About Us » Newsletters »
It's October and you have lots of things to do to get the yard ready for winter. Fortunately these actions fit well with making your yard look scary! So yes, short term there is the decorating for Halloween. But its a critical month for managing bigger issues with the yard, so let's get to it.
Luckily nature is pointing out the obvious so go ahead and remove the summer annuals, rake leaves (and compost gardens and/or mulch shrubs and trees), deadhead shrubs (hydrangea, roses, etc) and perennials like Lavender, Salvia, Guara, Cone flower, Rudbeckia and agapanthus and edge ground covers. Don't cut back those pretty grasses yet though.
Lets look at some tough jobs you should consider; not every year, but worth the effort every few: Dethatching/Aerating lawns, Proactive and Preventative Pruning, edging and Hedging, all of which will help get through the winter months.
Let's help transition that lawn of yours by dethatching and over seeding it this month.
Dethatching is ripping out and removing the spongy build up of dead grass, Bermuda runners, crabgrass and weeds in your lawn. Scalping your lawn with the mower won't do the trick. You can do it manually with a thatch rake (pic to the right) but that's a serious workout. So while fine for smaller areas, for larger jobs consider renting a mechanical vertical mower or thatcher to aggressively deep clean. This is a task for established lawns not newly seeded or sod. After ripping up the thatch, rake it up and toss it into the green waste bin - Not for Compost. Follow that with an aerating tool if you have heavy clay and a fall/winter fertilizer application. Then overseed with fescue seeds on fescue lawns, or rye grass seed if you have Bermuda lawns that you want to keep green during the rainy season. Around the valley I don't recommend Bluegrass seed since it will get rust during the wet winter season. Half an inch of Topper or humus spread over the seed will help with germination. Then irrigate! You should have germination well before November and good establishment before cold weather sets in. We sell seed and Topper here at Belmont Nursery.
Proactive and Preventative Pruning is about getting things done before the winter storms set in to remove any tree limbs, vines and or shrubs that are threatening other trees, houses or property. Such pruning, is targeting limbs showing any of the 3-D's: Dead, Diseased or Damaged. Yes, you may want to hire a professional tree service. But at the least, get the pole saw and or a good ladder and remove or cut back branches or vines that are interfering with other plants, scaffolds, rubbing or over hanging the roof, patio or driveway. Fire Blight is the main disease you want to identify on fruit and flowering fruit trees while the leaves are still on the tree since its easiest to identify infected limbs. Remove infected limbs and coat larger cuts with sealant before the wet weather arrives. Clean tools between cuts with chlorinated wipes.
Another thing to do with your young trees is to stake to protect and train during the winter when wet soils may not hold them well. We offer pruning tools and various sizes of Stakes and cross ties to help with those tasks.
And finally, let's talk edging ground covers and hedging and/or shaping shrubs.
Edging groundcover not only provides formal definition through the yard but doing so creates lanes where you can direct excess water away from the house. You should leave a foot or two between ground cover and the home and can cover that space with gravel or larger walk-on bark to prevent rain or roof runoff from splashing mud up on the house exterior.
As for hedging, The good news is such trimming won't leave your bushes all rough since that trimming will encourage a bit of new growth before winter takes hold. The cuts will also heal over before the wet weather and fog sets in thus avoiding any secondary fungal infections from impacting them. When hedging, as with all pruning, focus on the 3-D's again so cutting off any Damaged, Dead, Diseased segments of the shrubs.
Its also a good time to have some fun with those shrubs that have grown into each other over the year and are now touching - cause you have some decisions to make! Should they be connected thus becoming a hedge or keep them apart. The next decision is keep them natural or contrived. Like Bob Ross, the PBS artist said, its your world, have fun with it!
We will have a pruning workshop in January to help you with fruit tree, rose and Japanese Maple pruning. Check the Events page on our website regularly.
O.C.T.O.B.E.R.
O: Orchestrate Bulb Installation. If you didn't get around to buying bulbs, as directed here last month, now is the time! Not only those that flower like narcissus, daffodils, hyacinth, tulips, crocus and iris and other rhizomes. But bulbs like Onions (Red, white, yellow), Garlic (hard and soft work in the valley), Seed Potatoes(russets, golds and the thin skin types). Be sure to add some bone meal when planting bulbs.
C: Clean, Clear and Compost. Don't put off removing the vegetable garden beyond this month even if you are not growing a winter garden. Clean out the spent plants and harvest any late season fruits. You'll be amazed by how much fits in the freezer after you salvage, chop and slice everything into ready to use bits. Mix in the leaf litter too and you will have a great soil to start your garden in spring.
T: Time to come and buy terrific seasonal color like Cyclamen, Mums, winter and spring bloomers like pansy, calendula, viola, snaps, stock, dianthus, and all the usual perennials are here!
O: Optimize Irrigation: Use "Seasonal Adjust" to reduce run times on your programmer or even turn off water to those shady, always wet, sections of the yard once rainy weather comes.
B: Best time of year to have a a vegetable garden in the valley as far as I'm concerned, Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, cabbage, Kohlrabi, Arugula Lettuce, snap and sugar peas, spinach and the wild variety of Root crops so easy to grow! By far the easiest garden to manage and certainly the most colorful the various color cauliflower grow at different rates so one planting a variety will provide months of harvests. And since most of these are from same family fertilizing is simple and they are generally cold hardy. But be sure to set up a framework and keep frost cloth handy in case December frosts come .
E: Every tree can be planted this month. Whether deciduous, evergreen, conifers, fruit or accent trees, all can be planted this month with extended heat not an issue but soils still warm. You still need to presoak the hole, add soil amendments and starter fertilizer before planting and be sure to provide supplemental watering until rains take over. If the rains do not show up, be sure to provide adequate water. Its an ideal time to plant hedge rows, background and screening shrubs since winter rains will help establish them during the wet months.
R: Remember the Herbicide. Last winter was abnormally warm and grass was already growing in January. Putting down a preemergent herbicide will help prevent that early growth and save you from cutting and pulling weeds.
We offer plants, advice, amendments, instruction and all the pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals you may need here at the Nursery.
Enjoy the tricks and stop by to treat yourself to the seasonal specials we offer this month, DM
Events Coming Up:
Oct. 17: Festive Fall Pumpkin Succulent Centerpiece!
What better way to spend a fall morning! Get creative and come away with a fun and festive porch or table centerpiece!
October 24: Dollar-wise Answers to your Water-wise Questions
Get answers to questions about your landscape and how to save water and money at the same time.
Bonus! Get a 50% off of Belmont’s Plan and Plant initial on-site consultation fee for signing up for this service at the seminar.
Holiday Wreath Making Workshops start in November sign up early!
Friday, November 24, 2026 04:30pm - Sunday, December 12, 2026 05:00pm
Are just around the corner and fill up fast! Check the Belmont Nursery webpage to register for the early classes so you can make Thanksgiving or Christmas season wreaths. If you have a large group you can also arrange a private event. Class size is limited so we recommend you sign up early!
Don't miss out! Check out our websites event page for updates!
