It is already October, which is hard to believe. October is a great month for many things outdoors, and some slightly less fun things to encounter while outdoors.
Spring bulbs
October is a great time to plant spring blooming bulbs. It seems odd to plant spring bulbs in the fall, but it is so they can build their roots through the fall and bloom next spring. There are a lot of great choices for spring blooming bulbs including crocus, tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, grape hyacinth, ornamental onion, squill and snowdrops. There are many different varieties of these for variety of color and bloom time for extended enjoyment.
Bulbs should be planted two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall. So, if the bulb is 2 inches tall, plant it 4-6 inches deep. Plant them so the pointy end of the bulb faces upward in the soil. Add a 2–3-inch layer of mulch on top of the bulbs and water them in. If we continue with the drought into the winter, you may want to water them 1-2 times per month to ensure survival.
Fall Broadleaf Weed Control
Perennial broadleaf weeds including dandelions, creeping Charlie or ground ivy, and clover are best controlled in the fall once these weeds have begun their preparations for winter. In fall, these perennial weeds will move sugars that they use for energy from above ground portions of the plant down into the roots to store for next spring. If they are sprayed during this phase of their lifecycle, they are more likely to take herbicides down into roots, making pesticide applications more effective than if done in the spring. Spray weeds with a product containing triclopyr, dicamba, or 2,4-D at least twice from late September through the end of October. Wait 10-20 days between applications and spray after temperatures consistently drop below 80 degrees so the herbicide doesn’t cause harm to other plants.
Fall Garden Cleanup
Garden sanitation is an important step to take to reduce disease and insect problems in your garden for next year. These can live dormant in garden space over the winter to return next year. After harvest is complete, remove and discard vegetable plants. In the fall, you can till the garden and add compost or manure to help add nutrients back into the soil for next growing season. Tilling in fall makes it easier to prepare the garden next spring and exposes insect eggs to winter conditions thereby reducing the population for next year. After tilling the garden, add a layer of mulch to prevent erosion, this is a good use of fallen leaves.
Minute pirate bugs
A problem with outdoor work right now is the insect irritation. Minute pirate bugs are the tiny, black insects that bite us during the fall months, and the bite is relatively painful for such a tiny insect. These bugs are black with white and black wings that grow to 1/8 inch in length. The appearance is very similar to a chinch bug. Minute pirate bugs are present throughout the summer but they are out in fields, woodlands, and gardens feeding on other insects. In fall, they move into areas where people are and bite us. Some people may react differently and swell up from the bite, but most people just have the initial pain with the bite. Minute Pirate bugs do NOT feed on blood, inject venom, or transmit diseases.
Control is not practical for them as they will die with our first frost, and they don’t come inside our homes. Insect repellents do not deter them, so it is best just to wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt to reduce areas for them to bite us.
If you have any further questions please contact Nicole Stoner at (402) 223-1384, nstoner2@unl.edu, visit the Gage County Extension website at www.gage.unl.edu, or like my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NicoleStonerHorticulture and follow me on twitter @Nikki_Stoner
Nicole Stoner
Extension Educator
Gage County
October 2024