Ten Tips for the October Gardener:
- Remove, bag and trash any gypsy moth or bagworm egg masses or spray with a horticultural oil to smother them.
- This summer was very dry so continue to water ornamental plants up until a hard frost.
- Clean up any remaining debris from the garden beds but do not add it to the compost pile unless disease free.
- Get your soil tested for next year’s garden now to avoid the spring rush. Collect samples before the ground freezes. More information at www.soiltest.uconn.edu.
- Apply winter mulches around trees and perennials once the ground has frozen. Do not spread it beforehand as it can delay dormancy for plants and also provides cover for chipmunks and voles.
- Bring any houseplants back inside before the first frost. Scout for insects and rinse the foliage and containers.
- Place daffodil, hyacinth, tulips or other pre-chilled bulbs in pots in a cool dark place so that they can be forced to bloom during the winter.
- Keep any newly seeded areas of lawn well-watered.
- Replace spent annuals with cold-hardy mums, asters, pansies, or kale for color well into December.
- Divide and replant clumps of rhubarb that have become congested.