By Dan Weintritt and friends
Created for use by the Louisiana Native Plant Society with the Acadiana Native Plant Project
Made in the style of Dan Gill's Month by Month Gardening in Louisiana, Cool Springs Press, Copyright 1999, 2006
While October 1st isn't likely to be noticeably more comfortable than the day before, Autumn is certainly about to be upon us! Fall bloomers should be at their peak, as the diminishing days and fewer hours of sunlight, known as the photoperiod in botany, are telling everything to bloom now and set seed before winter comes.
Pollinators and migratory birds should be feeding in your garden to prepare themselves for winter, as well. Birds are eating insects and seeds; don't do any more deadheading until next year; leave it for the birds! Make sure you have birdbaths out for thirsty visitors. Winter rains have not started yet. If you have tons of plants but few birds, consider adding shelter in the form of trees and shrubs this winter. Those who are doing true prairie restoration should have lots of tall native grasses like switchgrass and bluestems for critters to shelter in.
Cooler nights and mornings are making the plants ready to start sending out fresh growth. At this time of the year, they are sending starches into their root systems to store for winter and be ready for next spring's growth. This is what makes fall the ideal planting time. Containerized plants can be put in the ground now. This author prefers to wait until after the first freeze to dig, divide, and transplant established perennials, though it can be done now, with supplemental irrigation. Never dig up plants that are in bloom, they will have to wait until first frost. You should always trim foliage in proportion to the amount of rootball that can be lifted, and ensure that plants are well-watered before and after transplanting.
Those who have concerns about their soil type should get soil tests in to the LSU AgCenter quickly. Mineral soil amendments are best applied in early winter, as they need months to take effect. If you have your heart set on growing a certain plant with particular needs, you might have to make a soil amendment for it to thrive. Blueberries, for example, require strongly acidic soils to thrive, whereas Carolina Buckthorn likes alkaline soils rich in calcium (I have been simply dropping eggshells around my Carolina Buckthorn for years rather than buying a $10 bag of calcium, so there are definitely different ways to tackle issues of soil chemistry). You may choose to amend your soil for the plants you want to grow, or simply decide to stick with plants suited for your ecoregion and soil type. Keep in mind that most developed areas, especially new neighborhoods, may have had all their native topsoil stripped for the building process, and the lot was finished off with dirt that is not at all native to the area.
Not all of us fertilize, but for those that do, fertilizing should not be done going into fall. You do not want to stimulate excessive growth above ground going into winter. Plants should be moving nutrients in the other direction at this time, into roots. Rather than using water-soluble fertilizers, consider top-dressing your beds with an inch of compost. It will break down slowly throughout winter, and nutrients will be there in spring when the plant needs it.
Cool season weeds will begin sprouting by the end of this month. Make a plan to mulch beds that have been troublesome. You can either purchase bags or bales of mulch like pine straw, or gather fall leaves next month to put into beds. Make sure you are not moving invasive plants into your beds along with those leaves, though!
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