California Gardener’s October Checklist
Keep planting natives, veggies, wildflowers and bulbs, or tackle a garden project or two before winter arrives
Take advantage of the season’s continued mild weather to continue planting almost all garden staples: trees, shrubs, perennials, California natives, ornamental grasses, turfgrass, fruits and veggies, wildflowers and spring-blooming bulbs. It’s best to wait until it warms up in the spring to plant tender tropicals and subtropicals that aren’t tough enough as young plants to make it through the winter. Thanks to predictably mild weather, October can also be a good time to complete a larger-scale landscaping project, like planting a hedge, reseeding a lawn or installing a garden pathway.
Not in California? Find your checklist here
Not in California? Find your checklist here
A few garden-friendly California natives to try:
- California wild grape (Vitis californica), shown here
- Hillside gooseberry (Ribes californicum)
- California wild lilac (Ceanothus spp.)
- California fescue (Festuca californica)
- Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii)
- California flannel bush (Fremontodendron californicum)
- Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.)
- Orange bush monkey flower (Diplacus aurantiacus)
- Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Plant ground covers. Plant ground covers to cover bare areas of the garden or replace portions of lawn. Choose plants based on the overall effect you’d like to create, and how much foot traffic, light and water the bed will receive.
The designer of this low-water, full-sun garden in San Carlos, in the Bay Area, used creeping thyme as a ground cover between flagstone pavers. The tough, low-growing plants fill in the space between the stones and surrounding perennials to create a gray-green carpet. Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox) and silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae) are top choices for lawn replacement and pathway plantings — both thrive in full sun in low-water beds and can tolerate foot traffic.
The designer of this low-water, full-sun garden in San Carlos, in the Bay Area, used creeping thyme as a ground cover between flagstone pavers. The tough, low-growing plants fill in the space between the stones and surrounding perennials to create a gray-green carpet. Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox) and silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae) are top choices for lawn replacement and pathway plantings — both thrive in full sun in low-water beds and can tolerate foot traffic.
Harvest apples. Make apple picking part of the agenda this month, regardless of whether or not you grew them yourself. Local farms, mainly in Northern California, have many varieties ripening this time of year and can offer inspiration for which types to grow at home.
Bring home a basket of mixed varieties to test which ones you prefer for flavor and texture, both raw and cooked. Chances are, varieties grown at a farm near you will do well in your backyard too — as long as they get enough sun and water.
Learn more about growing an apple tree
Bring home a basket of mixed varieties to test which ones you prefer for flavor and texture, both raw and cooked. Chances are, varieties grown at a farm near you will do well in your backyard too — as long as they get enough sun and water.
Learn more about growing an apple tree
Try Japanese anemone. Few flowers come into their prime after late summer, but Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis or Anemone hupehensis var. japonica) is an exception. It sends up a succession of elegant, airy, white or pale pink flowers from August to October, when most blooms are looking tired.
Grow it in a partially shaded bed with rich soil, planting cuttings in spring or from gallon-size containers in fall. Choose an area where you don’t mind some spreading, like a dapped-light area under a tree or in a side yard, since these plants — if happy — do tend to take over.
Grow it in a partially shaded bed with rich soil, planting cuttings in spring or from gallon-size containers in fall. Choose an area where you don’t mind some spreading, like a dapped-light area under a tree or in a side yard, since these plants — if happy — do tend to take over.
Make room for cool-season veggies. If you haven’t done so yet, clear out summer crops to open up space for winter vegetables, including chard, kale, beets, onions, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and carrots. Don’t have much space? Try growing cool-season greens in a pot for easy-to-snip braising greens.
Plant bulbs in drifts. It’s not too late to plant bulbs like daffodils, crocuses, tulips and hyacinths for spring blooms. Daffodils (Narcissus sp.) are best for naturalizing garden beds. Pick a spot, such the sides of a pathway or under orchard trees, to literally toss around a bag’s worth of narcissus bulbs. Plant them where they fall for a natural drift of blooms in spring. One to try this year: Narcissus ‘Erlicheer’, a very early bloomer with fragrant double flowers that come back year after year.
Provide a water source for migrating birds. If you don’t have a birdbath, set out a pot saucer filled with water as a drinking spot for wild birds. Keep the water clean, refreshing it daily, and soon winter migrants will discover it as a reliable water source in your garden. If you use anti-algae drops to keep the water in your backyard fountain from turning green, use mild, animal-friendly ones that won’t affect birds.
Mulch beds. After you’ve planted shrubs and perennials, cover the soil with bark or straw mulch. Not only will the top-dressing instantly give an immature garden with large gaps between plants a more put-together look, but it will also help reduce water loss through evaporation and prevent runoff. For beds planted with cactus and succulents, try gravel mulch for the same effect.
Grow a fall tree in a pot. If you’d like to add a little fall flair to your patio, head down to the nursery and pick up a dwarf or semidwarf fall tree that will thrive in a large container. Pomegranate trees turn green-bronze, even in mild California fall temperatures, and their jewel-like fruit ripens from September through December for a decorative fall and winter display. Japanese maples are another popular choice for large containers, with cultivars’ foliage ranging from gold to brilliant red and deep purple.
Install a gravel pathway. Beat the mud this winter by replacing dirt paths with gravel walkways. Start by mapping out the dimensions of your path, estimating about 36 inches wide, plus or minus 6 inches given the available room. You may choose to use a path edger made of plastic, bender board or metal, or leave the margins natural, allowing plants to soften the border. Either way, dig a shallow trench the width and length of the pathway, removing 1 to 2 inches of soil. Rake smooth and use a tamper to compact the interior soil.
Cover with 2 to 4 inches of gravel, raking smooth when finished. If your path sinks at all after the first rain, you may need to cover it with an additional 1 inch of gravel. You can test for potential sinking before any rain, while you still have bags of gravel handy, by soaking the path with water after installation and checking the level the next day.
Learn more about making a gravel pathway
More
9 Ways to Be Water-Wise in the Edible Garden
See more ways to get your garden ready for fall
Not in California? Find your checklist here
Learn more about making a gravel pathway
More
9 Ways to Be Water-Wise in the Edible Garden
See more ways to get your garden ready for fall
Not in California? Find your checklist here
Plant California natives. Thinking of transitioning your garden, or a part of it, to native plants for a more environmentally friendly landscape? Fall is the best time of year for planting many California natives. Native shrubs, grasses, trees and perennials take advantage of the cool winter and increased moisture to establish their root systems.