Those last few brutally hot days of August and September make gentle, leafy, abundant October days that much more welcome. As the last of the summer harvest comes in and the garden and area farm stands give us one last chance for fresh corn, watermelon and tree fruits and nuts… we get to enjoy the bounty… but we also get to turn our thoughts to Fall planting. It’s a time of decay, but also a time of renewal! We missed you, pansies and cool-season veggies!

Cool-Season Veggies & Herbs

Say goodbye soon to basil and tomatoes… and hello again to lettuce, broccoli, kale and other cool-season crops that you can plant from starts and seed. After you’ve deconstructed your summer veggie garden, add 2-4 inches of compost or planting mix to garden beds before planting your winter garden. Also replace container soil if you can… or at least top it off with fresh potting soil.

Add in some EB Stone Sure Start fertilizer or Down to Earth’s Starter Mix and your plants will have the best chance of success. We also carry a Vegan Mix for gardeners who prefer plant-based fertilizers. The attention you pay to your soil will pay dividends above ground.

Flowering Sweet Peas

October is the magic planting time for flowering Sweet Peas in Sacramento. Planted now, the seedlings will form strong roots and a bit of shoot… and will just kind of sit there until taking off at the optimum time in early spring. Sweet peas thrive in cooler weather, so you want to adhere to this schedule to avoid the disappointing experience of planting them too late in the season. When shopping for sweet peas, you’ll have a choice of scented vs. non-scented, heirlooms vs. exciting new hybrids, and reseeders vs. non-reseeding varieties. There’s something for everyone! Bonus: sweet peas make the sweetest cut flower!

Cover Crops

Plant fava beans, bell beans, common vetch, and peas now through late October as a future nitrogen source and to help prevent erosion in beds that are not in use. See UC ANR COVER CROPPING IN HOME VEGETABLE GARDENS for more info.

Wildflowers

October is the perfect time to broadcast wildflower seeds in the sunniest, most inhospitable-looking parts of your garden. They’ll germinate with the rains and provide you with a Spring show. California poppies are always a good choice, and there are some fun wildflower mixes if you’re looking for more variety.

California Natives

Fall is the ideal time to plant California native plants. We look for varieties for sun and shade, so if your yard is shady but you still want to go native, ask us for suggestions!

Trees, shrubs & Other Landscape Plants

It’s the ideal time to plant shade trees… shrubs for privacy and to soften the look of your house’s foundation and edges… vines for vertical interest… and perennials to add color and texture to flowerbeds. Visit the Sacramento Tree Foundation website for help in selecting the right trees for your yard.

Spring Bulbs

It’s time to buy and plant spring bulbs! You’ll find the widest selection now, and except for tulips, hyacinths and crocus, plant now! Tulips, hyacinths and crocus  benefit from 6 weeks of pre-chilling in the fridge (Write on the bag, “FLOWER BULBS… DO NOT EAT!”). Pre-chilling gives you taller stems and larger flowers.

By mid-October, we’re expecting the arrival of paperwhites and amaryllis. Both are well-suited to forcing indoors for the holidays.

Pumpkins & Halloween

Our Halloween Pumpkin Patch is open! From mini Munchkin pumpkins to large carving pumpkins, you’re bound to find the perfect pumpkin in a spooky fun setting. Ours have really great stems this year.

There’s also a long-lasting little hard-shelled ‘Iron Man’ pumpkin that is perfect for painting with kids… and for Thanksgiving displays.

We’re also expecting hand-blown glass pumpkins by Chihuly-trained artist Jesse Kelly this week. Black, orange and spiny plants are perfect for Halloween porch displays. Show us your Plant Foundry Jack-O’-Lanterns and pumpkin patch photos on Insta! Be sure to tag us! @plantfoundry #plantfoundryhalloween #plantfoundry