October ’25: Mild, dry and stunning

For a split second yesterday morning, after a quick glance at the neighbors’ roof, I thought it had snowed. Thankfully it was just frost, but this one was significant enough to knock back a number of things, including my Sungold tomato vine that’s still laden with unripe fruit. It’s too soon for snow, and I couldn’t tell you when we got our first killing frost last year because I hadn’t begun keeping my usual notebook yet. I am now, and I want to start doing a little monthly summary/scrapbook here, which I’m calling my Almanac. That might arguably not be the exact right term, but whatever! Below are assorted snapshots and factoids from October in this little rectangle of Planet Earth, for present and future reference.

WEATHER
We had an unseasonably warm first week of the month but fairly average temps after that. And rain continued to be scarce. Weather Channel says we got just under 2.5" (less than half the historical average) but I believe we got less than that at my house. Note that it’s the 28th and we might get some rain at the end of the week*—
Highest high temp: 85° on Oct 5
Lowest high temp: 53° on Oct 27 (projected to stay the lowest)
Average high temp: 65°
Rain days: 4, but only 1 with enough rain to count
First frost (light): morning of Oct 10, no real impact other than the driveway fence vines
First killing frost: morning of Oct 27

THE LARGER LANDSCAPE
After a warmer and drier than average season, the famous fall leaves have been somewhat less vibrant than usual, but October was still spectacularly beautiful in the Hudson Valley. Over the weekend (4th weekend) I went to a season-end sale at one nursery and then went to another to buy mulch, only to find it completely emptied of everything but the bagged soils and mulches and such. Everyone is preparing to either close up for the season or bring in the Christmas trees.

GARDEN NOTES
Yesterday’s frost, as noted, knocked back the Sungold vine and the dahlias, three of which were still actually thinking about making a flower, but I assumed they wouldn’t get there before the frost got them. The baby field peas I sowed in two of the cloth bags (that had held afflicted tomato plants) are only about 5-6" high and it looks like they might have withstood this frost. Hopefully they will get a little more time before a harder frost cuts short their work on that soil.
I did get the plants from Friday’s sale trip into the ground on Sunday — an aster and three boneset in the gap in the back corner where the evergreens will eventually converge, to which I will likely add some grasses in the spring. And I did not manage to get my hands on any crocus bulbs, despite multiple attempts.

Planted this month:
• 2 Thuja Full Speed A Hedge / American Pillar plants that I had mail ordered in Aug and taken inconsistent care of in their dinky nursery pots
• 1 Smooth Aster (from my Keystone list)
• 3 Upland Boneset
• 1 blue Hyssop tucked behind the Amsonia left of the big Juniper
• Scattered unknown/assorted Echinacea seeds from J around the hedgerow

REMAINING TO-DOs
• Dig up the dahlias and store the tubers
• Cut down the Sungold vine and pull out remaining herbs
• Store the terra cotta pots in the garage
• Cardboard and mulch the front edge of the front-of-house bed to extend it forward (for augmenting next year)

NOTES TO SELF FOR THE FUTURE
• If the two above-mentioned Thujas survive the winter, may want to move them, but it seemed like putting them in the ground was their best chance at a future
• After having successfully overwintered a few dormant things in nursery pots last winter, I’m rolling the dice on a few more this year. Make sure in spring to record what survived and what didn’t!
• Figure out when to start the dahlias inside, make a calendar reminder
• Remember not to put any nightshades in the Sungold pot next year, unless you can sow something in it first in late winter?
• Next fall: crocus bulbs

I would love to hear about October in your garden!

*My thoughts are with everyone in the path of Hurricane Melissa this week.