What’s Growing on in the Garden: October 2024

By the time October rolls around, most of our flowers have started to fade, and I have turned my attention to wrapping up the season. I collect seeds and harvest the final flowers for drying while the threat of a season-ending frost looms. However, a few flower exceptions have become quintessential fall blooms on the farm. I’m looking at you, dahlias, and chrysanthemums! Let’s look at what was blooming here on the farm in October.

Fall is when the dahlias truly shine for us. When all the other blooms in the garden start to fade, dahlias are in their finest moments. Dahlias will bloom throughout October and into November when we haven’t gotten a hard frost. They extend the season in the most stunning way. Dahlias are highly responsive to environmental conditions, and their colors can change as the season progresses. The bloom color can become more intense or take on warmer or cooler tones based on the weather. For example, light peach petal tones in the spring can become vibrant corals by fall. They are stunning this time of year and fill our hearts with joy.

This season, we held a small trial of heirloom chrysanthemums to see if they would grow well on the farm. We grew five varieties: Bronze Fleece, Kelvin Tattoo, Annie Girl, Seaton’s Coffee, and Kokka Hougiku. They began to bloom in October and were truly lovely. I was pleased with the results and plan to extend our trial into next season. It was lovely having flowers on the farm even after the dahlias started to fade. Dare I say that chrysanthemums may compete with dahlias as the queen of the fall flowers!

Our cosmos, resilient as ever, held on late into October, a reminder of summer well into fall. The bright and cheery pink blooms of Candystripe cosmos, with their whimsical, light, airy nature, were a treat late into the fall, starkly contrasting the typical muted color palette. These late bloomers, with their vibrant hues, not only took our breath away but also filled us with a sense of inspiration and joy. And the pollinators, always a welcome sight, enjoyed them just as much as we did!

When working closely with Mother Nature, unexpected challenges often arise. This past season, we’ve had to contend with drought and invasive pests such as the Asian Jumping Worm and Spongy Moth. Now, a new threat has arrived at the farm: the Spotted Lanternfly. These invasive insects, a long-standing problem in states south of us, have finally made their way to New York. We’ve been expecting this, but their impact on our farm remains uncertain. As always, I’ll need to stay vigilant and be willing to pivot with these challenges.

Despite several light frosts in October, our dahlias were still blooming and feeding the whistling bees. But this past weekend, we finally got a hard frost that ended our 2024 growing season. It’s always a bittersweet moment to bid farewell. I’ll miss the flowers immensely but am also eager to plant and dream for the coming season. And honestly, I look forward to the rest that I and the farm need and that winter affords. This transition always brings a wave of nostalgia and reflection, a time to look back at the season’s highs and lows, and to plan for the future.

Every season, I have a ritual before a hard frost comes and before I dive headfirst into all the fall farm chores that need to be completed. I make one last arrangement just for me. I take my time harvesting and foraging for the ingredients, stopping to soak in the beauty of every petal and leaf. I stop. I breathe. I reflect. As I place each stem into the arrangement, I reminisce about the season, what I loved and didn’t, the triumphs and failures, what I learned and can teach, and which direction I want to take our farm in the future. But most importantly, I take a moment to be grateful for playing a part in bringing beauty and joy into the world through flowers.

Now that the growing season has ended, I will focus on preparing the farm for winter. Thousands of bulbs need to be planted for spring blooms; dahlias need to be dug up, divided, and stored; compost and straw need to be spread; supports and irrigation need to be stored; and plants that will overwinter in the field need to be tucked into their beds. There is still much to do! But, as I complete each task, I will enjoy dreaming of the coming season. That’s what’s been growing on in my garden; what’s been growing on in yours?