October marks a quieter season for gardeners, with a list of tasks that can often be delayed. However, some responsibilities—like protecting tender plants from frost—demand immediate attention. With the first frost likely behind us, it’s time to focus on indoor plants, fertilizing the lawn, and assessing unconventional mulching options for the winter months. Here’s a guide to navigating your October gardening with ease and efficiency.
Bringing Indoor Plants Back Home
If you’ve kept your indoor plants outside during the warmer months, it’s time to bring them inside. Some plants, like foxtail ferns, might survive a short frost with minimal damage. Others, particularly tropical varieties like the snake plant (sansevieria), may suffer frostbite.
- Dealing with Frost-Damaged Plants: Frostbite on plants often shows as mushy, discolored spots. Don’t panic—your plant isn’t dead. Just trim off the damaged tissue and bring the plant indoors. Find a warm, well-lit area where you can monitor the plant’s recovery. A kitchen counter or the top of the refrigerator makes an ideal spot, thanks to its warmth and indirect light.
- Winter Care for Indoor Plants: Avoid fertilizing any indoor plants that go dormant in the winter. For winter bloomers like Christmas cacti, a touch of fertilizer or compost might encourage blooming. Repotting should wait until spring, though. If you dislike your plant’s current pot, feel free to change it now, as you’ll be staring at it for months to come.
The Right Fall Fertilizer: Avoid Wasting Money and Time
Lawn care in October is tricky. Many people are tempted by “For Fall Lawns” fertilizer products, but a lot of them might be wrong for your grass type and the season. Especially here in Georgia, where warm-season grasses like Bermuda and St. Augustine go dormant during winter, choosing the right fertilizer is key.
- Avoid Nitrogen Overload: Many fall lawn fertilizers are high in nitrogen (the first number in the three-number sequence on the bag), which promotes leaf growth. While this might green up your lawn before frost hits, it does little for developing the strong roots your grass needs to survive the winter. Worse, most of the nitrogen will wash away with the rains, potentially polluting local waterways.
- Focus on Phosphorus for Root Growth: Instead, look for a fertilizer with higher phosphorus content (the middle number), which helps build hardy roots. Check soil temperatures to determine if your grass is still actively growing. In Georgia, soil temperatures around 75 degrees indicate you’ve still got a window to fertilize. Once temps drop below 65 degrees, your grass will likely go dormant.
- Consider a Soil Test: Unsure if your lawn needs fertilizer at all? A simple $8 soil test from your local extension office will give you a clear answer.
Mulching Revisited: The Coconut Experiment
Last year, I experimented with using coconut flakes as mulch, an unconventional but surprisingly effective choice. My husband brought home coconut from his brewery job, and while it began to sour and rot, it worked wonders for the garden.
- Unconventional Mulch for Roses: The roses loved it! I’m not exactly sure what nutrient combo was at play, but the bushes bloomed beautifully and thrived through the Japanese beetle season. The decaying coconut mulch seemed to provide just the right boost.
- Beware of Dogs: The only drawback? Our dogs loved eating it, which led to a few messy stomach issues before they lost interest. Still, the benefits to the plants were undeniable, particularly compared to traditional wood chip mulch.
I’m not saying you should rush out and mulch your garden with coconut flakes, but it highlights that some organic debris—usually seen as waste—can have great potential for use in the garden. Keep an eye out for what you might already have around that could double as a rich, unconventional mulch option.
When to Tackle These Tasks
The beauty of October gardening is that most of these tasks, aside from frost-proofing your plants, can wait a little longer. You don’t have to rush. Mulching, fertilizing, and plant care can be spaced out over the coming weeks, allowing you to prepare your garden for winter without feeling overwhelmed.
Take this time to enjoy the cooler weather while giving your plants the attention they need before the full brunt of winter sets in.
