As October rolls around and I’ve come to terms with the fact that summer is actually over and fall is in full swing, I always feel a bit guilty that I’m actually relived. I get a little tired of watering, harvesting, dead-heading and all the other things that tend to go along with spring and summer gardening. What truly makes October great is that now is the time to relax and enjoy the changing landscape of your garden. You can allow your plants to put on their last bloom, see the leaves change adding new color to the garden and finally take a break from all the hard work you’ve been doing over the past six months. It’s best not to think about the clean-up, cutting back of perennials, and leaf raking that lies ahead.
Plant a few low maintenance containers of pansies and chrysanthemums to enhance the fall setting then simply sit back, relax and enjoy your favorite outdoor seating area (I recommend with a glass of wine). Take along a pad of paper and pencil to write down some of the things that worked and didn’t work in your garden. Don’t hesitate to share with us your thoughts. Feedback is very helpful for us in planning for future years. There are so many new and upcoming varieties of plants each year and some of them fly out the door so fast in the spring that we may not get to see how they perform as the season progressed. Our goal is to make sure that you have success in your garden and therefore it’s great to know what you thought did well and what didn’t. It’s also a good idea to write down some notes on your vegetable garden, particularly what got planted where so that next season you’re sure to rotate where you plant in order to decrease the chance of disease.
Beyond keeping records of what worked, what didn’t, and what got planted where another great and upcoming activity to attend is the Jackson County Master Gardener Association’s “Winter Dreams Summer Gardens Gardening Symposium”. The symposium will be held Saturday November 1st. For more information on registration and class descriptions take a look at the Jackson County Master Gardener’s website: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/mg
There are many classes to choose from that will get your mind thinking about what you want to do next year.
