Plants & Pests with Nicole
October 2023
Upcoming Events
- Gage County Extension is closed October 9th for Columbus Day.
- Fall Master Gardener Classes: October 3, & October 17.
- NEW DATE: Tree Planting workshop in Geneva at the Fillmore County Extension Office on October 5.
- Fall Ready Yard program at Tall Tree Tastings in Beatrice on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 6pm
- GroBigRed Programming for October 10, 17, & 24 (see below for more information)
Plant Spring Blooming Bulbs
Early October is a great time to plant spring blooming bulbs. Plants such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, crocus, squill, snowdrops, and ornamental onion will add a great deal of color to your gardens early in the spring. You should purchase these bulbs when you are ready to plant them. When purchasing, inspect the bulbs for signs of mold or decay to purchase good bulbs. Plant the bulbs 2-3 times as deep as the height of the bulb and plant them with the eye or the pointy end of the bulb upward in the soil.
Fall Weed Control
October is the best time to treat broadleaf weeds in the yard. Late October is also a good time to kill winter annuals, such as henbit, which germinates in the fall to bloom next spring. Products containing 2,4-D work best for the majority of the broadleaf weeds you will encounter in your lawn and 2 applications are best. Make sure you leave at least 2 weeks between the applications. If you are dealing with a crabgrass problem, it is best to wait until the spring to treat your lawn with a pre-emergent herbicide as the crabgrass you see now will die with the first frost this fall.
Water through Fall
Water trees deeply once every week or 2 during the fall. To water deeply, run a sprinkler or soaker hose in the drip zone for about 20 minutes for newly planted trees and up to one hour for established trees. Water deeply to get down to where the roots are, turf irrigation isn’t sufficient for trees. After irrigating, use a long screwdriver to ensure that moisture got into the soil 12-18 inches, where most tree roots are found. You can use that screwdriver prior to irrigating to see if irrigation is necessary. Push it into the soil, if it goes in easily you do not need to water, if difficult to push into the soil irrigation is necessary. Continue to water through the fall and even 1-2 times per month in the winter if we don’t see sufficient rainfall or snowcover.
Fall Invading Insects
Announcing the GROBigRed Virtual Learning Series programs for October. These free webinars via Zoom are an opportunity to join experts from Nebraska Extension to learn and ask questions!
Register at http://go.unl.edu/grobigred
Solutions Gardening, with Sarah Browning, Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension, Lancaster County – October 10, 7 - 8 pm
Every landscape is a unique combination of sun, shade, soil type, available moisture, wind exposure and many other factors. Choosing the best plants, which will thrive given each site's unique challenges and opportunities, is the first consideration on the road to success. Common challenges found in landscapes include shade, wet soil, hot dry locations and wildlife activity. In this presentation, Sarah will discuss perennials and shrubs which can thrive under each of these conditions, helping to keep these landscape sites low maintenance yet filled with beautiful, healthy plants.
Shade Tree Pruning with Elizabeth Exstrom, Extension Educator,
Nebraska Extension, Hall County – October 17, 7 - 8 pm
Pruning is as much an art as it is science. Join us to uncover the science behind the pruning timeline, techniques, and tools used in pruning shade trees the correct way.
Fruits in the Home Garden with John Porter, Extension Educator,
Nebraska Extension, Douglas-Sarpy Counties – October 24, 7 - 8 pm
Learn about common, unusual, and native fruits and how to incorporate them into your home garden. We’ll discuss fruit options for Nebraska’s growing zones and basic establishment and management for bountiful harvests.
Fall Lawncare
About Nicole
Email: nstoner2@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/gage/gage-county-horticulture/
Location: 1115 West Scott Street, Beatrice, NE, USA
Phone: 402-223-1384
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleStonerHorticulture
Twitter: @nikki_Stoner