October 2009 Gardening Checklist

Protect tender shrubs from sprays
from road traffic.

© Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

• Protect shrubs near roadways from the spray of salt, water and ice with burlap, plastic tarp or other material.
  
• Erect physical barriers around woody plants and trees if rabbits, rodents or deer are a problem. Metal mesh (1/4-inch) hardware cloth is good for this. Pull mulch away from trunks to discourage rodents from making a winter home there.
  
• Continue watering gardens, shrubs and trees if rainfall doesn't reach an inch or more every week or 10 days. It's important for plants to go into cold weather with adequate moisture.
  
• Spray evergreens, including newly planted ones, with an antidesiccant when temperature is above 40 degrees F. These products protect plants from drying out.
  
• Continue mowing lawn as needed.
  
• Have garden soil tested for fertilizer needs every three to five years.
  
• Have soil ready to mound on roses for winter protection. Do not mound or cover roses until after the leaves drop and the soil is near freezing, usually late November or early December.
  
• Continue planting spring bulbs as long as soil can be worked. Make sure to water well.
  
• Harvest pumpkins and winter squash before frost, but when the rind is hard and fully colored. Store in a cool location until ready to use.
  
• Asparagus top growth should not be removed until foliage yellows. Let foliage stand over winter to collect snow for insulation and moisture.
  
• Strawberry plants need protection from winter extremes. Apply winter protection when plants are dormant but before temperatures drop below 20 degrees.