Shockingly, it is October! I feel like this year is going by so very, very quickly, but that is partly because we have been so very, very busy!

Our October gardens are winding down in most of North America. I rather like this part of the year, actually. It isn’t as packed or as frantic as the spring feels, and there is something nurturing and mothering about tucking our raised beds and plants in for the winter. We haven’t had a frost yet. Actually, our average first frost is in the first week of October, and I think we will be late this year. That’s fine with me — it keeps the dahlias going longer!

I made a bunch of changes to how I grow dahlias this year, and it has really paid off! They have been fabulous, and I will write up what I have learned and share it with you. So much of the advice out there about growing dahlias comes from flower farmers, and I’ve incorporated a few of their tricks into my own growing. Look for that coming soon!

Our New Deck: If you have been following along on Instagram or YouTube, you know that we spent the summer building a deck. it was a big DIY job, and I have written all about this project including the materials we used, the furniture we chose, and our DIY outdoor kitchen project, too.

You’ll find it all here:

Planting Bulbs: And if you’re like me and you are thinking about bulbs right about now, don’t forget about this tip for keeping the squirrels out of your bulbs:

Leave the leaves! Raking and bagging leaves is one of the worst things you can do for your yard, your trees, and the wildlife around you. Do this instead:

• Leave a thick layer in a ring under your trees and shrubs. The leaves break down and put nutrition back into the soil, but they also act as a mulch, locking in moisture for your trees, and add a layer of insulation for shallow feeder roots as well.

• Put a thinner layer in your raised beds and around perennials. They will do the same thing for your perennials as they do for your trees making your plants happier and healthier.

• Make leaf mould. It’s an easy job and is a great resource for your garden in years to come. Here’s a full guide showing you how to do it:

Wishing you all the best as your autumn begins! And, as always, if you have questions, just ask! I’m always available!

Cheers!
Angela

Wondering where to find me? Here’s the breakdown:

Instagram:

• Stories: daily project updates

• Reels & Posts: a few times per week, bigger project updates and lots of gardening education

• Highlights: plant and product recommendations, project updates collected in one place

YouTube: I am hanging out here a lot more of late!

• Longform Videos: monthly Gardening Checklists, gardening education, big project recaps

• Shortform Videos: a few times per week, bigger project updates and lots of gardening education

Blog and Website: you are HERE!

• Pages: big project recaps, how-to projects, reviews, and idea lists; use the search and the top navigation to find all kinds of goodies!

• Blog: monthly updates with links to new content

• ORC blog: weekly updates when a project is underway