|
The October Garden
What to Plant Now
Autumn Array The rich, warm colors of fall balance nicely with the season's deepening blue skies and crisp, cool air. Create a display using golden yellows, toasty oranges and reds, and velvety purples for contrast. Mums, marigolds, petunias, cosmos and ornamental peppers put on a show in October, and don't forget to tuck in some pumpkins and gourds!
Winter Color Eager to go ahead and plant for winter? Well, you're in luck! Pansies and violas thrive in cool and cold weather; extended periods of warm weather cause them to become leggy. They are best planted when temps drop below 80 degrees for good, which is usually by the second week of October.
Winter Company Don't let your pansies and violas get lonely! Pair with foliage for extra texture and a backdrop for blooms. Ornamental cabbage and kale, swiss chard, dusty miller, evergreen ferns and herbs, sedge, sweet flag, creeping jenny and ivy are all excellent companion plantings.
Headstart on Spring Did you know that snapdragons, foxglove and dianthus perform best when planted in fall? Plant these now for bigger plants and more blooms by spring!
Edibles Cool season herbs and vegetables are here and it's a great time to fill a bed or container with edibles and seasoning for your winter table. Veggies that can be grown this season include lettuce, cabbage, collards, kale, spinach, swiss chard, pac choi, mustard, brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Herbs that thrive in cool weather include parsley, chives, oregano, thyme, lavender and rosemary. Arugula and cilantro will tolerate a light freeze.
Perennials October is a great time to plant perennials! Planting now allows them to establish healthy root systems before growth begins in spring.
Evergreens Fall is the best time to plant any tree or shrub, but our new shipment of evergreens are especially tempting! It's hard to beat a soft, fluffy conifer or lush, dark green boxwood in the winter garden.
|
