By Connie Doyle
Fall is when temperatures are dropping, the light is subtly changing and plant growth slowing. It’s like the garden is taking a long deep breath after summer’s sprint. The air feels clearer, the shadows stretch a bit longer, and bees are seen working on the last blooms. That slowing down can feel calm, even grounding. With a reminder that rest is part of the cycle too, we begin the much anticipated transition from the hot, rapid growth of summer to the relaxed pace that October invites. Yes, fall is upon us, and welcomed by all.
October is a bit like spring in reverse in Northeast Florida. Summer’s heat is finally easing, and you can embrace the quiet joy of working outside in cooler air. Meanwhile, your soil is ready for something new too. Think: What can I do now so my garden looks its best through winter and is ready for spring?
My favorite activity is replacing tired summer annuals with cool-season color (pansies, petunias, snapdragons, violas, alyssum and dianthus) that say FALL IS HERE and along with it Halloween and Thanksgiving.
After summer’s stress, adding a top dress of compost is well worth the effort. If you have pine trees consider the cost-cutting gathering of needles that are dropping and using them as a natural mulch. Be sure to adjust your irrigation system for cooler nights so plants don’t stay soggy. Soggy plants invite fungus.
It’s also a good time to divide, transplant and establish new perennials, evergreen shrubs and trees. If your landscape is lacking in color consider planting evergreen hollies; their bright berries add color to the landscape when other plants have died back for the winter with the extra bonus of providing food for birds.
You’re a veggie gardener you say? Time to prepare vegetable beds for bulb onions, salad crops such as arugula, lettuce and spinach. This is the last month to set strawberry plants in the garden or in large containers.
Removing diseased limbs and weak branch unions now means fewer headaches during storm season. Trees with poor structure are less likely to survive storms. Good tree selection, proper structure and routine maintenance is the best defense against weather-related damage. Don’t forget to cut back plants that need rejuvenation and divide overcrowded perennials.
If you pride yourself on a beautiful lawn, control winter weeds before they appear. Pre-emergent herbicides must be applied at the right time to be effective. Apply when nighttime temperatures are 55-60 degrees for 4-5 days.
So as October settles in, take a breath with your garden, make a few thoughtful changes and let nature take the lead as things slow down.
Connie Doyle writes The Good Earth, a gardening column inspired by a lifelong passion for plants, nature, and the peaceful rhythm of the garden. With more time in retirement, she has been inspired to take that passion to the next level — learning, growing, and sharing with others in our community by way of earning her Master Gardener Certification. Connie can be reached by email to mail@floridanewsline.com.
