October has arrived and along with it comes changes to your desert garden. News Director Cassidy Taylor offers these October gardening tips…
Monsoon rains have evaporated, followed by drier air and cooler nights. Summer’s heat has broken at last. With that, summer leaves plenty of flowers in its wake. You don’t need to deadhead at this point in the season. Allow plants to set seeds and fruit for wildlife.
Take note of what’s blooming now to find plants that can fill in holes in your garden’s seasonal color scheme. Roses make a comeback this month, filling the air with fragrance. Traditional fall favorites are still going strong: asters, garden mums, goldenrod, zinnias, and the last of the dahlias.
Fall is the ideal time to plant. Soil temperatures remain warm from summer’s heat, and cooler air eliminates the need for incessant watering. Plants can settle in before winter cold arrives, developing root systems that will give plants a jump start come spring. What should you be planting? Hardy, container-grown trees and shrubs, including Joshua trees! Cool season annuals and seeds that should freeze, including larkspur, poppy, forget-me-not, and gloriosa daisies are also good options. Avoid planting tropicals as these plants do better when added to the landscape in spring.
For watering, reduce watering to help plants harden off for winter. Do this gradually so plants can adjust. Be sure to reduce both watering frequency and duration. Likewise, adjust irrigation timers to reflect your fall watering reduction scheme.
And finally, remember not to fertilize landscape plants after October 31.
You can get more gardening tips right here on Z107.7 on Saturday mornings during the Unique Garden Show 8:30 to 9 a.m.
