Spring seems a curt time ago on the one handwriting , and eons ago on the other . Spring gardens cheered us up and give us something fertile to do . Summer garden continued to keep us busy , although a temperature record of 35 unbent days over 90⁰ F cut the working hours to other morning . Now it ’s time for decorative nurseryman to go tidy up . Let ’s look at the long list of tasks that we should tackle this calendar month . But smile – it ’s great to be outside in October !

TEMPERATURE

A few tasks depend onfirst frost / halt temperatures . accord toNational Climatic Data Center for the Albemarle County station , the project first frost / freeze dates are shown below :

According to Virginia Cooperative Extension , thefirst projected frost for USDA Hardiness Zone 7abased on retiring norm isOctober 15 - 25.This range of first frost appointment is a trivial less wild than the guideline for the first Robert Lee Frost escort give in the above chart . This play up the different ways of interpreting this chart base on what you regard “ wild . ” If you ’re willing to take a hazard of earlier - than - expected hoar , you ’d move out to the correct side of the chart . If you want to minimize damage from a first Robert Lee Frost , you ’d play it guardedly and move to the left . As an illustration , let ’s say your garden is on the south side of the business firm , in a skillful , protected warm spot . you may probably push the first Robert Lee Frost escort out a small further , perhaps to the end of October . If your garden is on an elevated bit and more open , you might require a more conservative date , and you could move nigher to October 13 .

Here ’s achartfrom   the USDA National Water and Climate Center which summarizes the issue of cold temperatures on plants and flora :

Now allow ’s bet at specific October labor , include some that will be be affected by temperature .

TASKS

retrieve , soil does n’t freeze as quickly as the aura . Plant roots will still grow if soil temperature is above 40⁰ F.A “ intemperate frost ” or “ killing frost ” comes when the temperature drops further , below 28 degrees F , for about 5 hours . This will kill the top increase of most perennials .

Deer Protection : Protect shrubs and young trees susceptible to deer damage .

FERTILIZING LAWNS

The best metre of year to fertilise a lawn depends on the type of grass in the lawn . If you havecool - season grasses(grow advantageously in spring and fall ) , such as tall fescue , Kentucky bluegrass , and recurrent rye - grass , it is easily tofertilize in the late summer / former fall from August 15th through November . If you havewarm - season grasses(grow better in summer ) , such as bermudagrass or zoysiagrass , fertilize from March to August . Never apply lawn fertiliser to flash-frozen soils . tally ¼ –   ½ ” of compost as a “ top dressing ” provides organic matter and meliorate the overall wellness of the soil . A soil trial is the only elbow room to determine if the dirt needs lime tree , Lucifer ( P ) , or potassium ( K)and pin is an splendid fourth dimension to do a examination . The ground - examination science laboratory are commonly less busy . hold nutrients as recommended by a soil tryout and you ’ll be taking a huge first step towards protecting piddle quality .

The one nutrient that wo n’t be analyzed in a dirt tryout is nitrogen ( N ) . The reason is that N levels change rapidly in a soil and mental test results unremarkably have small meaning by the time you receive the news report . The test results will offer recommendation onappropriate N program point suitable for the grass and location .

Mow until the lawn stops growing . smoke that is too long is more susceptible to damage over the winter .

study the VCE publication“Fall Lawn Care”and refer to the VCE alimony calendar forcool - time of year turfgrassesandwarm - time of year lawnsin Virginia .

For information and how - to tips on lawn management , see the September 2020Garden Shedarticle,“Responsible Lawn Management in the Era of Climate Change . ”

LIME APPLICATIONS

One of the most crucial agent for the lawn is land pH. This is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil and is a major decide factor for proper nutrient absorption by turfgrass roots .   In our area , the dirt tend to course be more vitriolic , intend a pH of less than 7.0 and usually much small , but a soil tryout is the only manner to determine if the pH level needs to be wobble . The optimum pH for turf increase is 6.0 to 6.8 . If the pH point falls below 5.5 , turf development will be compromise . Most vegetable , fruit , and ornamental plants grow best when the pH is somewhat acidic , between 5.5 and 6.5 . Multiple hydrated lime treatments may be required to land the pH to the trust level . pin and spring are generally the best clock time for lime covering . Fall has an added advantage , as rainwater , snow and cycles of freezing and unfreeze service lime bust down and set out to work . For more information , understand this article,“Does Your Lawn or Garden Need Lime?”from North Carolina Cooperative Extension .

MULCHING

Mulch is often applied in give , but check on mulch layer in fall as well . Mulching helps foreclose soil erosion ; insulates the soil ; retains water to keep root moist ; and prevents root heaving triggered by freeze and unthaw temperatures . Mulch boxwoods and broadleaf evergreens before the earth freezes . Mulch deciduous Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and shrubs , and perennial bedsafter the undercoat freezes , but before the coldest temperatures get in . See the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewardsguidelines for mulching around tree .

For more top on what to do this month , see theMonthly Gardening TipsunderGardening Resources , piedmontmastergardeners.org / Monthly Gardening Tips#October .   We also recommend reviewing“The Ornamental Garden in October,”from retiring issues ofThe Garden Shed : October 2015,October 2016,October 2017,October 2018,andOctober 2019 .

SOURCES

“ Lime and Lawns , ” University of Maryland Extension , https://extension.umd.edu / hgic / subject / lime - and - lawns

“ Does Your Lawn or Garden ask Lime ? ” NC Cooperative Extension , https://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/03 / does - your - lawn - or - garden - need - lime/

alive Weather Alert , NBC.com , https://www.nbc29.com/2025-05-07 / active - weather - alert/

“ A Guide to Successful Pruning , Shrub Pruning Calendar , Virginia Cooperative Extension , https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430 - 462/430 - 462.html

Virginia ’s Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide : Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant , Virginia Cooperative Extension , https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu / content / dam / pubs_ext_vt_edu/426/426 - 331 / SPES-170.pdf

“ WETS Tables grow Season Dates and Length , ” USDA National Water and Climate Center , https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov / climate / wets_dates.html

“ First and Last Frost / Freeze Dates by Zip code , ” Dave ’s Garden , https://davesgarden.com / pathfinder / freeze - frost - dates / index.php?q=22901&submit = Go

“ Dividing Perennials , ” Clemson Cooperative Extension , https://hgic.clemson.edu / factsheet / dividing - perennials/

“ October Tips , ” Virginia Cooperative Extension , https://albemarle.ext.vt.edu / subject matter / dam / albemarle_ext_vt_edu / files / hort - tip - sheets/10 - 14 - perennials.pdf

“ Growing Annuals , ” Clemson Cooperative Extension , https://hgic.clemson.edu / factsheet / farm - annuals/

“ Ornamental Grasses and Grass - like Plants , ” Clemson Cooperative Extension , https://hgic.clemson.edu / factsheet / ornamental - grasses - and - grass - like - plants/

“ Holiday Cactus Brings the Gift of Color,”The Garden Shed , https://piedmontmastergardeners.org / clause / vacation - cactus - brings - the - gift - of - color/

“ Making More : Propagation by Cuttings , ” Clemson Cooperative Extension , https://hgic.clemson.edu / making - more - generation - by - cuttings/

“ protect Your Garden From Frost , ” The Old Farmer ’s Almanac , https://www.almanac.com / protecting - your - garden - frost

Feature photo : Pink Muhly and Little Bluestem Grasses Photo : Susan Martin