October ushers in cooler weather, following the more up and down weather in September. Colder nights help the leaves change to all the anticipated fall colors, and the pumpkins to turn orange in time for Halloween. Days become noticeably shorter- fall is definitely in the air. October has the vote of people in the gardening business as being the very best time of the year to plant trees and large shrubs, plus other things. There is a very good, common sense reason for this. We have long, hot summers that warm the soil enough for it to stay warm into early winter. The weather is beginning to cool down so you are not planting into more hot weather, making it easier for the newly planted item to adapt. It is going into its dormant season making the demands on the developing root system for survival much fewer. The deciduous plants take even more strain off the root system by dropping all of their leaves. Roots will continue to grow fairly quickly in the warm soil, slowing down only when the soil becomes cold, and even then will expand slowly. Hopefully rain will come to help keep the plant watered, and …
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