Next Sunday:  ‘It’s Easy to Make Compost Tea.’  2 p.m.  Russ Rudd
will share his ingredients and techniques on how to create a brew that will
transform your garden. Free. (Oct 17)

Tony Villareal, and an interview with Joann Neel. (The event takes place
on Oct. 23.) www.klru.org/ctg/ Saturday: noon and 4 p.m. Sunday: 8 a.m. 

                          

                    Nine Activities for October  
                                by Chris Winslow
 
1. Prepare grass for winter Now is a good time to fertilize the lawn.
Feeding now will help the roots through winter dormancy. Inspect and
treat for brown patch, a disease common with cooling, moist weather
conditions.
 
2. Plant fall-flowering perennials Look around and see what’s
blooming this fall. Some good choices: Mexican bush sage, pineapple
sage, Mexican mint marigold, Copper Canyon daisy, and fall asters. Don’t
forget fall blooming ornamental grasses such as coastal, big muhly, and
maiden grass.
 
3. Plant a tree Choose from central Texas’s great selection of native and
adapted shade and ornamental trees. Plant one of the many oaks or elms for
shade. Or add color to your late winter and spring season by planting a
redbud, mountain laurel, orchid tree, flowering peach or pear, or a Mexican
plum.

 
4. Plant a vegetable garden Now is the time for broccoli, cauliflower,
cabbage, and Brussels sprouts from transplants. Easily grown from seed are
collards, spinach, carrots, radishes, lettuce, mustard and collard greens, beets,
Swiss chard, spinach, and turnips. Garlic and shallots (multiplying onions) can
be planted now with short day onions just around the corner in November.
 
5.  Plant wildflowers These need to be planted in the fall. They will grow leaves
and stems while the days are short during the winter and will flower in the spring
as the days get longer.
 
6. Harvest basil and make pesto Also plant some winter- hardy culinary
herbs. Rosemary, oregano, parsley, cilantro, sage, thyme, and chives love winter
and can provide fresh cut herbs for the kitchen.
 
7. Plant winter grass seed: if you have a bare spot or would like to get rid of
a muddy patch, sow some rye grass or fescue. Rye grass can also be planted in
a vegetable garden area to provide green compost in the spring and soil aeration.
Elbon rye seed can also be planted over winter in garden areas plagued by soil
nematodes (a disaster to tomatoes).
 
8. Plant fall bulbs For spring flowers, some of the best choices are daffodils,
grape muscari, tulips, jonquils, ranunculus, anemones, hyacinths, and narcissus.
When planting, remember to add a little bonemeal to the root zone for some slow
release organic nutrition.
 
9. Plant snap dragons These wonderful, winter hardy flowers should be
planted now for a showy late winter and spring garden. They almost guarantee
a Yard of The Month sign in April. Other bedding plants to choose from are
dianthus, violas, pansies, stock and flowering kale, and cabbage.
 
 [© Chris Winslow 2010]