Begin preparing tools for storage by cleaning them once you’re finished with them.
Gardening Tasks by Month for Southgate, MI
Gardening Tasks for October
Southgate, MI
Leave seed heads on asters, sunflowers, and cosmos for birds to eat over the winter.
Cut herbaceous perennials that have died and turned brown with frost back to 3 to 4 inches above the ground.
Harvest brussels sprouts when ready to eat; they’ll sweeten through the cold snaps.
Did you test your soil? If you need to raise or lower the pH of your soil, add amendments like sulfur or lime this fall. They take some time to work.
Plant snowdrop, hyacinth, and star of Bethlehem bulbs.
Be sure to throw away any fallen fruit to help keep away any unwanted pests from your yard.
Hardy lily bulbs may be planted in the ground and left to overwinter outdoors.
Correct any soil deficiencies you’ve noticed. Healthy soil is crucial to healthy plants.
Plant spring bulbs as long as the ground is workable. Plant the following bulbs soon: trout lily, tulip, narcissus (including daffodil), snowdrop, winter aconite, starflower, and crown imperial. For crown imperial, add a little lime to the soil.
As you empty annual beds, clean out all dead plants. A clean garden will have fewer diseases next spring. Add manure, compost, and leaves to provide it with more organic matter.
Place chicken wire on the ground over newly planted bulbs to deter animals from digging.
Be sure to remove any leaves from your lawn to help reduce lawn problems; use as mulch for plants; shred leaves and add to compost.
Plant garlic now for harvesting next summer.
Brush your root crops clean of any soil and store in a cool, dark place. Never refrigerate potatoes and apples together; the apples give off ethylene gas, which will spoil the potatoes. Clipping the tops of parsnips, carrots, beets, and turnips will keep them fresher longer.
Pot up some parsley plants and place them in a well-lit cellar or shed.
If your peony isn’t blooming, or it is too large or misplaced, consider moving it now.
Dig up and store dahlias, gladioli, and other tender plants after the foliage is killed by a frost. Store over the winter.
Plant hardy spring-flowering bulbs such as tulip, daffodil, and hyacinth bulbs and crocus corms. Don’t be too quick to cover them with mulch or it may attract animals. Wait until the ground freezes.
Do not prune spring-flowering shrubs.
Look for slug egg masses under mulch and destroy.
Paint any garden structures that need it. Repair garden fences.
Harvest any remaining vegetables sensitive to frost, including winter squash, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.
Clean up your lawn and garden. Remove any dead or diseased plants, leaves, and twigs; a clean garden means fewer diseases next spring.