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It's official! Autumn began this past Monday, and cooler temperatures are beginning to grace the Front Range. After a long, hot summer, these cooler days are a sign that soon both gardens and gardeners will settle in for a well-earned winter rest. Those cozy evenings by the fireside will be here before we know it, but right now, there's still work to be done in the garden!
October is the time to get the garden ready for its dormant period and also prepare for next year's busy growing season. What you do now can make a huge difference in the success of next year's garden. There's no time like the present to get started on the autumn task list — you never know when Jack Frost will pay his first visit!
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Clean Up the Beds
Start the winterizing process with a good cleanup. Remove all weeds, so they don't have the opportunity to seed or dig deeper roots over the winter. Pull out all dead plant material. Cleaning out dead-and-dying plants isn't just to make the garden look nicer. It helps prevent a buildup of disease-causing bacteria and destructive insects.
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Amend the Soil and Add Mulch
Autumn is a great time to amend your soil by working in organic matter. The addition of compost now will improve the soil next spring. Also, rototilling or turning over the soil will reduce insect & disease problems next year. Be sure to do this while the soil is dry. Renewing all mulches in the autumn will yield several benefits. It helps maintain a consistent soil temperature, retains moisture, and prevents exposure of roots, which is a common cause of winter damage. Add mulch wherever needed to perennial beds and around trees and shrubs.
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Prepare for Those Early Frosts
Keep frost blankets handy. A little protection ensures your plants will continue to thrive in the warm autumn days that invariably follow a frost. Cover with a frost blanket or a similar breathable material if the night temperature is predicted to drop close to freezing. Plastic is not a great option for frost protection because condensation beneath the plastic may lead to ice formation, which could burn the foliage.
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Prepare for Next Spring's Color Show
It's time to plant spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, and hyacinths. As the old adage goes, "When fall is in the air, bulbs go in the ground." We currently have a terrific selection for you to choose from. A little planting work done now will pay off with a brilliant color show next spring.
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What to Harvest or Protect When the
First Frost Threatens
- Beans will not tolerate frost. Harvest & put them on the dinner menu!
- Corn is frost sensitive and needs to be harvested.
- Harvest all unprotected tomatoes and peppers. Unripened tomatoes can be placed in a paper bag or between sheets of newspaper to continue ripening indoors. Check on them often.
- Cucumbers & summer squash should be harvested and wiped dry before storing. Thin-skinned cucumbers do not store well & should be eaten within a few days.
- Lettuces and salad greens should all be covered with frost cloth.
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What Not to Harvest Yet
Not all crops need to be harvested before the frosts come. Some crops are
actually improved by the cold!
- Celery and late cabbage can be harvested after the frost has slowed their growth.
- Root crops like carrots and beets can remain where they are until there's a danger of the soil freezing. They're protected underground & their flavor may even improve with the cold.
- Don't harvest winter squash or pumpkins yet. Wait until their vines are frost-killed and their skin is hard to the thumbnail.
- Kale and collards can be left in the garden until long after the first fall frost. Continue to harvest as needed until the foliage finally succumbs to the cold weather.
- Potatoes should be harvested after the vines die, so that the potato skin has a chance to mature. This makes them less susceptible to bruises, cuts, and moisture loss during storage.
- Harvest onions only after the tops fall over. Pungent onions store longer than mild onions. After harvest, onions needs to be conditioned for 2 to 3 weeks under relatively warm, dry conditions. When the leaf stalks rustle upon handling, they are ready to move to a cool, dry storage area.
For a deeper dive into methods of storing vegetables for the winter,
Put Echter's on your autumn to-do list. We've got everything you
need to tackle your autumn garden chores!
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Our pumpkins have arrived! It's time to welcome a new season, and add some autumn style to your outdoor décor. We've got everything you need to create a beautiful fall display. You'll find corn stalks & gourds, colorful mums, flowering kale, and Icebreaker pansies that'll laugh at the frosts! Stop by, and stock up on these autumn favorites!
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Time to start collecting GREENBUCKS again!
Starting today, for every $20 you spend on plants and merchandise, we'll give you $2 in Echter's Greenbucks! Then from December 20-31, you can spend them just like real dollars at Echter's for up to half of your total purchase!
