October Questions

Q.   What are some of the flowers, bulbs and vegetables that can be planted in October ?

A.   You can  plant a wide array of cool season vegetables that will grow through the Winter such as Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Onions, Radishes, and Turnips. Flowers that can be planted now include Sweet Alyssum, Bachelors-Buttons, Calendulas, California Poppies, Clarkias, Delphiniums, Dianthus, Gaillardia, Gyposphila, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Linaria, Lobelia, Lupine, Nasturtium, Nicotiana, Pansy, Petunia, Phlox, Scabiosa, Statice, Stock, Sweet Pea, and Viola. Now is also the time to plant Amaryllis, Freeesia, Dutch Iris, Leucojum, Lycoris, Narcissus, and Ornithogalum bulbs.

Q. What is the shrub with clusters of bright yellow blooms that we see flowering now ?

A.  We usually refer to this shrub as Cassia ( Cassia bicapsularis ). Cassia is a good choice for full sun locations when planted where it will not be missed in the Winter when the frost kills it to the ground. Cassia usually sprouts out again in the Spring and will often grow as high as 15 feet before Winter. Cassia rewards us with bright golden yellow blooms that remind us of butterflies each Fall.

Q.    Can you suggest some trees that will give Fall color in our region ?

A.    The best choices for Fall color in our area include Bradford Pear, Dogwood, Ginkgo, Japanese Maple, Red Maple, Shumard Oak, Sweetgum, Sourwood, Tulip Poplar and Water Tupelo. Fall color is slow to develop here. We often have bright "Fall color" developing in November and persisting into December.

Q.  Why do you not carry Scott's Winterizer ?

A.   Scott's Winterizer fertilizers have an analysis of 24-3-12 and 22-3-14 which are inappropriate for our sub-tropical turfgrasses in the Fall. It is best to avoid using high rates of nitrogen in the Fall here to avoid succulent late growth which may not have time to harden off before frost. Potassium (Potash) the last number of a fertilizer analysis should be higher than Nitrogen  in the Fall here at the advice of our Cooperative Extension Service. This is why we carry our own Esposito's Winterizer (5-0-20). The elevated Potassium encourages the buildup of carbohydrates in the roots and rhizomes of our grasses improving their cold resistance. We are aware that Fall application of Nitrogen on cool climate grasses such as bluegrass and fescue in northern states can be beneficial to them.