What would autumn be without the bounty from our gardens and farms? As we adorn our homes with pumpkins, haybales, cornstalks, and more, it is a great time to think about how we can enjoy the harvest from our own yards this year and prepare for a successful winter. Here are some gardening tips for this October.
Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns
Before I moved to Florida, I felt like I was starting to get pretty good at carving pumpkins, but I was humbled my first year here when I put out a freshly cut jack-o-lantern to only see it decay into mush in a couple of days. While this was disappointing, there are still many uses for pumpkins from the garden aside from carving in October.
First, either painted or unadorned pumpkins and gourds will last longer than those that are carved.
If not for décor, remember that pumpkin seeds can be roasted and the pulp can be cooked and used for a variety of fall dishes. Once done with your fresh pumpkins, feed them to livestock or compost them. If you would like to grow pumpkins for this season next year, plant them in late spring to early summer and choose a variety to match your needs. Smaller pumpkins, including the native Seminole pumpkin, are great for cooking, while larger varieties such as ‘Howden’ and ‘Jackpot’ work best for carving.
For more information, visit https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/pumpkins/.
Respecting the creepy crawlers
Each fall, spiders and their webs adorn homes to bring a bit of a spooky ambiance, but should we really be all that scared of them?
Spiders play an important role in our environment by eating plenty of nuisance and pest insects and should actually be a pleasant neighbor in your garden. While some, like the Yellow Argiope, can get very large and others, like the Black Widow, may be venomous, they are all best left alone to do their jobs. If you have trouble with spiders, other arachnids, insects, or any intruders making their way into your home, first look to find how they may be entering and seal up their entry points.
Cool weather garden additions
While summer flowers will fade as days shorten and temperatures cool, there are many ways that you can supplement your fall garden with plenty of color. First of all, annual flowers such as dianthus, pansies, and petunias thrive in our autumn weather. You can also include ornamental leafy crops such as kale and cabbage, which have unique and beautiful foliage.
If you are looking for an edible landscape (or if you are getting started on your cool-weather vegetable garden), remember it is time to get in all of your cool crops like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, cauliflower, and mustard. These can even provide some ornamental impact. Other fall vegetable crops to consider planting this month are listed below.
What to plant in October
Vegetables: Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Collards, Cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, Kohlrabi, Mustard, Onions, Radish, Rutabaga, Spinach, and Turnips.
Herbs: Basil, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mexican Tarragon, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme.
Annuals: Dianthus, Pansy, Petunia, Shasta daisy, Snapdragon, Flowering Kale, and Flowering Cabbage.
Bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, or corms: African lily, Amaryllis, Aztec lily, Calla lily, Iris, Kaffir lily, Lily, Walking Iris, Spider lily, Pineapple lily, Star-of-Bethlehem, and Zephyr lily.
Wayne Hobbs is an extension agent in environmental horticulture for Clay County.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Best plants to grow in your Florida garden this October
