October · month 10 of 12
What to do in the garden in October
Every job worth doing in October, built from the real care schedules of the plants gardeners grow — with the exact plants that need each one.
Plant in October
Plant in its permanent location; deep taproot dislikes being moved.
Prune in October
Cut back stems to the ground in late fall or early spring.
Divide in October
Divide large clumps every 3-5 years to maintain vigor
Fertilize in October
Use a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during active bloom periods
Deadhead in October
Remove spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming
Mulch in October
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the root zone for winter protection.
Check for Pests in October
Check for aphids and slugs, especially on young plants.
Propagate in October
Collect seeds from dry pods and sow outdoors for naturalizing
Harvest in October
Cut plumes for dried arrangements when fully open and fluffy.
Winter Prep in October
Stop deadheading in fall; leave seed heads for winter interest and to feed birds.
Lift & Store in October
After first frost, carefully dig up tubers, dry, and store in a cool, dark place.
What's blooming in October
In flower around now.
Frost dates and bloom windows are typical ranges, not guarantees — your microclimate moves them by weeks. Sow uses your real local forecast instead.
October questions
What should I do in the garden in October?
The jobs that matter most this month are plant, prune, divide, fertilize. Each section above lists the specific plants that need that job in October — drawn from the care schedules of the plants gardeners actually grow.
Does this calendar change by hardiness zone?
The tasks are the same, but which plants you can grow is not. Pick your zone below to see this month's jobs filtered to plants that survive your winters.
What's blooming in October?
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower, Pink Muhly Grass, American Gold Rush Black-eyed Susan, Walker's Low Catmint, Purple Dome New England Aster and others are in flower around now. The full list is above.
Keep exploring
Get October's tasks for your own plants
Sow builds this checklist from the plants actually in your yard — and adjusts it to your real forecast, so a wet week skips the watering and a frost warning reaches you first.