Garden Tasks for October in Acadiana

By Dan Weintritt and friends

Adapted from Month-by-Month Gardening in Louisiana by Dan Gill

While October 1st isn't likely to be noticeably more comfortable than the day

before, Autumn is certainly about to be upon us! Fall bloomers should be at

their peak, as the diminishing days and fewer hours of sunlight, known as the

photoperiod in botany, are telling everything to bloom now and set seed before

winter comes.

Pollinators and migratory birds should be feeding in your garden to prepare

themselves for winter, as well. Birds are eating insects and seeds; don't do

any more deadheading until next year; leave it for the birds! Make sure

you have birdbaths out for thirsty visitors. Winter rains have not started yet. If

you have lots of plants but few birds, consider adding shelter in the form of

trees and shrubs this winter. Those who are doing true prairie restoration

should have many tall native grasses like switchgrass and bluestems for

critters to shelter in.

Cooler nights and mornings are making the plants ready to start sending out

fresh growth. At this time of the year, they are sending starches into their root

systems to store for winter and be ready for next spring's growth. This is what

makes fall the ideal planting time. Containerized plants can be put in the

ground now. This author prefers to wait until after the first freeze to dig, divide,

and transplant established perennials, though it can be done now, with

supplemental irrigation. Never dig up plants that are in bloom, they will

have to wait until first frost. You should always trim foliage in proportion to the

amount of rootball that can be lifted, and ensure that plants are well-watered

before and after transplanting.

Those who have concerns about their soil type should get soil tests in to

the LSU AgCenter quickly. Mineral soil amendments are best applied in early

winter, as they need months to take effect. If you have your heart set on

growing a certain plant with particular needs, you might have to make a soil

amendment for it to thrive. Blueberries, for example, require strongly acidic

soils to thrive, whereas Carolina Buckthorn likes alkaline soils rich in calcium. I

have been simply dropping eggshells around my Carolina Buckthorn for years

rather than buying a $10 bag of calcium, so there are definitely different ways

to tackle issues of soil chemistry. You may choose to amend your soil for the

plants you want to grow, or simply decide to stick with plants suited for your

ecoregion and soil type. Keep in mind that most developed areas, especially

new neighborhoods, may have had all their native topsoil stripped for the

building process, and the lot was finished off with dirt that is not at all native to

the area.

Not all of us fertilize, but for those that do, fertilizing should not be done

going into fall. You do not want to stimulate excessive growth above ground

going into winter. Plants should be moving nutrients in the other direction at

this time, into roots. Rather than using water-soluble fertilizers, consider top-

dressing your beds with an inch of compost. It will break down slowly

throughout winter, and nutrients will be there in spring when the plant needs it.

Cool season weeds will begin sprouting by the end of this month. Make a

plan to mulch beds that have been troublesome. You can either purchase

bags or bales of mulch like pine straw, or gather fall leaves next month to put

into beds. Make sure you are not moving invasive plants into your beds along

with those leaves, though!