October Garden Tasks: What To Do in the Garden This Month

What to Do in the Garden in October & October Gardening Tips

October is one of my favorite months in the garden.  The weather is cooler, the garden is winding down, the rush of summer planting and harvesting has passed.  But there’s still plenty to do before winter settles in!

In fact, the work you put in now can make a huge difference in how your garden looks and performs next spring.

October gardening is all about clean-up, protection, and preparation. From pulling out spent plants and planting garlic to mulching perennials and tucking in bulbs for spring blooms, this month’s garden tasks set the stage for a healthier, more productive garden next year.

To make it simple, I’ve put together a checklist of the most important October garden tasks to tackle this month. You can grab your free printable October Garden Checklist at the end of this post. It’s the same one I use to stay on track in my own garden.

Clean Up Garden Beds

One of the most important October gardening tips is to give your garden beds a good clean-up. By now, most annual flowers and summer vegetables have finished producing, and leaving them in place can invite pests and diseases to overwinter in your soil.

Start by pulling out any spent plants and weeds. If they’re healthy, add them to your compost pile. But if you see signs of disease, like powdery mildew on squash vines or black spots on tomatoes, it’s best to bag those up and remove them from your property.

This is also the perfect time to deal with fall leaves. Instead of bagging them for the curb, put them to work in your garden. Shredded leaves make excellent mulch for protecting perennials, or you can add them to your compost pile. If you have space, consider piling leaves in a corner to break down into leaf mold.  Leaf mold is a rich, crumbly soil amendment gardeners swear by.

Plant Fall Crops and Garlic

Even though the growing season is winding down, there are still plenty of vegetables to plant in October. In many regions, you can sow quick-growing greens like spinach, kale, arugula, and lettuce. These thrive in cool weather and can give you one last harvest before winter sets in. If you live in a colder climate, you might need to use a row cover or cold frame to extend your season by a few extra weeks.

October planting also includes garlic, which is one of the most rewarding crops for fall gardeners. Garlic needs a long, cold period in the ground to form healthy bulbs, so getting it planted now is key. Plant cloves about two inches deep and six inches apart, with the pointed end facing up. After planting, cover the bed with a thick layer of mulch to insulate the cloves through the winter.

Check out How to Plant Garlic in Fall for a full step-by-step guide, and visit Quick Growing Vegetables to Plant in the Fall for more ideas on what to add to your beds this month.

Plant Bulbs for Spring Blooms

If you’re looking for fall garden ideas that pay off big next spring, planting bulbs should be at the top of your list. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, and alliums all need that stretch of cold weather to form strong roots and flower beautifully once the weather warms.

Choose a sunny, well-drained spot and plant bulbs at a depth about three times their height. For example, a two-inch bulb should be planted six inches deep. Space them according to the recommendations on the package, and don’t be afraid to plant generously.  Bulbs look best in clusters rather than lined up in a row.

After planting, water them well to help the roots settle in. If your area gets harsh winters, add a layer of mulch over the planting site to give them extra protection. Come spring, you’ll be glad you took the time to tuck them into the soil now.

Perennial and Shrub Care

October is an excellent time for fall planting perennials and preparing existing ones for winter. Start by cutting back plants that are clearly finished for the season, like hostas or daylilies. For perennials that are prone to disease, such as peonies and irises, it’s best to trim the foliage down to the ground and remove it completely so problems don’t carry over into spring.

Not every plant needs cutting back, though. Leaving seed heads on plants like coneflowers or black-eyed Susans provides food for birds through the winter and adds interest to your garden when the snow falls.

This is also the time to divide overcrowded perennials. If you notice clumps of hostas, irises, or daylilies that have outgrown their space, dig them up, split the roots, and replant them in new areas of the garden. Dividing not only keeps plants healthy but also gives you free plants to use elsewhere.

Finish by adding a layer of mulch around perennials and shrubs. Mulch helps insulate the soil, keeps moisture in, and protects roots from the freeze-and-thaw cycles that can happen in late winter and early spring.

Pruning Jobs for October

Pruning in October is less about shaping plants and more about keeping them healthy going into winter. Walk through your yard and look for any dead, diseased, or damaged branches on trees and shrubs. Removing these now prevents problems from worsening and keeps pests and diseases from overwintering.

Some perennials also benefit from being cut back in fall. Peonies, for example, should be trimmed to the ground after frost to help prevent fungal diseases. Irises can also be cut back to reduce issues with iris borers.

That said, not every plant should be pruned in fall. Spring-blooming shrubs like lilacs, forsythia, and azaleas set their flower buds the previous season. If you prune them now, you’ll cut off next year’s blooms. Save major pruning for these plants until right after they flower in spring.

Stick with light, health-focused pruning in October, and save any big shaping projects for the appropriate season.

Lawn and Soil Care

October is an important month for winter garden prep, and that includes caring for your lawn and soil. What you do now sets the stage for healthy growth in spring.

If your lawn looks thin, overseed bare patches or spread seed over the whole area. The cool, moist conditions of fall are ideal for getting new grass established.

