“There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October.” — Nathaniel Hawthorne

October in the Pikes Peak region signals a significant shift in the garden, moving from active growth to essential winter preparation. Gardeners are presented with an important window to lay the groundwork for a successful spring, protecting investments and nurturing the landscape through the colder months.

Lawn care: Cool-season grasses, such as fescue and bluegrass, benefit from a mid- to late-October fertilization. Applying a winterizer while the grass is still green ensures nutrient absorption before dormancy. Aerating the lawn can further improve water and fertilizer penetration. Raking leaves promptly ensures that turf gets adequate light and prevents the growth of snow mold.

Perennial garden: October is an opportune time to divide and transplant overgrown perennials, rejuvenating plants and creating new additions to your garden. Deadhead faded perennial blooms or leave some, like ornamental grasses and echinacea, for winter interest and as a food source for birds. Leaving green foliage in place (until it withers to yellow) provides energy storage in the roots.

Planting for spring: Fall is the ideal time to plant bulbs for a spectacular spring display. Species of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and crocuses benefit from fall planting. Perennials like salvia, dianthus and hosta can also be planted now, establishing a stronger foundation for next year’s growth. Be sure to water new plantings well until the ground freezes.

Trees and shrubs: Continue to provide supplemental water, even after leaves have fallen, to ensure adequate soil moisture going into winter. Mulching around the base of trees and shrubs with a 2– to 3-inch layer of mulch helps conserve moisture, but keep it a few inches away from tree trunks and don’t pile it up resulting in that “volcano” look. Excessive use of mulch may not kill a tree immediately, but it will result in a slow decline and death. Overmulching is a leading cause of death for dogwood, boxwood, cherries, ash, birch, linden, spruce and many other landscape plants.

Vegetable garden: Harvest remaining root vegetables and squash before the first hard frost, storing them in a cool, dry place. Remove spent plants and debris to prevent pests and diseases from overwintering. Consider planting cool-season annuals such as pansies, violas and ornamental kale for continued fall color.

Pumpkin facts: Every single part of a pumpkin is edible: the skin, leaves, flowers, pulp, seeds and stems. Pumpkins are 92% water. The practice of carving jack-o’-lanterns was brought to America by Irish immigrants. In Ireland they used to carve jack-o’-lanterns out of potatoes or turnips, but after arriving in America, they began to use pumpkins instead because they were far easier to carve.

Submit gardening questions via ask.extension.org or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is closed for the season. Questions submitted via Ask Extension will be answered remotely and phone messages will be answered biweekly.