After a summer spent tending to your garden and its perennials, it is understandable if you are ready to put your gardening tools into hibernation for the winter. But now is not the time to ignore these tasks. October is an ideal month to give those perennials a little TLC so that they survive the harsh winter and come back stronger than ever in the spring. Here are six things to keep in mind this month if beautiful and thriving perennials are your goal.

Put Away the Fertilizer

This is not the time to encourage new growth in your perennial garden. This is especially true if you live in a cold climate and are likely to experience frost conditions soon. Nicole Johnsey Burke, gardener and CEO of Gardenary Inc., reminds gardeners that perennials should go dormant during this time. Savvy gardeners should help the plants to slow down as the mercury falls.

Burke recommends turning your focus to encouraging healthy soil that provides plants with the nutrients that they need, being careful not to push new growth at this point in the season. Rather than fertilizer, Burke advises using leaf mold, compost made with used coffee grounds, or organic worm castings.

When to Water

You can support a healthier bloom in the spring by timing your watering just right in October. Burke says that timing your watering "is such a simple trick and it really works." She advises watering just before a frost is in the forecast. As Burke explains, "Moist soil holds onto heat better than dry soil, so when the temperature drops overnight, that extra moisture acts like a little battery, releasing warmth and protecting the roots.”

While watering before a frost will not prevent a hard freeze of your plants, it can provide that crucial layer of protection that means the difference between damaged and undamaged leaves when frosty conditions become more common. Be careful not to overly saturate the ground. You want an evenly moist soil rather than one that is too soggy.

Go Easy on the Pruning

It is natural to want to break out the pruning shears when the garden goes dormant. Burke recommends waiting until the end of winter or early spring to really go to town on the pruning, particularly for most herbaceous perennials. This is because the old growth that you carry over into the winter can help to insulate your sensitive plants. This extra insulation also serves as food for birds, encouraging natural habitats that help your garden thrive.

The exception to this rule is anything that is riddled with disease or already dead. In those cases, it is better to clear them out.

Support Root Insulation

It is also a good idea to insulate perennials' roots as winter approaches. Burke recommends using a thick layer of nutrient-rich compost over the traditional mulch. She said that compost is especially helpful for produce plants, as wood mulch can siphon off the nitrogen and cause distress to dormant vegetables. Compost is also helpful when you are trying to insulate perennials that grow in dedicated beds.

Mulch can be helpful in areas that experience deep and prolonged freezes. However, Burke advises waiting until after the first frost of the season to spread the mulch. Applying this too early could inadvertently trap heat or moisture, leading to diseased plants.

Use Frost Covers When Necessary

While not all plants need a protective frost cover, some varieties can benefit from this extra layer of insulation. Tender plants such as lettuce, herbs, and peppers will benefit from a frost cover once overnight lows begin slipping into the 30s.

Burke advises the use of a frost cloth layered with a light tarp when temperatures consistently fall below 28 degrees overnight. However, she cautions gardeners to be careful about the tarp's placement. She explains that “The biggest mistake I see is people just throwing a cover directly over their plants. Please don’t do that! You want air between the plant and the cover. Use hoops, cages, or even sticks to create space above your plants.”

A specially designed frost cloth or floating row cover is breathable enough to allow crucial light to penetrate through while still providing protection from the cold. Although old bed sheets or towels will work for a short time, these can trap moisture over time.

Be Extra Vigilant with Potted Perennials

Your potted perennials might necessitate a different approach. These should be brought inside before the first hard frost so that the roots are not exposed to the cold. Burke explains that  “Even a garage or enclosed porch can work if you don’t have space indoors. Just make sure there’s some light and the temps stay above freezing.”

Gardeners may also decide to group these potted plants together near an exterior wall that will give off warmth. Tucking the containers into a corner and under an eave will provide protection from the harsh winter elements.

For an additional layer of insulation, consider wrapping the pots in burlap or thick blankets to protect the roots. Sitting the pots on straw will keep the bottom more protected from the cold coming up from the ground.

With a little proactive work in October, your perennials will come back more beautiful and stronger than ever this spring.

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