profile

Hi! I'm Liz.

🌱 3 quick garden tasks for October

Published 6 months ago • 1 min read

Happy October 1st!!

​
In the words of Anne of Green Gables, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

​
Yes, even though the garden is winding down, and the season is coming to an end, I get so EXCITED for October!! Cider mills and crunchy leaves and fiery red maples tree? Crisp autumn air? *happy sigh*
​

Plus, October is still an important month in the garden! I’ll have a full “October Garden Tasks” blog post for you soon, including a printable to do list. But while I finish that up, I thought I’d share 3 quick garden tasks you can start now!

​
​3 Quick October Garden Tasks:​
​

  1. Plant Garlic – Fall is the perfect time to plant garlic for a harvest next summer. If you haven’t ordered yours yet, now’s the time!
  2. Protect Tender Plants – Frost will be sneaking up before we know it. Keep row covers, sheets, or even old blankets handy to cover your plants on chilly nights.
  3. Clean Up Spent Crops – Remove any diseased plants from your beds, but cut healthy ones at the soil line so the roots can break down and feed your soil.

​
And for an added bonus that will give your plants a boost for next spring, October is a great time to spread a layer of compost on your beds. I try to spread a 1 inch layer on my raised beds, and a generous amount around each of my perennials.
​

I’ll be sharing my full list of October tasks soon, but these 3 should get you off to a strong start this week.

​
Happy growing! 🌱

​
Liz

​
​

​
​

Find me online: Website | Facebook | Facebook Group​

Hi! I'm Liz.

Learn To Grow Gardens

Learn to grow a garden without all the overwhelm. Tips, seasonal reminders, and advice on all things gardening. I’m Liz, Master Gardener & Educator and I’ll show you how to grow the garden you’ve been dreaming of 💚

Read more from Hi! I'm Liz.

I hope you’re having a wonderful first few days of spring! This time of year is my FAVORITE. When the weather starts warming up enough to putz around the garden, my hopes and dreams for the season are at their peak, and I’m just itching to get things going! I know I’m not alone in this because I’ve been having more conversations lately about when it’s safe to start seeds or move plants outside. It reminded me of something really important I wanted to share with you. And that is understanding...

3 days ago • 1 min read

March is such a weird month in the garden, especially if you’re in the Midwest or similar climates. Just this week we had temps that hit 66° and I was outside cleaning out raised beds and prepping for cool weather crops with my grandbabies. But this weekend we’re expecting a couple inches of snow. Bipolar weather, for sure! These early spring temperature swings can make it really hard to know what you should be doing in the garden right now. One day feels like full-on planting season, and the...

14 days ago • 1 min read

I hope you’re settling into the final stretch of winter and starting to think about spring a little more each day. We’re supposed to be warming up to the 40’s and 50’s next week here in Southeastern Michigan and I am SO excited to finally get outside! Over the past couple of emails, I shared some seed starting tips, but today I want to back up just a bit and talk about garden planning. It’s tempting to jump into the season and just wing it, but a little planning now can make for a lot less...

28 days ago • 1 min read