“Ah, Lovely October, as you usher in the season that awakens my soul, your awesome beauty compels my spirit to soar like an leaf caught in an autumn breeze and my heart to sing like a heavenly choir.”

― Peggy Toney Horton”

“October had tremendous possibility. The summer's oppressive heat was a distant memory, and the golden leaves promised a world full of beautiful adventures. They made me believe in miracles.”

― Sarah Guillory, Reclaimed

Regardless of what the thermometer says, the calendar says it is October.  Time for pumpkin spice everything, even body wash.  But October is more than the inundation of pumpkin spice.  It is warm days that twilight into cool nights.  It is leaves putting on their farewell fashion show and the skies making sure they have just the right color of blue as the black light.  It is the month of falling leaves, burning leaves, Columbus, Halloween, and the start of the Christmas season.  That is not quite right, but true.

Already stores are busy putting out Christmas decorations.  On one side of the aisle you may find Halloween witches and on the other Christmas angels.  Yes, October definitely signifies change.  It is the last month of daylight savings time as clocks fall back the first weekend of November.  

We should just slow down and enjoy the shorter days of October and the cooler nights.  Take walks and soak in the color before the our world turns  with less color but the frantic pace of the holidays.  October is to enjoy.

 Spruce.com Spruce.com Spruce.coThe Spruce website offers the following: 

General October Garden Chores

Get your soil tested and add amendments as needed.

Amend your soil with a dressing of compost

Turn your compost pile.

Use your garden debris and leaves to start a new compost pile.

Plant trees and shrubs. Be sure to keep them well-watered, even through the winter (snow permitting).

Make sure all vacationing houseplants are brought back inside.

Continue planting garlic.

Plant cool-season annuals. Covering mums and asters on nights when a frost is expected, will lengthen their blooming.

Clear away dead foliage.

Dry and save seed.

Take cuttings of tender perennials.

Harvest and dry or freeze herbs for winter use.

Remove green tomatoes from the plants. Either ripen in a brown paper bag or lift the entire plant and hang upside down in a warm spot, to ripen.

Harvest winter squash once the vines die back, but definitely before a hard freeze.

Continue harvesting fall crops like beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, and leeks.

Clean and put away empty containers and garden ornaments.

Clean and sharpen gardening tools.

Continue winterizing your water garden

Clean bird feeders.

Think about a de-icer for the birdbath. If you're in an area that freezes and you don't have a de-icer, turn your birdbath over to keep it from cracking.

Enjoy the season. Show off your harvest with a fall display.

Then start thinking about putting your garden to bed.

Rolling Hills Garden Center and Village Gallery Florist are located at 400 S. Madison Blvd in Roxboro, NC

Rolling Hills 336 599-0385       Village Gallery 336 597-5300

[email protected]    [email protected]