Assess areas in the garden that need additional planting
Continue to use garden notes and photographs to plan future plantings
Prepare landscape sketches for next growing season
Chores and Maintenance:
If it is dry, continue to thoroughly water trees, shrubs, planting beds and lawn areas, especially evergreens
Continue to weed, weed, weed
Stake chrysanthemums, water and fertilize
Lift and store tender bulbs, i.e. cannas, dahlias and gladiolus, after first frost
Core aerate to reduce lawn thatch
Mow lawns to 1 1/2" height
Keep bird feeders filled
Stake chrysanthemums, water and fertilize
Planting:
Complete planting and transplanting broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreens before October 15th and water thoroughly
Plant and transplant deciduous trees and shrubs after leaf fall between October 15th and December 1st
Plant spinach and garlic
Plant ornamental cabbage and kale
Complete lifting and dividing iris, lily-of-the-valley and daylilies
Pot up parsley, chives and rosemary to grow indoors
Plant bare-root roses
Continue to plant spring-flowering bulbs; begin planting tulips before month's end
Pot up amaryllis, tulips and other prepared bulbs and store in a cool, dark place until ready to force
Complete lifting and dividing irises in October
Pruning and Fertilizing:
Complete pruning of rambling roses
Prune late-flowering trees and shrubs once dormant
Fertilize deciduous and evergreen shrubs
Fertilize lawn with 3-1-2 plant food
Complete pruning of rambling roses; Rosa 'Veilchenblau' photo courtesy of Flickr cc/Leonora "Ellie" Enking
Indoors
Bring in house plants before frost
Hold off on fertilizing houseplants; resume in March
*These gardening tips are applicable for an average year in the southeastern New York region: USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7a and 7b, which include New York City, Northern New Jersey, most of Rockland and Westchester Counties, Southern Connecticut, and parts of Long Island. Plant hardiness zones refer to geographic areas where the growing season of plants is determined by the time of killing frosts in the spring and fall. Even within zones, climatic factors such as altitude, proximity to water, wind exposure, winter sun exposure and snow cover contribute to the existence of different "microclimates" and can influence plant adaptability.