What to do at the cottage in October. Necessary work in the garden and garden in October. Harvesting vegetables
Leaves are already falling outside the window, which means that autumn is gaining momentum and very soon the cold will come. We have compiled a list of things to do in October for you. To make this autumn month memorable for the whole cold winter. And so, what needs to be done in October.
To-do list:
1. Buy a bright umbrella. If you don’t have a bright umbrella yet, then you should get one as soon as possible. Yellow and orange umbrellas will keep you warm in the heaviest rain.
2. Bake cookies in the form of autumn leaves. Treat your friends and loved ones delicious cookies in the form of autumn leaves, cones or acorns.
3. Replenish delicious and fragrant tea. Serve biscuits with delicious tea. Discover new flavors of fragrant tea.
4. Throw a fun Halloween party. The end of the month promises to be cheerful and scary. Be sure to throw your own Halloween party and invite all your friends to it.
5. Prepare a pumpkin dish. The crop has already been harvested, which means that you can arrange culinary experiments. You can make a delicious soup from pumpkin or bake a big pie.
6. Choose a warm October day and have a picnic in the park. You need to have time to enjoy the last warm day of autumn. Take a warm blanket with you hot tea and sandwiches.
7. Rustle autumn leaves. It's so amazing to step on fallen leaves and hear them rustle under you.
8. Plenty to ride a bike. We use the last October days to the maximum, we ride a bicycle, because winter will come very soon.
9. See how the birds fly south.
10. Arrange an autumn photo shoot. Treat yourself to memories of this fall. Arrange an autumn photo shoot on fresh air or in the autumn scenery of a photo studio.
11. Collect a bouquet of autumn leaves. A bouquet of autumn leaves can be used as a prop for a photo shoot or as a gift to your parents.
12. Collect and dry the herbarium. Remember how in childhood we collected a herbarium and laid it out in books.
13. Enjoy a new harvest of honey. The bees have been working all summer and collecting delicious honey, now it's time to enjoy it. And hot milk with honey will help not to get sick this autumn.
14. Bake an apple pie with cinnamon. We continue to improve our culinary skills and our next step is to cook the most delicious charlotte.
15. Arrange a romantic evening with your loved one. Don't forget about your loved ones. Arrange a romantic evening for them with candles and a warm blanket.
16. Cook mulled wine. The most warming drink of autumn and upcoming winter is mulled wine. Come up with your own unique recipe and surprise your loved ones with it.
17. Get a warm sweater. Perhaps many of you have already completed this point, and who has not yet, then go to the closet in search of the warmest sweater.
19. Go to a cafe with friends. Invite your friends to an interesting cafe where you have never been before. And be sure to order a new drink for you.
20. Have your own October Fest. Have fun at your October Fest.
21. Get your favorites rubber boots. Not all shoes will withstand heavy rains and rubber boots will come to the rescue. If you have not yet acquired this element of the wardrobe, then you urgently need to arrange shopping.
22. Draw an autumn landscape. Add some creativity to your life. Golden very - this is a great opportunity to learn how to draw.
At the beginning of October, there are several urgent works in the garden, the implementation of which is the key to good growth and development of plants next year. Have time to do everything!
Although it got colder, and outside the window it is either rain or wind, but it is still good autumn garden- motley asters and chrysanthemums, scarlet "chokeberry", fire marigolds and tender oktyabrins replace the sun with personal plot. And when the weather gets a little clearer, throwing on a jacket, the gardener is armed with either a pruner or a shovel - there is still a lot to do in October.
Before snow, it is necessary to prepare the site for wintering.
Planting trees and shrubs
The best time for planting deciduous trees and shrubs with an open root system is the period from the end of September until October 15th. Planting is best done in pits prepared in advance and filled with fertile soil and fertilizers (preferably 2 to 3 weeks in advance), since by the time of planting the soil has time to settle, and the fertilizers mix and dissolve.
Good survival of seedlings will ensure the use of root or heteroauxin when planting. To protect new plantings from freezing (in case of unexpected severe frosts), it is advisable to mulch tree trunks after abundant watering with peat chips or bark.
planting tulips
If the second half of September is the time of planting small-bulbous ones, then October is the time for tulips. According to a pre-developed planting plan, they begin to lay out the bulbs in flower beds, and then plant them. It is better to plant with a scoop or a special planter to a depth of about 10 cm.