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Seasonal clearance! This is your chance to spruce up your beds and borders for years to come with some eye-catching
perennials at great prices.
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50% Off
Trees and Shrubs
It's our Seasonal clearance!
(50% is taken off the
non-warranted prices.)
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25% Off
Clay Pots & Saucers
Enjoy the natural elegance of terracotta clay in a wide range of sizes.
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25% Off
Harvest Lane Honey Beekeeping Supplies
Get started with a backyard beekeeping hobby! We have a starter kit to create your own hive and supplies to use as you progress.
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25% Off Garden Wall Art
Brighten up walls and fences with unique pieces of outdoor art
for your garden areas!
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20% Off
McCutcheon's Fine Food Products
Made with that old-fashioned, homemade quality and taste that you'll love. Fruit butters, preserves, jams, and jellies — just the thing for those autumn breakfasts!
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Offers good through Thursday, October 17
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Saturday Classes and October Events
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Orchids:Exotic, but Easy
Saturday, September 28
10:00-11:00 am
Orchids are beautiful, fascinating, and surprisingly easy to grow! Learn some of the best varieties for your home,
as well as tips and techniques to successfully grow and re-bloom orchids.
Presented by: Shirlee McDaniels,
The Denver Orchid Society
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Harvesting & Preserving Herbs
Saturday, September 28
2:00-3:00 pm
Learn how to harvest and preserve the fresh herbs you grew this spring and summer to add year-round flavor to your favorite recipes!
Presented by: Whitney McMillan,
Echter's Indoor Plant Manager
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Fall Quilt Show
Friday, October 4 - Sunday, October 6
The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum will display an exhibit of quilts at Echter's! This popular display includes a wide range of styles from heirloom to contemporary, and has become an annual tradition for quilt lovers!
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Unsurpassable Daffodil is one of the earliest to bloom. It is a mid-sized trumpet daffodil, boasting huge, brilliant golden-yellow flowers in early spring. This heirloom daffodil is extremely showy, vigorous, and an excellent choice for naturalizing.
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eeBoo is an award-winning boutique toy manufacturer that creates a refreshing variety of memory games, card games, sketch books, colored pencils, and puzzles. They are manufactured with the highest quality and encourage literacy, basic math, and story-telling skills.
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Handbags are not just for ladies anymore! Canvas bags from The Prairie Schooner are a great way to keep yourself organized on the go. Each bag is made of colorful, durable canvas, with metal and faux leather accents. We offer many different styles, from smaller sling bags, to larger messenger bags. There is a style to fit everyone's needs!
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- Pet Pals Lop-Ear Rabbits
- Rabbit's Foot Fern
- Richlawn Organic Fertilizer
- Ghost Train Bearded Iris
- Western Red Cedar Mulch
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Coupon
Buy 1, Get 1 FREE
Blooming Indoor Plants
Take advantage of this offer to add some beautiful flowering plants to your home or office. Terrific selection.
Mix or match. Least expensive plant is free.
w/coupon only-Offer expires 10/24/19
Limit 2 free.
Coupon cannot be combined with any other offer. Valid at Echter's Garden Center only.
Coupons subject to change without notice. Distribution on property prohibited.
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Coupon
$5.00 Off
Black Oil Sunflower Seed
Attract a wide variety of desirable birds from just one feeder! Giant 40 lb. bag
Reg. $19.95
w/coupon only-Offer expires 10/24/19
Coupon cannot be combined with any other offer. Valid at Echter's Garden Center only.
Coupons subject to change without notice. Distribution on property prohibited.
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Tips
Trees & Shrubs... Deep water your trees & shrubs every three weeks now. Taper down to once every 4-6 weeks throughout the winter. Do not fertilize trees now. Avoid excessive pruning of trees and shrubs, because pruning encourages new growth to begin and you want the plants to harden off before going into dormancy for the winter.
Bulbs... October is the best month to plant your spring-flowering bulbs. Fertilize with bulb food or bone meal when you plant the bulbs. Water them in thoroughly after planting.
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52nd &oGarrison o (5150oGarrison St.) Map 303-424-7979
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