By Charlie Nardozzi, Horticulturist and Leonard Perry, University of Vermont Extension Horticulturist
Digging dahlia tubers and storing them for winter, planting garlic for harvesting next summer, and testing soil are some of the gardening activities for October.
Tips for October’s flower garden: Dig tubers and corms
Lift and store dahlias.
When the first frost blackens the foliage of dahlias, cut off the stems about 6 inches above the tubers (the large swollen roots). Carefully dig the clumps with a spade or garden fork, and rinse them off. Let the tubers dry in a spot protected from direct sun and wind for a day (not too long or they’ll begin to shrivel). Store the dahlia tuber clumps whole in ventilated plastic bags filled with peat moss, vermiculite, or sawdust. You can also pot the tubers into barely moist soil. Store bags or pots in a dark, 35- to 50-degree Fahrenheit location such as a cellar or unheated garage.
Lift and store gladiolas.
Dig gladiolus corms (their flattened storage bulbs) when their leaves have mostly died back, later in fall than the dahlias. Shake the dirt off, cut leaves off near the corm, and store for the winter in paper bags. They are not as fussy about moisture and storage as dahlias, but don’t let gladiolus corms freeze.
Resist cutting roses.
Hard as it is to do, refrain from cutting any more roses and let the fruits (rose hips) form. This will signal to the plant that it’s time to harden off for winter. Don’t spread winter mulch around roses until after the ground freezes—usually mid to late November.
Tips for October’s vegetable garden.
Plant garlic.
Plant garlic now for harvesting next summer. Purchase organic garlic sold specifically for planting, as garlic bought in grocery stores for cooking may have been treated to not sprout, and are usually not adapted to your climate. Try some different varieties to see which you prefer.
Break the garlic head into individual cloves, keeping the largest ones for planting (use the small cloves for cooking.) Plant cloves about 3-inches apart, 2-inches deep, with the pointed side up. Mulch the bed well with straw. Use crop rotation to avoid diseases—don’t plant it where you grew garlic, onions, or cabbage last year.
Test garden soil.
Test your soil and add any needed amendments now so the soil will be ready for planting in the spring. Some amendments take time to break down and become available to plants. If you have a nearby Extension Service office, you can take advantage of their low-priced soil testing service. If not, you can send a soil sample away to a soil lab, or get a do-it-yourself kit. Most plants prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.5 to 6.8 (a pH of 7 is neutral). New England soils tend to be acidic and frequently require the addition of lime. But your soil can vary from location to location in your yard, so if you notice different characteristics of the soil in different beds, test them separately.
Resist pruning.
Avoid pruning woody plants now because this will encourage a flush of new growth that will likely be damaged by the upcoming cold temperatures. Instead, wait until late winter or early spring to prune most trees and shrubs, including fruit trees.
More gardening reminders for October:
- Check and replace faded garden labels.
- Carve pumpkins for Halloween.
- Plant daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs.
Tips for October’s lawn.
Keeping grass mowed going into winter will help prevent snow mold disease on taller, packed-down grass. Keep leaves raked from lawns so they don’t smother the grass. Spread a thin topping of compost on the lawn after you rake up leaves, and rake again to settle the compost.
A version of this article originally appeared on the University of Vermont Extension Service website.