October What To Do Now Calendar

Care for houseplants – Clean foliage, water regularly and fertilize. Repot as necessary. For more information on caring for houseplants, go to the Bayer Advanced houseplant page. To feed and protect from insects, use Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Insect Control plus Fertilizer Plant Spikes – no spraying, no mess. Just push the spikes into the soil for up to eight weeks of nutrition and protection. To control existing insects, use Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use. Bring houseplants back indoors before temperatures drop into the 50s.

Care for roses – Remove faded flowers, cutting back to the first leaf with five leaflets. Roses, such as floribundas and shrubs, which bloom in clusters, can be lightly sheared after blooms fade. In coldest areas, cut plants back to 12 to 18 inches and apply winter protection as the ground begins to freeze. For more information on protecting roses in winter, click here.

Control indoor/outdoor pests – To control pests like spiders, fleas and cockroaches, use Bayer Advanced™ Home Pest plus Germ* Killer Indoor and Outdoor Insect Killer Ready-To-Spray, the only non-aerosol home pest killer that kills insects and reduces up to 99.9% of the germs* they may leave behind. For easier-than-ever control of roaches, use Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Roach Killer Power Pen® Ready-To-Use. For more information, visit the Bayer Advanced home pest control Web page. If just outdoor ants are your problem and you prefer to use a granule, use Bayer Advanced™ Triple Action Ant Killer Granules.

*Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes on hard, non-porous, non-food contact surfaces. No residual sanitizer action. Not for primary use as a sanitizer.

Control lawn pests – This is your last chance this year to solve your grub problems. Apply Bayer Advanced™ 24-Hour Grub Killer Plus Granules. For more on grub control, click here.

Fertilize lawns – In most areas, there is still time to feed cool-season lawns like Kentucky bluegrass and fescues. But don’t wait any longer. Fall is the very best time to feed your lawn.

Fertilize plants – Fall is an ideal time to fertilize landscape plants. Even though growth of many plants is slowing, roots can still absorb nutrients.

Mow – Lawns are growing slowly. Mow as needed but don’t let fallen leaves accumulate for too long. Your lawn needs the sunlight. Rake leaves regularly and often.

Plant flowers – Nurseries are full of beautifully colored mums. Use them to enliven your fall garden. And don’t forget hardy perennials like penstemon, gaillardia, phlox and iberis. Sow wildflower seeds. It’s also a great time (you have until mid-November) to plant spring bulbs, such as crocus, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. Protect new plantings from insects with Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use. It kills pests immediately on contact and keeps killing by systemic action for a month. One thorough spray saves you time and money.

Plant lawns – In milder areas, there may still be time to start cool-season lawns like Kentucky bluegrass and fescues. For more on lawn planting and overseeding, click here.

Plant trees and shrubs – Autumn is the best time of year for new landscaping. The coming cooler weather will ease establishment and make sure plants get off to a strong start next spring. Plant new trees and shrubs, including roses from containers. Feed and protect new plantings with Bayer Advanced™ 12-Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Concentrate or Bayer Advanced™ Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Granules. Water carefully.

Protect trees and shrubs – Protect valuable trees and shrubs from next year’s insects, including aphids, scale and borers, with Bayer Advanced™ 12-Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Concentrate or Bayer Advanced™ Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Granules. One application in fall feeds and protects for up to 12 months. Handpick bagworms to reduce next year’s problem.

Rake – Raking our lawns to make our property neat is a good idea, but we need to keep our grass raked of dead leaves for a much more important reason. All plants, including grass, get energy via photosynthesis. If the grass is covered, it cannot make energy. Strong grass overwinters much better and gets off to a faster start next spring.

Water – Before the soil freezes, deeply water trees and shrubs thoroughly to prevent winter drying. Drain irrigation systems to prevent freezing. Be sure to follow all local watering guidelines.