Plant pruning
There are a number of plants that do not tolerate spring pruning (for example, maple, birch, actinidia). It is better to cut them in early October, since by this time the sap flow has ended, the plants are preparing for winter, and there will still be time for wound healing before the onset of stable frosts.
After leaf fall, you can cut currants, gooseberries, raspberries. At this time, they begin to rejuvenate the raspberry bushes, removing the fruiting stems.
Autumn digging tree trunks
The best time to complete this work is the beginning of the yellowing of the leaves, that is, before the active growth of the roots in the fall.
The depth of digging under trees is 8 - 10 - 20 cm (up to the level of suction roots, which is determined by the control excavation according to the crown projection), and under shrubs - 5 - 8 cm. Digging the soil reduces the number of pests that winter in the soil. Once on the surface, they die from frost.
top dressing
As a rule, digging of tree trunks is combined with fertilization. Most often this is done in September-early October. Fertilizer application rates depend on the type of soil, crop, age and condition of plantings.
Organic fertilizers are applied at the rate of 4-8 kg of humus or compost per 1 sq. area meter. Phosphorus and potash fertilizers are also applied: 30-40 g of superphosphate and 15-20 g of potassium nitrate or potassium salt.
On acidic soils, lime is added for digging 150 - 300 g per square meter. meter or wood ash - 300 - 500 g per sq. meter.
Podzimny watering
In autumn, the root system begins to grow intensively in trees and shrubs, and good watering is required for normal root growth. It is carried out, as a rule, in the second decade of October, taking into account, of course, the weather conditions, as well as the proximity of groundwater.
However, when choosing the timing of watering, you need to consider the following. If October is warm, then it is necessary to shift these dates to later ones, since a large number of moisture combined with good, warm weather can have the opposite effect - the buds will begin to bloom, the secondary growth of young shoots will begin and the winter hardiness of the plant will drop sharply.
Watering is especially important if there was a dry summer and early autumn. Abundant watering is carried out to a depth of 50 - 60 cm, when the average daily temperature drops +5 - +2 C. It is called winter.
Winter irrigation is of great importance, since a large amount of moisture in the soil does not allow it to freeze quickly, thereby improving the wintering conditions for plants, minimizing the deformation of the root system and providing a sufficient amount of moisture in the spring.
Autumn spraying of plants
- if there were fungal diseases on the trees and bushes, as well as for their prevention, then it is a good idea to sprinkle them with a 6-8% solution of ferrous sulfate;
- spraying branches, trunks and soil under trees and bushes with a 1% solution of copper sulfate will also help against fungal diseases;
- if there was scab on fruit trees, then they are sprayed after fruit removal, but before leaf fall with a 4% urea solution.
Collection of fallen leaves
Fallen leaves must be removed both from the lawn and from the orchard. Leaves should not be left on the lawn, as the grass begins to deteriorate under the foliage with the onset of autumn rains.
If the foliage is healthy, then it can be composted, and if there are signs of fungal diseases, then it is better to burn such leaves. In the orchard, the carrion must be destroyed, since it is a source of infections on the site.
Lawn care
As a rule, the last mowing of the lawn is carried out on October 15 - 20, depending on the weather, the mowing height should be 1 - 3 centimeters higher than usual. Uncut grass should not be released into the winter, because during the winter the dead parts of the plants will cause the appearance of rot, mold and other fungal diseases.
However, it is not recommended to mow the grass just before frost, so as not to weaken it. After mowing, it is necessary to comb the lawn, thus removing dead felt, which interferes with the vegetation of plants in winter.
October Garden Decor Ideas
A bright pumpkin will be especially noticeable on garden bench under a dead tree.
Large stones and boulders are mysterious in early spring and late autumn. The trimmed grass around will only emphasize their monumentality.
In the garden gazebo: throw a handful of bright beads or pebbles on a flat plate, put a couple of apples nearby - a simple still life will cheer you up on a cloudy day.
Work in the garden and vegetable garden in October for most owners of suburban areas completes the summer season. The trees are starting to shed their leaves, there is almost nothing left in the garden, most of the crop has already been stored. “October is the month of full pantries,” says folk wisdom, but this does not mean at all that the work in the garden and in the garden has already been completed. Rest early, country cottage area must be carefully prepared for the winter. Well, when she comes, then it will be possible to relax, drink hot tea with homemade jam, and look at summer photos. So, what kind of work are responsible summer residents doing this month?
