10 Gardening Activities for October in Northern California

1. Plant Bulbs

This is the prime month for bulb planting, though you can put bulbs in the ground as late as early December. If you haven’t done your bulb shopping, you should do it now. Many of the bulb suppliers sell out of the best varieties. Typically, it’s best to buy bulbs from a reliable online supplier such as Brent and Becky's Bulbs, Colorblends, or Old House Gardens where you’ll get the highest quality bulbs at reasonable prices. From a design perspective, it’s often best to plant bulbs in large masses or groups. This creates a color-blocking effect (one tulip here or there is fine, but 100 in a group is stunning). Bulbs also look great massed in containers. If you’re planting them in containers, be sure to store the containers in a cool, dry place until spring. Then bring them outdoors and place in a sunny location. Start watering when foliage sprouts. Check out this video that shows how to make a layered bulb planting in a container.

2. Continue Planting Trees, Shrubs & Perennials

October is often the best month to plant in Northern California because temperatures start to go down, and rain becomes more frequent, supplementing irrigation. Though you can plant just about any trees, shrubs, or perennials that are not frost-sensitive, native plants are especially good to plant this month as the upcoming weather helps them get established. For native plants, look to online suppliers in the Bay Area such as Annie's Annuals & Perennials, Digging Dog Nursery, or your local nursery. Some great native plants to try in Northern California include ceanothus, manzanita, coast sunflower, western redbud, California flannel bush, deer grass, salvias, sages, monkey flower, California fuchsia, blue-eyed grass, sargent cypress, silk tassel, and California sycamore. Learn more about what to plant in fall.

3. Update Container Gardens for Fall and Winter

Some ornamental grasses may still look good in containers at this time of year, but most summer-blooming plants in containers are finished by now. Now’s the time to refresh your containers for fall and beyond. By mixing fall-colored perennials and annuals with evergreen conifers, you can create arrangements that look seasonal through winter. Mix conifers with plants such as ornamental grasses, chrysanthemum, coleus, potato vine, sneezeweed, or asters. Buy dwarf conifers from reliable suppliers such as Singing Tree Gardens. They sell and ship unique varieties in sizes ranging from 4-inch to 3-gallon pots. Another option is to stick to low-water plants such as succulents, palms, and cacti. For more container gardening advice, watch this Container Gardening 101 video.

4. Plant Cool-Season Annuals

Because California’s winters are so mild, fall is almost like a second spring. October is a great time to plant cool-season annuals such as calendula, Iceland poppies, and pansies. Annie's Annuals & Perennials has a terrific selection of poppies—from varieties with shaggy edges to peony-like blooms.

5. Sow Wildflower Seeds

This is the time to sow seeds for California wildflowers. If you have an open patch of space in your garden, plant wildflowers to add color and life. Many wildflowers attract a variety of pollinators such as honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. You can even get specialized mixes for your region. American Meadows has a California Central Valley Wildflower Seed Mix that is designed to take more heat than the Coastal California Wildflower Seed Mix supplied by Eden Brothers. If you live in a dry area, try the Dry Area Wildflower Seed Mix.

6. Plan a Fall or Winter Project

Since there’s less to do in the garden during fall and winter, it’s a great time to work on building projects. Consider building new raised beds, a native bee hotel, or chicken coop. For ideas on raised beds, check out galleries at Edible Gardens LA and Homestead Design Collective. If you’re thinking of going the native bee habitat route check out this beautiful creation from Rose Thicket Design. If you’re interested in building a chicken coop, check out a few examples from Garden Answer and Heather Bullard (she even sells plans). After seeing these gorgeous examples, it’s easy to see why so many gardeners want to add one to their backyard.

7. Get Ideas from Inspiring Designers

This is a great time of year to think about the overall design of your garden. Do you need to add walls on a hillside for structure? Do you need shade in a sunny part of your garden? Would a deck or a fire pit area work along your back fence? One of the best ways to get ideas is to look at websites of local designers. Here are a few Bay Area garden designers whose work will provide you with ample ideas: Growsgreen, Pine House Edible Gardens, Daniel Nolan Design. A major benefit of looking at the work of local designers is that the plants they use are more likely to work in your garden than plants you see elsewhere. And, to top it off, if you need a little assistance you can always hire them to help with your garden!

8. Visit the UC Davis Arboretum

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is known for its agricultural expertise and programs, but it’s a great place for all gardeners because they have so many different types of gardens to observe—from oak and redwood groves to native plant gardens, edible gardens to perennial gardens. There’s also a teaching nursery so you can take plants home with you. Looking for more great gardens to visit? Check out our self-guided day trip to three beautiful San Francisco gardens.

9. Rake Leaves & Add Them to Your Compost Pile or Garden Beds

If you’re planning to rake up your leaves this fall, don’t throw them away! Dry, fallen leaves area a valuable natural garden fertilizer that make a terrific addition to compost piles because they are packed with carbon and trace minerals—nutrients that trees absorb through their roots. It’s best to shred your leaves if possible so they take up less space in the compost pile and break down into the soil faster when used to top-dress garden beds. To learn more about using leaves to fuel your garden, read this article from Gardener's Supply Company.

10. Dry Herbs & Save Seeds

Before summer herbs decline, be sure to harvest a few large bushels to dry and add to your pantry for winter use. Flavor will be best if you harvest before the herbs flower. There are a few ways to dry herbs including hanging and rack drying. To learn more about how to dry herbs check out this article from Sue Goetz. October (and possibly into November and December) is also a good time to start saving seeds. Gardeners are often surprised that it is quite easy to save seeds from many fruits, vegetables, and flowering perennials. Before you begin, get some basic information about seed saving by watching this video by Seed Savers Exchange.