October 2022 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Mariette]

Thanks to 115 mm rainfall in September, the garden tends to look fresh again. 



Crocus are a delight now and self-seed in the garden. ´Zephyr´ is one I grow since many years, it produces seedlings looking alike, but also some looking like blue-flowered Crocus pulchellus, which I never planted.



This large-flowered seedling is probably  a hybrid of Crocus ´Zephyr´ with Crocus speciosus ´Albus´, somewhat showier than the latter.



Many of the species do not approve of my heavy clay, but some seedlings of Crocus goulimyi, planted last fall, survived.



The fragile beauty of the nerines looks especially refreshing at this time of the year.

[Gabriela]

Thanks to 115 mm rainfall in September, the garden tends to look fresh again. 

Beautiful Mariette. The rain was long awaited here, only recently started and now also Crocus is showing up.
But the main attraction in October is the fall coloration of the trees (and not only) in many parts of Canada. It was hard to select just a few pictures.

[Jeffnz]

I remember fall in Canada as being the most pleasant season, gone were the hot balmy days of summer, by cooler fall temperatures and spectacular autumnal colours.

[Leena]

Mariette, the picture with Geranium and Cyclamen is beautiful.

Autumn in Canada looks wonderful!
Here most of the leaves have fallen now. Some Colchicums still flower, and also some asters, though they are not looking so good after last days rain.
Evergreen leaves of Helleborus are now looking good, and I hope these plants will flower again next spring (their buds were frozen and damaged last spring).
Also Rhododendrons are good now, and silver leaf Pulmonaria 'Majeste', as well as ferns.

[Gabriela]

I remember fall in Canada as being the most pleasant season, gone were the hot balmy days of summer, by cooler fall temperatures and spectacular autumnal colours.

True that September and October are spectacular here Jeff. Then November can be put into the winter category, it is a horrible month usually.
So, I personally wouldn't call it the most pleasant season - spring still comes first!

[Gabriela]

Autumn in Canada looks wonderful!
Here most of the leaves have fallen now. Some Colchicums still flower, and also some asters, though they are not looking so good after last days rain.
Evergreen leaves of Helleborus are now looking good, and I hope these plants will flower again next spring (their buds were frozen and damaged last spring).
Also Rhododendrons are good now, and silver leaf Pulmonaria 'Majeste', as well as ferns.

We are almost at the same 'fall level' Leena, just that it was very warm in September so most trees changed colors late and are still holding their leaves for a little while.
Soon we'll start to appreciate more/again the Helleborus, the ferns and all other evergreens from the garden.

Crocus speciosus only showed up recently.

[corydalisambigua]

Beautiful shot with the yellowing foliage.

[Mariette]

Thank You for Your kind comment, Gabriela and Leena!

Indeed, the autumn colours in Gabriela´s garden are gorgeous! Indian Summer is definitely a great temptation for European tourists!

Crocus speciosus may flower any time between September and November, depending on weather and clone. ´September Rain´should be one of the first.



´Cassiope´, to the left, and ´Oxonian´, to the right, usually flower in October.



Persicaria microcephala ´Silver Brown´disappeared completely during the drought of summer, but popped up again now.



My favourite Arum italicum is ´Chui´.

[Akke]

A lot of things have been and are happening here, personally. At the end of the day there’s usually no energy left. (Busy is not the right word I think, Robert, occupied seems to fit better. )

Well, not much writing, but I did read and enjoyed the lovely pictures despite the bad conditions earlier. Lots of beautiful ones, I agree that Crocus specioses with the dying leaves is very good, Gabriela.


A mix of fall and summer. Crocus kotschyanus both normal and ‘leucopharynx’ (Crocus specioses ‘oxanian’ in the back), Prospero autumnale, Sternbergia lutea, Allium callimischon var callimischon and unknown Escholzia made a lovely scene last week.


Other containers are less abundant, a few Crocus and Colchicum are showing up. Crocus asumaniae looked good in the afternoon sun.


In the park, the right kind of Crocus kotschyanus (the dutch ones I got in the beginning, never flowered) sort of exploded this year. Maybe more seedpods are ready when they start mowing now, which is considerably later (starting three or four years ago).
Despite the mild wheather, 15C and record +20C expected end of the week, the trees in the park are very colourful as well, exotic Liquidambar styraciflua (?) is not as ‘flaming’ as other years, yellow Carpinus betulus is one of my favourites.

Last thing about this season, the bees (and butterflies) have been missing here this season, at least at the usual spots. They visited my containers, but an interested neighbour and me missed them where we know them to come in big numbers. 

Growing mostly bulbs, this period feels like starting a new season, just a few left to be planted late.

[Jeffnz]

The absence of bees is a huge concern, a gardening friend in Canada reported the same thing occurred in her garden.
Are there any bee keepers with hives near you?  They would be the best source of info on the state of bee populations in your area and may be able to explain the absence of bees.

[Akke]

Are there any bee keepers with hives near you?  They would be the best source of info on the state of bee populations in your area and may be able to explain the absence of bees.

Good idea, thanks, I think I know one close enough. Hope he knows about the bumble bees as well.

[Jeffnz]

Neonicotinoid insecticides are highly toxic to bees, here they have been withdrawn from a sale to home gardeners for some years now. However the same does not apply to commercial users. The logic that was applied to this decision was that home gardeners use chemical sprays indiscriminately. Do you have any spray access restrictions? Effective control of aphids using contact insecticide sprays is a challenge.
Varroa mites infect hives and kill large numbers of bees which x can also lead to a reduction in bee numbers.
I grow hellebores and this gives bees access to a pollen source at a time of year when other sources are unavailable, the only down side is that they compete with my pollinating brush but this is a battle I am prepared to accept.

[Akke]

As far as I know most, if not all, insecticides have been banned here for private use. Never bothered to find out about the details as I’m not going to use them anyway, I admit this is a lot easier if just gardening in containers.
Starting this spring I noticed less bees on my own early bulb species, maybe they were not so hungry, the first fine spring days didn’t have a real winter week shortly before. Apart from other observations, most convincing for me was the lack of bumble bees in part of the university garden nearby late in the season, I’m afraid the garden isn’t very interesting, the buzz was. As professionals do the gardening there is a possibilty of insecticides, except that I never noticed dying or ‘drunk’ bees and given the previous years, it looks as if they selected the plants for bees.
Flowering was of course less because of the dry summer, but still a good amount left.
Back to the bee-keeper.

[ArnoldT]

I've planted a number of bee friendly trees ( Evodia) now known as Tetradium.

Also only used organic materials for pest control. Spinosad, Neem and other new materials based on bacteria and fungus for pest control.

There's a new one out using the Australian funnel web spider venom. Spear-T.

I live in an urban area just 6miles outside NYC.

[Jeffnz]

Was not aware of Spear T, not available here but its use seems to be targeted for closed green houses rather than open gardens.
Will keep and eye out for it