Water Wise Garden

Gardening with Limited Water

Learn the best ways to care for your plants during this drought. Either select the link from the top navigation above or click here for links to helpful information about using less water in your garden.

October in the Garden

Budapest Central Market

Checklist 

• Water basins should be removed from around trees and shrubs to avoid excessive pooling of water as the rain begins.

• Feed turf with slow release (winter feed) fertilizer.

• Top dress established beds with organic material such as your own compost, (composted) manure, or earthworm castings.

• Continue to hunt for slugs and snails. Begin to rake up plant debris and leaves; avoid heavy pruning of most perennials until late winter.

• Fall clean up of spent vegetable plants begins this month and will augment your compost pile.

• Lawns can be sodded or re-seeded. Add organic material to the topsoil.

California Fuchsia

• Plant bulbs for spring bloom, such as daffodils, freesias, crocus, scilla, lirope, muscari, allium, and Dutch iris.

• Plant pansies and violas. Snapdragons can be planted for both fall and spring color.

Pumpkin

Vegetables & Herbs

• Transplant seedlings or purchased plants of radish, kale, lettuce, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, peas, fava beans, broccoli, cauliflower, beets and carrots.

• Plant leeks, peas and garlic. Plant a salad pot of red leaf, butter, and romaine lettuces; curly endive; and arugula.

• Harvest carrots, and end of summer season vegetables.

• Enjoy: carrots, lettuce, very last of summer crop

Grapes

Trees & Shrubs

• Start planting your wish list of trees and shrubs.