October Garden Guide
October Gardening Guide for the Pacific Northwest
Cool morning air gracefully ushers us into October. The ebb and flow of temperatures brings a colorful change to the Pacific Northwest. The days can still offer moments of warmth, but the cold nights remind us that winter is near. In many cultures, October is a time to honor the cycle of life and death, and our gardens reflect that wisdom as they slow down for the season.
This is also a month of preparation—of planting for the future and protecting the tender plants that will carry on through the colder months. Here’s how you can embrace the October gardening season and how Eco-Restore can assist in creating a resilient, thriving garden for years to come.
Building Cloches for Winter Protection
Cloches provide an effective way to extend your growing season by shielding plants from frost and cold temperatures. October is the ideal time to construct these simple structures while the weather is still manageable. Cloches protect winter crops like leafy greens and overwintering brassicas, allowing you to harvest fresh produce even during the coldest months.
Eco-Restore can help you design and build cloches tailored to your garden’s needs, ensuring the right protection for your crops and microclimate.
Planting Onions, Garlic, and Alliums
October is the perfect time to plant members of the Allium family, including garlic (Artichoke, Hardneck, Silverskin), onions (such as Rakkyo and Multiplier varieties), and shallots. These aromatic plants benefit from the cooler soil temperatures and the long, slow growth over winter, allowing them to develop robust bulbs by the time summer arrives. Garlic, in particular, will be ready to harvest by late June or early July, offering a rewarding return on your fall planting efforts.
Why Now? Alliums need a cold period to stimulate bulb formation, making fall the ideal time to plant them. By getting them in the ground before the first frost, you'll set yourself up for a bountiful harvest next year.
Sowing Fava Beans and Snow Peas
October is also a fantastic time to sow fava beans and snow peas. Fava beans are especially hardy and can overwinter, giving you a tasty spring treat. By late spring, you’ll be enjoying sautéed fava beans alongside garlic scapes harvested from your fall-planted garlic. Snow peas sown now can start producing tender pods as early as late winter in mild regions.
Why Now? These legumes thrive in the cool, moist conditions that fall and winter bring in the PNW. They also improve soil health by fixing nitrogen, making them a great choice for permaculture-minded gardeners.
Eco-Restore can assist in soil preparation and garden layout, ensuring your legumes have the ideal conditions to flourish. We also specialize in applying permaculture principles, so your garden becomes more sustainable and productive over time.
Planting Spring Flowering Bulbs
October is prime time for planting spring-flowering bulbs. These hardy bulbs need the winter chill to establish roots and prepare for a vibrant spring show. The following bulbs are particularly well-suited to naturalizing, meaning they will return year after year, multiplying and spreading:
Asparagus Family: Glory of the Snow Chionodoxa spp., Grape Hyacinth Muscari spp.
Buttercup Family: Grecian Windflower (Anemone blanda varieties like Charmer, Violet Star, and White Splendor)
Iris Family: Crocus spp. (Ladykiller, Blue Bird, Snowbunting), Iris reticulata (Joyce, Natasha, Edward, J.S. Dijt)
Lily Family: Dogtooth Violet (Erythronium spp. such as Pagoda), Mission Bells (Fritillaria spp. including Checker Lily and Crown Imperial)
Why Now? Planting bulbs in October allows them to establish strong root systems before the ground freezes, ensuring they’ll put on a stunning display come spring. With proper care, many of these varieties will naturalize, growing in beauty year after year.
Eco-Restore can assist in selecting and planting the right bulbs for your garden, helping you create a perennial display that enhances biodiversity while reducing maintenance over time. Additionally, we can install one of our many Specialty Gardens (with or without a raised bed) that will offer a rewarding return on your fall planting efforts.
Grass Family for Soil Health: Barley, Oats, Rye, Spelt, Triticale, and Wheat
For gardeners interested in cover crops, grains like barley, oats, rye, spelt, triticale, and wheat can be sown in October. These grasses act as green manure, protecting your soil from erosion and adding organic matter when tilled back into the earth come spring. They also suppress weeds, making them a great choice for building healthier soil.
Why Now? Sowing these grasses before winter ensures they establish a protective mat over the soil, safeguarding your garden during the wet season. Sow in time for germination prior to heavy rains.
Eco-Restore can guide you in integrating cover crops into your garden system, optimizing their benefits for your soil's long-term health.
Final Thoughts
October in the PNW is all about setting up for a vibrant spring and winter garden success. With the right planning, your garden can provide nourishment and beauty even as the natural cycle winds down.
How Eco-Restore Can Help:
Building custom cloches to protect your crops
Creating planting plans that incorporate overwintering crops
Helping you choose and plant the right bulbs and cover crops for your specific garden
Offering soil health consultations to ensure your garden thrives season after season
Let Eco-Restore be your guide as you prepare for winter, ensuring your garden continues to thrive even as the colder months set in.