Primary work in the garden and vegetable garden in October
In the October days, it is already in full swing to prepare the entire infrastructure for winter: remove and clean the time relay from drip irrigation, turn over the barrels, remove the pump, “park” the water supply - blow it out and leave the taps open.
Harvesting the last harvest in the garden
In the first half of October, the remains of cabbage should be collected from the garden: cauliflower, white cabbage, late Brussels sprouts. If the heads of cabbage have already frozen slightly, they need to be dried a little, after picking off the upper damaged leaves, and only after that they should be stored.
According to the observations of many gardeners, cabbage is best stored in a suspended state (on the crossbar with the roots up) in the basement with a constant temperature of 1-2 degrees. 
If you store cut cabbage, then when the heads of cabbage are determined for wintering, it's time to take care of the stumps left after them. It is desirable to dig absolutely everything, leaving not a single root in the ground. This is done not for the sake of cleanliness and order on the site, but for another, more important reason. The fact is that the remaining roots of cabbage are a haven for the larvae of the cabbage fly, so to speak, their winter quarters. If the stalks are not removed, the larvae will safely live until spring, warm up with the arrival of heat and turn into flies that will literally devour cabbage seedlings in June.
Planting must be completed in the first half of October, as plants planted closer to stable frosts automatically fall into the risk zone. Timely planted seedlings will have time to grow absorbent roots before frost and with the arrival spring warmth immediately start growing (about a couple of weeks earlier than those that will be planted in the spring). Weather surprises, which nature often throws at the beginning of the summer season, they will meet already quite developed and strengthened.
Landing pits for "settlers" should preferably be prepared no later than a week before disembarkation. After planting, it is necessary to ensure that the soil under young trees and bushes does not dry out before the onset of frost. Gardeners pay special attention to warming seedlings. If a harsh winter is predicted, the plants can be insulated as follows: drive four pegs at a distance of up to 40 cm around the trunk, cover the resulting frame with burlap, fill the space between the tree and the burlap walls with dry leaves or sawdust. If there is no burlap at hand, you can build a tube from corrugated paper and fill with insulation. Such protection will help plants survive any winter. 
If winter insulation can be damaged by rodents, look in the area (or ask your neighbors) for foliage and shoots of elderberry, and add it to the insulation layer - mice “do not like” this smell.
Autumn pruning of fruit and berry crops
It is better not to allow horticultural crops to winter with a thickened or injured crown, it is dangerous for them. That is why thinning and sanitary pruning is carried out in the fall. It begins during leaf fall or immediately after the trees and bushes shed their leaves, and the removal of unnecessary branches must be completed before frost. In order not to weaken the plants, but rather to strengthen their immunity, pruning must be carried out in a “gentle mode”, without being too zealous.
Sanitary pruning involves the removal of broken, dried, pest-affected and no longer fruiting branches (the so-called unloading). After trees and bushes shed their leaves, such damaged areas become clearly visible. In order to thin out the crown, all overlapping branches are cut out, resting on the trunk, growing almost vertically from the trunk, or simply preventing light from entering. The main thing is to carry out this procedure in a timely manner so that the wounds have time to heal before winter.
Another October garden work is pruning gooseberries and currants. Both cultures wake up and bloom too early, so it's best not to delay their thinning until spring. In addition, all the kidneys are checked on currants - deformed and swollen kidneys with signs of a kidney mite must be carefully pinched off and burned. 
In addition to pruning in the fall, we also regularly spray against diseases and pests - in October with live microbial preparations, and only in November we connect iodine treatments.
Tidying up and preparing plants for wintering
October garden work is not limited to pruning old trees and planting new ones. In addition, it is better to clean the garden turf from leaf litter - distribute the foliage into flower beds and beds. Also, plant residues accumulated during the season are removed into the compost heap, and preparations begin. fruit trees and berries for the winter. Dead bark is removed from the trunks, and then whitewashing is carried out with a mixture of lime and clay with the addition of water (3 kg of the mixture / 10 l of water) and ash (1 cup). If there is mullein, then add it - it improves adhesion.
Later, when the ground begins to freeze slightly, tree trunks can be mulched with compost mixed with sawdust, and even better with peat.
Autumn work in the flower garden in October
In flower beds in October days, non-hardy crops (heat-loving hydrangeas, climbing roses, rhododendrons) and plant vending bulbs - tulips, daffodils, chionodoxes, crocuses, etc. 
