46 September 30, 2006

The calendar soon turns to October. The warm days will be disappearing and the leaves will be putting on their fall show. Gardening will still continue. Some of the gardening will move inside, but there is still much to do outdoors.

This may be your last chance to get a lawn planted. Grass seed can need up to 3 weeks to germinate and then it needs a period weeks to get the roots of the grass established before the ground freezes. This whole process can take longer if the soil temperatures begin to drop early in the fall. As the soil cools, it can take longer for the grass seed to germinate. Granted, we can have a warm fall and you may have longer to get the grass seed planted. We are, after all, talking averages here. If you are feeling lucky, then wait. If you want to be sure, then get that grass seed planted.

The nights are getting cool. If you haven’t brought your houseplants in from outside, it is time to do so. Remember, you should treat your plants for insects before you bring the plants into your home.

If you have a little space in your garden, you can still plant a few vegetables. With the entire scare over spinach from the West coast, you can plant some spinach seed now and have a crop to pick by the early part of this November. Radishes are a quick growing crop. You can be eating fresh radishes in as little as 30 days from the time you plant the seed. You may have time to plant beets and harvest beets before the ground freezes. Even if you don’t get full size beets, you will get some beet greens to eat. Leaf lettuce is another crop that you can plant that will quickly give you fresh greens to eat.

October is also the month when you should be planting your spring flowering bulbs. Next week, I will tell you some tips on planting these bulbs. They are easy to plant and there is nothing that says spring is coming like a cluster of crocuses poking their heads up through a bit of snow.

Well, that’s all for this week. I’ll talk to you again next week.