Organic Maintenance for October

Cool-season, leaf and root crops such as beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, collards, garlic, lettuce, spinach, strawberries and turnips.

For the Texas & South-Central region (zone 8 timing on the source pages) ·Read the full October Organic Maintenance entry

Plants

Plant

Cool-season, leaf and root crops such as beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, collards, garlic, lettuce, spinach, strawberries and turnips. Dianthus, English daisies, flowering cabbage garlic, Iceland poppies, kale, nasturtium, pansies, pinks, snapdragons, violas, wallflowers and others. All the perennial herbs as well as coriander, dill, parsley and others. Transplant established spring-flowering bulbs, iris, daylilies, daisies, peonies, etc., if necessary. Hardy perennials especially spring flowering plants. Finish warm-season lawn grass plantings by seed by early October. Quality solid sod can be planted anytime that quality grass is available. Be sure to wet the soil of the sod before planting. Apply a thin layer of compost to the surface after planting. ● Wildflower seeds if you haven’t planted them already. Trees, shrubs, vines, and spring-and summer-flowering perennials.

Prune

Tree limbs that are broken, diseased or in the way. Dangerous limbs that might fall. Do not make flush cuts and use no pruning paint or wound dressing. Do not over-prune any trees. Root-prune wisterias that have failed to bloom. This may or may not help. Remove spent blooms of summer flowering perennials. Do not prune knees from bald cypress trees – they are part of the root system. Instead change the root zone areas from grass to ground cover or mulch.

Fertilize

Broadcast dry molasses for any plants not looking well. Feed all planting areas with an organic fertilizer at approximately ten to twenty pounds per thousand square feet. Foliar-feed all planting areas and lawns with compost tea or Garrett Juice. Make sure to include seaweed and apple cider vinegar in whatever mix you use. Drench potted plants with the same mixture. Liquid fish should be added for more punch. Feed trees by treating the soil surface or top few inches. Avoid “deep root” feeding. “Root zone” feeding is a better term.

Water

All plants deeply during dry spells. Greensand at forty pounds per thousand square feet. Greensand is important because it contains many trace minerals. Iron may not be (probably isn’t) the only deficiency.

Odd jobs

Mulch all bare soil with shredded tree trimmings. Shredded material from your own property is best. If it is partially composted or mixed with compost, it is better. Rubber, colored wood, cypress and pine bark should be avoided. Mow weekly and leave the clippings on the lawn. Those with buffalo grass can mow less often, as little as once a year. Build new compost piles, turn old ones and water dry ones. Use quality compost and other organic amendments to prepare new planting beds. See Guides for complete bed preparation details.

Pest control

INSECTS: Spray aerated compost tea. DISEASES: Spray BioSafe or a 1% solution of hydrogen peroxide. WEEDS: Spray weeds and grass around tree trunks with vinegar. Use 9-10 percent with one ounce orange oil and one teaspoon liquid soap per gallon. Fatty acid products can also be helpful.