This week in the garden: Oct. 18 - 24

Mulch your winter garden to nourish the soil and prevent weeds. (Photo: Vicki Moore, CC by 2.0)

Tasks

• Monitor rainfall and adjust water accordingly to keep soil moist for new plantings.
• Put organic mulch around permanent plants to conserve water and prevent weeds.
• Trees need to be deeply watered as they enter dormancy.
• Mushrooms often appear in the lawn in the fall as growing conditions are favorable. If you do not like them, rake or pull them out and discard.

Pruning

• Prune shrubs and trees to shape. Pruning junipers during cool weather prevents sunburn.
• Deadhead and shape rose bushes to promote final fall bloom.

Fertilizing

• Feed cool-season lawns with time-release granular fertilizer.
• Fertilize flowering annuals and perennials to promote fall growth.

Planting

• Continue staggered planting of cool-weather vegetables such as chard and spinach.
• Perennials: agave, dianthus.
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: brodiaea, crocus, freesia.
• Fruits and vegetables: onions, parsley, radish.
• Annuals: larkspur (Consolida), flowering kale, Primrose (Primula).
• Trees, shrubs, vines: Goldenchain tree (Laburnum), pomegranate (Punica).

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: dianthus, alyssum (Lobularia).
• Fruits and vegetables: artichokes, cauliflower, figs, grapes, kale, limes.
• Trees, shrubs, vines: crape myrtle, bayberry (Berberis), beautyberry (Callicarpa).
• Fall color: maidenhair (Ginkgo biloba), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria).

Things to ponder

• Store unused fertilizers and pesticides in a dry, warm place. Pesticides should be stored in a separate, locked cabinet or container.

Drought tip

• Postpone unnecessary fall planting until rainfall replenishes soil moisture and supplemental watering is no longer needed.