2025 October Musings
October greetings fellow gardeners and nature enthusiasts,
I barely turn the page to a new calendar month when I find myself already halfway through. Today it’s gloomy and raw, the remnants of our so called nor’easter. I found the storm to be a bit of a joke around here; not enough rain to matter (5/8” but I’ll take it), whereas only 50+ miles away they received upwards of 7”. Plus it was just plain breezy rather than the predicted threatening wind. So you think I’m going to eat my words later on? You could be right.
Wooly Bear Caterpillar—snowy winter ahead?
Perhaps something was up when I found 2 curled-up wooly bear caterpillars under some scrap wood on October 4th. Only the very tips of their heads and the tips of their tails were black. The rest was solid copper. You know what that means; the winter ahead will be snowy and cold.
And then on October 8th came a frost, not a light one as expected- but a killing one. Even the plants that were well covered got nailed. Another harbinger of sorts?
The leaves and pine needles have been raining down simultaneously in seemingly bucket loads. No matter how much I mow/mulch, I am re-blanketed within hours. No complaints though, I am now using this no cost, pesticide-free organic mulch to cover my weed-free (progress ongoing) vegetable gardens for the winter. While preventing soil erosion throughout fall and winter, this mulch will, in turn, break down throughout the subsequent months, enriching the soil and keeping it friable. In the spring I will pull this mulch back from my intended rows, add the fertilizer and amendments I want, and away I go.
I’m also turning away more and more from commercial mulches, even if they are “all natural”. It’s become more difficult to obtain the ones I desire, plus my areas are large. When I started all my perennial landscaping some 45 years ago here on the knoll, I mulched exclusively with pine needles. They settle in nicely without packing, are completely weed-free, allow water through, and are esthetically pleasing. Why put this “gold” in the landfill? I don’t even mind that it’s half leaves this year.
Today on the 18th I will finish planting my third and final row of 4 varieties of garlic. I’m hoping this will cover the family needs, but that’s only a hope. Just an FYI, it is not too late to plant garlic, but you may have trouble finding it now. I’ll soon tuck in a few accent clumps of flower bulbs in the next few days to feed the soul come spring.
Unearthed cannas to be dried in the sun.
It’s time to pull your tender perennials-dahlias, glads, tuberous begonias, cannas, etc. I also unearthed these giant red cannas today. I’ve laid them flat on the ground to let the sun dry the foliage. Then I’ll brush the soil from the bulbs (not wetting them) and eventually cut the dry foliage off about 2” from the bulbs. Because the bulbs are so big, I will divide them before boxing them in vermiculite and then storing them in a cool dark place in our cellar.
Monster potato: an astronomical phenomenon? !
Gene is finishing up digging all our potatoes. They have been small this year due to drought and heat. However, on the equinox Gene pulled up this monster. Why so huge I ask myself? Most certainly it’s that astronomical phenomenon!
These last acts assure that the growing season is indeed over, and it’s time to slow down. Not so fast…what about the undone garden clean-up, the brush push-back, the incomplete edging, the stonewall repairs??…jeez.
Can’t forget our animal shenanigans. I’ve been waiting and waiting for the juncos to arrive on the knoll. My first sighting finally came on the 16th. Robins, scarce around here lately, suddenly showed up in droves on the same day probing the grassy areas and the devouring the chokeberry berries.
Yes, the afternoon shadows creep ever longer and days grow ever shorter. But stalwart as we are, Gene and I still sip our steaming cups of coffee on the porch in the chilly predawn darkness. As we do, we await the ear-piercing screech of a resident bluejay. Every morning he consistently calls the sun to rise just enough to peak through the eastern pines, and then he shuts up. We call him “Blasty”.
Other than that, it’s been fairly calm around here this month. Well almost. The half dozen spring chickens continue annoy me with their rowdy behavior. One keeps flying over the 6’ fence, and a couple of days ago nearly got taken by a sly red fox. Good thing she’s an avid flyer, and a good thing I was around to scare the daylights out of the fox. And those same chickens? They have yet to lay a single egg!
Lastly, just a quick reminder: Don’t miss the Bat Seminar coming up Saturday, October 25th, and prepare thyself for the wildly popular Truckload Wild Bird Seed Sale November 13-15th. Remember it happens after the truck arrives. Watch for the online flyer that hits the morning of the 13th for details.
That’s it for now.
Judy