All leaf litter of fruit trees, not distributed over the beds, as already mentioned, is better to scatter in flower beds - this is both food for the soil and warming for the winter. Around the end of June next year, there will be no trace of the leaves, all will be eaten by soil microorganisms and earthworms. This nutrition is enough not only for flowers, but also fruit trees- their nutritious roots will reach here if the flower beds are organized near the orchard.
October is a very busy month for gardeners. If in summer you can sit out the midday heat somewhere in the shade, wait for the evening coolness and continue working, then in the middle of autumn such pauses are not allowed. People say: "October day is flying fast - you can't tie it to the wattle fence." And indeed, as soon as he prepared the instrument and tuned in to work, it was already getting dark. But winter is very close, and you need to have time to carry out all the planned work in the garden and garden in October without putting them off until spring.
What to do in October Tip 1 Usually in the fall it is recommended to do autumn digging of trunk circles under trees and bushes to destroy pests wintering in the soil. But this is not necessary, because digging destroys the soil. Experienced gardeners do not dig. On the contrary, near-stem circles are filled with weeds and unripe compost, especially along the perimeter of the crown, where the zone of sucking roots is located. In the center, near the trunk itself, there are no sucking roots that are damaged by frost, there is only a “water supply and sewer” system, that is, conductive roots. They are as hardy as wood. They also do not remove all fallen leaves, but pile them into trunk circles. Pests are deeply buried under this layer. Tip 2 Pathogens and pests are destroyed by late (at the end of October) spraying of trees and bushes with a solution of any high concentration mineral fertilizer. The easiest way to do this is to use urea, taking 500-700 g of fertilizer per 10 liters of water. If the leaves haven't fallen yet, spray directly on them. We must force them to give everything they have accumulated to plants and die. Spray the ends of the branches especially carefully - aphids lay eggs on them. Walk well through all branches, trunk and soil in near-stem circles. In early spring(at the end of March) this procedure should be repeated. Tip 3 If it is a dry autumn, the garden must be well watered. If the plants go into the winter dehydrated, they can dry out from frost, especially year-old young growths. Tip 4 At the end of the month, you can bring rotted manure and compost under the bushes and trees, you can add humus for peonies and other perennial flowers, but also along the perimeter of the crown, and not in the center. Under cherries and plums, an additional half a bucket of ash should be added. Tip 5 At the end of the month, you need to cut off perennial asters and chrysanthemums and also add ash under them, at least a cup under the plant. Tip 6 It's time to put shelters over roses, clematis, and also peonies, oriental hybrids (lilies), chrysanthemums, irises. Tip 7 In the last days of the month, you can hold an event to clean the trunks and branches from lichens. To do this, they need to be sprayed with a 7-10% solution of ferrous sulfate (about three tablespoons without top per liter of water). In just 3-4 days, the lichens will fall off on their own. Such spraying should never be done during the growing season. Tip 8 Should I add manure or rotted compost to tree trunks? Organics, including manure, must be applied after the end of sap flow, otherwise it may cause undesirable growth of branches at such a late time. But it must be introduced not into the near-trunk circles, but along the perimeter of the crown - to where the sucking roots are. Advice 9 What if at the end of summer they did not add the phosphorus and potassium necessary for root growth? As the saying goes, the train has left. Now these fertilizers make no sense. The only thing that can be done is to add AVA fertilizer to the soil, because it does not dissolve in water and, accordingly, is not washed out of the soil by either autumn or spring waters. Tip 10 You can dig up root celery, leek, and cut Brussels sprouts and cabbages. Tip 11 The best time for pruning berries and orchards is late autumn. Wounds after trimming should be lubricated with brilliant green or hydrogen peroxide, and then with natural oil paint, or bitumen (black varnish for metal), or very liquid garden pitch. Tip 12 If you have never planted spring garlic in the fall instead of spring, then try planting it before winter at the same time that you usually plant winter garlic. This should be done in exactly the same way as it was told about planting winter garlic in August. Garlic is a success. Tip 13 In October, bulbous plants are usually planted, in particular tulips and hyacinths. Before planting, any bulbous plants would be nice to soak for half an hour in a solution of the drug "Maxim" against rot or in a solution of "Fitosporin", or at least in a solution of potassium permanganate. Introduce rotted compost into the trench, then a layer of soil 10 cm, then a layer of sand 2-3 cm. It is enough to add a pinch of AVA fertilizer, but you can do with a tablespoon of ash. Spread the bulbs on the sand and cover them completely with sand. From above, any loose soil or peat should be poured with a height equal to two diameters of the bulbs (i.e., about 10 cm).