When it comes to fertilizer, timing depends on the type of grass you grow. Cool-season lawns, such as fescue, ryegrass, or Kentucky bluegrass, can benefit from a fall application of a fertilizer labeled “winterizer.” This type of fertilizer feeds the roots without pushing a lot of new top growth, which helps the lawn bounce back strong in spring. If you have a warm-season lawn, though, skip fertilizing now. Feeding southern grasses in fall encourages tender new growth that can be damaged by frost.

In the garden, focus on enriching your soil for next year. Spread a layer of compost or shredded leaves over your beds. Over the winter, they’ll break down and improve your soil’s structure and fertility, making it easier to plant and grow in spring.

Protect and Prep for Winter

As part of your fall and winter gardening, October is the time to protect tender plants and prepare your garden for cold weather. A little effort now can save you a lot of loss and frustration later.

Begin by mulching around the base of perennials, shrubs, and young trees. A two- to three-inch layer of mulch helps regulate soil temperatures and protects roots from freeze-and-thaw cycles. Be sure to keep mulch pulled back a couple of inches from the crown of plants and the trunks of trees to prevent rot and rodent damage.

I also like to spread a thin layer of compost around perennials or over garden beds before winter sets in. Over the next few months, the compost slowly breaks down, replacing nutrients that were used up during the growing season. By spring, it leaves your soil richer, softer, and ready for planting with very little effort. It also supports beneficial microorganisms and improves drainage. Two things your plants will thank you for next year!

If you have tender plants, like roses or strawberries, give them extra protection. For roses, mound soil or mulch around the base to insulate the crown. Strawberries can be covered with straw once the ground begins to freeze.

This is also the time to wrap the trunks of young or thin-barked trees to prevent sunscald and animal damage during winter. Tree guards or even simple hardware cloth can keep rabbits and rodents from chewing bark when food is scarce.

Don’t forget your container plants, either. Bring in potted herbs and houseplants before the first hard frost. Tender annuals won’t survive the winter outdoors, but you can overwinter some perennials in a garage or basement if you have the space.

What to Grow and Harvest in Fall

Before hard frosts arrive, take time to gather the last of your vegetables and herbs. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, and cucumbers should all be harvested before a killing frost, even if they’re still green. Green tomatoes can finish ripening indoors on a windowsill or be used for recipes like fried green tomatoes or relish.

Root crops such as carrots, beets, and turnips can often stay in the ground a little longer if the soil hasn’t frozen, but it’s best to lift and store them before the ground becomes too hard to dig. Store these crops in a cool, dark, and slightly humid place for the best shelf life.

If you’re wondering what to grow in fall, cool-weather crops like spinach, kale, lettuce, and radishes can still be planted early in the month in many regions. They thrive in shorter, cooler days and can often be harvested right up until frost. You can find out more about growing vegetables in cool weather, check out my post on quick growing vegetables to plant in the fall.

Herbs can be cut and dried, or you can freeze them to use in winter cooking. Tender herbs like basil may not hold up well once frost hits, so harvest them early. Hardy herbs such as parsley, thyme, and sage often continue producing until late in the season, so you may be able to enjoy fresh flavor right up until the snow flies.

This is also a good time to check your storage spaces. If you’ve harvested potatoes, onions, or winter squash earlier in the season, make sure they’re being stored in conditions that will help them last through winter.

Seasonal Garden Planning

October isn’t just about putting the garden to bed.  It’s also the perfect time to plan ahead. While everything is still fresh in your mind, make notes about what worked well this year and what didn’t. Did a certain vegetable thrive? Did pests or diseases give you trouble? Did some flowers bloom longer than expected? Write it down now, so you’ll have a head start when planning next season’s garden.

This is also a good time to sketch ideas for any changes you’d like to make. Maybe you want to add another raised bed, try a new perennial arrangement, or experiment with a different crop rotation. A few quick notes or drawings now will make spring planning much easier.

If you haven’t already, order spring-flowering bulbs, cover crop seeds, or garden supplies you’ll need for next year. Many items go on sale in the fall and having them ready means one less thing to worry about when gardening season kicks off again.

Taking the time to reflect and plan now ensures your garden will continue to improve year after year.

Wrapping Up Your October Garden

October may feel like the end of the season, but the work you do now is really an investment in next year’s garden. By cleaning up spent plants, protecting perennials, planting bulbs and garlic, and taking time to plan ahead, you’re setting the stage for a healthier, more beautiful garden come spring.

To make things simple, I’ve created a free October Garden Checklist that walks you through each of these October gardening tasks step by step. Print it out, add it to your garden journal, and check things off as you go. It’s the same system I use to stay on track in my own garden, and it will help you head into winter confident that your garden is ready for what’s ahead.

You can download the printable October Garden Tasks checklist HERE.

You May Also Like

If you’re planning your fall garden, here are a few posts you might enjoy next:

• The Ultimate Guide to Fall Gardening
• What to Plant in Fall for an Incredible Harvest
• Fall Seed Starting Guide: What to Plant and When
• How to Care for Hostas in the Fall