LAWN CARE

• Althought the days are getting shorter and the temperatures cooler, you can still reseed your lawn the first two weeks in October if you didn't get to it in September. Keep falling leaves from these areas for best results. See August In Your Garden for a list of things to consider when choosing seed. Keep newly seeded areas moist at all times. Once the grass starts to grow, water less often, but longer, about a half an hour twice a week, or an hour once a week.
  
  
• Grubs are still active in the lawn. For a long term, organic approach, apply Milky Spore, a natural occuring soil organism that kills grubs. Next spring an application of Beneficial Nematodes on May 1st will prevent grubs for a full season.
  
  
• Rake up leaves from your garden every week or so: leaves left on the lawn can smother the grass underneath, especially if they get wet. Think about using them to start a compost pile.

AROUND THE GARDEN

• Early October is still a great time for planting trees, shrubs and perennials. Use 'Master Nursery Plant Starter' or the 'Soil Moist Transplant Formula' to reduce transplant shock and help plants develop good root systems before winter sets in.
  
  
• Planting trees, shrubs, or perennials this fall? Try adding beneficial mycorrhizal fungi to your planting hole with 'Myco Stim'. Mycorrhizal fungi are the good guys of the fungal world. According to an article in the July/August 1998 issue of The American Gardener, these microorganisms colonize the fine roots of plants, extending threadlike feeding structures into the soil. These root-like feeders act as extensions of the plant's own roots, helping the plant get water and food. In exchange, the fungi get sugars manufactured by the plant. There is evidence that micorrhizae help plants survive stresses from drought and high soil temperatures, and even protect them from certain soil diseases. These fungi exist in great numbers in natural environments, but have often been stripped away in the course of modern construction, and gardening practices such as use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. 'Myco Stim' contains beneficial microrrhizal fungi as well as beneficial bacteria and organic stimulants that improve perennials, herbs and garden vegetables. In addition to beneficial micorrhizal fungi, 'Myco Stim' includes organic soil conditioners that help get trees and shrubs off to a good start. 'Myco Stim' is added to the planting hole at planting time. Not recommended for use as a top dressing in established beds.
  
  
• Even if you don't feel like planting this fall, now's a great time to prepare planting beds for next spring. Turn over the soil and dig in material to break up the clay and enrich the soil (such as your own compost, 'Bumper Crop', Leaf Gro, and/or top soil). Work the soil on a day when it's not too wet or dry. Working the soil when it's too wet can make bad soil worse! And working it when it's too dry is much harder work. Washington springs are often rainy, making it difficult to find a time to work the soil when it's not too wet. Preparing your beds now will make planting that much easier next spring.
  
  
• To keep pansies blooming pinch off spent blooms; continue to apply Master Nursery All Purpose Plant Food or Neptunes Harvest Fish & Seaweed fertilizer up until frost. If you haven't planted pansies yet, there's still time - they're your best bet for color this fall. They'll survive several frosts, and are likely to come back next spring for a second display.
  
  
• After the first killing frost, cut back blackened leaves and stems of perennials, pull annuals and neaten the garden for winter. Compost healthy plants, but throw away any diseased and insect - infested leaves and plants. If any of your plants had leaf spot, powdery mildew or other fungal diseases, be especially careful to rake up the leaves and throw them away.
  
  
• It's time to start planting bulbs of daffodils, tulips, and other spring flowers. Most bulbs need at least a half day of sun, but don't despair if your yard is shaded by deciduous trees. Early spring bulbs do most of their growing before the trees leaf out, so areas that are shady most of the spring and summer may be fine for spring-flowering bulbs. Bulbs like well drained soil, like most other plants, so work 'Bumper Crop', 'Leafgro' or compost into heavy soils to break them up.
  
  
• If you do nothing else, plant some crocuses, glory in the snow (chionodoxia) or snowdrops (galanthus) where you can see them easily. They come up just when you despair of winter ever being over.
  
  
• As a rule of thumb, plant bulbs about 3 times as deep as their height (i.e., plant 2" bulb 6 inches deep). Fertilize with Holland Bulb Booster or Bulb Tone when you plant, then every year at around this time.
  
  
• If you have a problem with squirrels digging up your bulbs, try one or more of these strategies: plant bulbs a couple of inches deeper than the standard recommendation; spray bulbs with Ropel before planting them; place a layer of crushed oyster shells a few inches above the bulbs when planting them; lay chicken wire or a similar wire barrier over the bulbs on the top of the soil or pot. (We sell Ropel and crushed oyster shells; wire barriers are available at home supply stores.

IN YOUR HOME

• When buying bulbs, don't forget indoor color, as well as your outdoor beds. Some tulips, crocus, daffodils and hyacinths can be made to flower indoors with proper treatment. This treatment, called "forcing," involves putting them through an early and abbreviated artificial winter. Look for labels that indicate varieties that are good for forcing. Plant them in shallow containers, water them so that the soil is moist but not soggy, and place in a cool, dark area (ideally 32-45 degrees F) until you can see shoots emerging. (This may be a few weeks for some smaller bulbs and months for larger ones.) Bring them in to a bright, cool area, and keep them there until you start to see buds. You can then move them to a sunnier, slightly warmer room for flowering.
  
  
• If you haven't brought your houseplants and tropicals in for the winter yet, do it soon. Otherwise, you may end up in a mad dash to move them when frost is suddenly in the forecast. Or worse, an unpredicted frost could sneak up and kill them while you sleep. Check out September In Your Garden for more information.
  
  
• If you have a Christmas cactus, now's the time to start treating it to bud. You can encourage budding by manipulating either temperatures or the amount of light and dark your plant gets. If your plant gets several weeks of night time temperatures of 50-60 degrees, you should see buds beginning to form. You can do this by placing it in a cool room, or leaving it on a patio or sunny porch as long as temperatures don't go below the mid-40's at night. Plants should also flower if you give them at least 13 hours of total darkness at night and bright light during the day.
  
  
• If you've continued to grow amaryllis bulbs through the summer, now's the time to give them a rest. Bring them in if they've been outside, stop watering them and lay the pot on its side in a cool basement or garage that stays above freezing. (It's a good idea to note the date you did this on the pot.) After 3 months, repot in fresh potting soil and water thoroughly. Place the plants in a warm spot (the top of the water heater works well), and check every few days. When new growth emerges from the top, place plants in a sunny spot, keep the soil evenly moist, and fertilize monthly.

THE EDIBLE GARDEN

• Harvest tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans and any other tender vegetables before the first frost is predicted. Tomatoes that are light green or have just started to turn red will usually ripen if brought inside. To discourage rotting, place on a rack where air can circulate around them. To hasten ripening, place in a paper bag with an apple or banana. Or fry up a mess of green tomatoes, Southern style.
  
  
• Broccoli, cabbage, peas, carrots, radishes, beets, chard, spinach and lettuce grow well in cool weather. They will survive mild frosts and should continue to provide you with tasty vegies well into November. Harvest them as needed this month..

IN YOUR POND

• For an easier fall cleanup, cover your pool with Pond Netting. This will prevent leaves and debris from falling into your pool.
  
  
• Stop fertilizing plants and feeding fish.
  
  
• Now is the time to begin removing yellow decaying foliage. Cut hardy lilies back to the rhizome. Drop hardy bog plants down to a depth of 12-18" under water.
  
  
• Tropical water lilies can be brought indoors before frost. Cut back foliage and place in wet sand or a zip-lock bag with a small amount of water. Store at 40-45 degrees F. or at room temperature in a dark room.
  
  
• Tropical bog plants can be brought indoors and kept in water in a bright area.