Moss in the City – October 2008

Share the Harvest October is one of my favorite months. The temperatures begin to cool down. The rich purple flowers of fall-blooming colchicums and crocuses burst from the ground like the royal goblets of … more >>

		Reducing Urban Flooding Many parts of the country have been hit with devastating floods recently, and in urban areas the problem can be especially severe. Urbanization itself — clearing trees, draining wetlands, and paving the ground — makes flooding worse. Most natural landscapes absorb rainwater and allow … more >>

Saving Seeds From Annuals and Perennials With the arrival of fall the annuals in my garden are winding down. One particular cleome put on a dazzling display this year. It volunteered near my vernal witch hazel and quickly branched into a candelabra of pink and white flowers. Next year … more >>

October Q & A

Question: Recently, I was wandering through a large garden center and discovered rubber mulch. Can it be used like regular mulch? Is it any good? more >>

October Gardening Tips

1. As a family activity, paint some of your pumpkins instead of carving them all. Use nontoxic paints to create colorful, scary faces, or whatever you can imagine. After Halloween, use the pumpkins to make bread, muffins, or pies with the kids.
2. Pot up amaryllis, gloxinias, freesias, and other winter-blooming bulbs now for blooms by Christmas.
3. Spend some time outside under the Hunter’s Moon. The full moon in mid-October is one of the brightest of the year. Enjoy brisk evening walks before the cold months arrive.