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FeedOctober 2007 Garden Tips
• Remember to plan ahead; plant spring flowering bulbs now.• October is the time to plant hardy annuals and perennials such as pansies, English daisies, foxglove, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflowers and larkspur.
• Garden centers are filled with chrysanthemums; be sure to get yours now and add some fall color to your landscape, or put them in pots to decorate your front door.
• Mid-to-late October is the time for your lawn’s most important fertilizer application. Winterizer helps build vigorous root systems during winter and builds winter hardiness.
• Cut back watering frequencies as the weather cools. Plants need less water in the fall, and even less in the winter. With cooler temperatures, shorter days and less sunlight, plants slip into dormancy and their needs for water decrease.
• It may be early to be thinking about Christmas, but it’s time to get your Christmas cactus in gear. Christmas cacti need special care now to get their beautiful flowers this December. Buds will form at 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit, or if the plant is exposed to at least 13 hours of complete darkness each night.
• Cut back dieback—be sure to leave Echinacea and other bird-friendly plants.
• Don’t cut back your spring-blooming shrubs this fall, because they have already set their buds for the spring. Wait until after they bloom next year—then prune.
• Winterizing roses is critical in our climate. Water roses well after the first frost, and mound 6-12 inches of compost around the crown of the plant after a couple of hard freezes.
Resources
All Seasons Garden Center701-746-7777
Otten Bros. Nursery & Landscaping
952-473-5425
Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association
www.gardenminnesota.com
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