plant frost-tolerant trees
Zone 6
- Start fall compost pile
- Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
- Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
- Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
- Plant container and balled-and-burlapped fruit trees
- Plant permanent ground covers
- Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
- Plant and aerate lawns and loosen thatch
- Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
- Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials after bloom
- Plant container roses
- Protect roses for winter
- Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees, shrubs, and vines
- Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
- Plant frost-tolerant trees
- Plant needle-leafed evergreens
Zone 7
- Plant or repair lawns
- Plant ornamental grasses
- Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
- Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
- Pre-chill tulips and hyacinths for indoor forcing
- Plant balled-and-burlapped or container fruit trees
- Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
- Rake lawn to remove debris
- Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
- Plant container roses
- Plant balled-and-burlapped or container trees, shrubs, and vines
- Prune fall-flowering shrubs just after bloom
- Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 8
- Plant for fall and winter color
- Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
- Plant balled-and-burlapped and container fruit trees
- Prune frost-sensitive fruit trees
- Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
- Plant or repair lawns
- Plant ornamental grasses
- Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
- Plant fall- and winter-blooming perennials
- Prune fall-blooming shrubs and vines justafter bloom
- Plant seedlings of cool-season or winter vegetables
- Sow seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables
Zone 9
- Plant for fall color with annuals
- Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
- Feed and water cacti or succulents that are growing or blooming
- Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
- Repair or plant lawns
- Rake lawns to remove debris
- Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
- Plant fall- and winter-blooming perennials
- Prune fall-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
- Plant or transplant seedlings of cool-season or winter vegetables
- Sow seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables
Zone 10
- Plant annuals for fall color
- Set out fall and winter-blooming plants
- Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
- Feed and water cacti and succulents that are growing or blooming
- Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
- Plant winter-blooming perennials
- Prune fall-flowering shrubs and vines after bloom
- Sow cool-season vegetable seeds
- Start seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables
Zone 11
- Finish planting spring-blooming bulbs
- Plant container-grown trees and shrubs
- Feed and water lawn to encourage overseeded grass
- Prune back summer- and fall-blooming shrubs
- Allow rose hips to form; it will encourage early dormancy in bushes
By Frederick Leeth | October 3, 2019
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