MONTHLY GARDENING TIPS
Here’s what to do, what’s in bloom, and lots of gardening tips and tricks for each month of the year! Check back each month to find new, seasonal tips for ornamental gardening, lawn care, edible gardening, and indoor plant care in the Pacific Northwest!
October Tips for PNW Gardeners
In the Garden
There are many plants that can add color and interest to the fall garden. For quick pops of color, try asters, heather or heath, pansies, or chrysanthemums. See more of our Favorite Fall Flowers.
Mulch beds with a high-quality compost or soil conditioner. Mulch helps keep weeds down and protects roots from frost. Plus, it adds a clean look to garden beds. Learn How to Mulch.
Through mid-October, you can lift and separate spring-flowering perennials and bulbs.
This is also a great month to plant new bulbs such as tulips, allium, and daffodils for beautiful flowers next spring and early summer. Bulbs can be planted in the ground or into containers. Learn how to make a Mixed Bulb Container.
Edible Gardening
Plant garlic, shallots, and onions now to harvest next summer. Learn How to Plant & Grow Garlic.
If you still have green tomatoes on your plants, remove any that have ripened even a tiny amount and store them in a warm place to ripen fully inside. Fry fully green tomatoes or make green tomato salsa!
Clear away summer vegetable plants such as tomatoes, squash, and peppers when they have finished producing. Note: Do not place any plants with diseases or insects into your home compost.
Set up winter protection like cloches, cold frames, and hoops to extend the growing season for greens and other late-season veggies.
Lawn Care
October is the perfect time to thatch, aerate, and install sod.
Mow if necessary and remember that the height of the grass generally equals the depth of the roots. Keeping the grass a little longer helps build a strong support system so avoid cutting off more than 30% at a time.
Turn off irrigation systems when the rainy season begins.
Indoor plants
Don’t have a green thumb? We can help. Try these 5 Easy Houseplants.
Most houseplants will need slightly different care in late fall and winter. See our Checklist for Fall & Winter Houseplant Care.
Unless your houseplants are very rootbound, put off repotting until next spring.
As the weather cools, be sure to bring inside any houseplants that have "summered" out of doors. Check carefully for insects that might be tagging along and consider keeping these plants separated from others until you are sure they are bug-free.