Moon Planting calendar of October

ORCHARD: Harvest apple, pear, plum, strawberry, raspberry, walnut; make preserves if needed / If you want to prepare your own rootstock for grafting fruit trees, cold-stratify peach, apricot and plum stones: toss them in a pot filled with sand buried all winter long near a north-facing wall.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Harvest cucumber, pickle, zucchini and strawberry, as well as any squash and pumpkin that might already be ripe (dry stem and yellow leaves) / In mild regions, sow faba bean / In warmer climates, sow jujuba.

ORCHARD: 2nd day for harvesting apple, pear, plum, strawberry, raspberry, walnut; make preserves if needed / If you want to prepare your own rootstock for grafting fruit trees, cold-stratify peach, apricot and plum stones: toss them in a pot filled with sand buried all winter long near a north-facing wall.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow monthly cycle radish / Sow early carrot in the plot / Sow black salsify for a harvest in fall 2024, starting in October and continuing into winter / You can still try sowing a few early "pencil leek" (select cold-hardy winter varieties): you won't need to transplant them and they'll be ready for harvest next May / Cold-stratify root chervil seeds in a pot filled with sand and buried outdoors near a North-facing wall.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for planting monthly cycle radish / Sow early carrot in the plot / Sow black salsify for a harvest in fall 2024, starting in October and continuing into winter / You can still try sowing a few early "pencil leek" (select cold-hardy winter varieties): you won't need to transplant them and they'll be ready for harvest next May / Cold-stratify root chervil seeds in a pot filled with sand and buried outdoors near a North-facing wall.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for planting monthly cycle radish / Sow early carrot in the plot / Sow black salsify for a harvest in fall 2024, starting in October and continuing into winter / You can still try sowing a few early "pencil leek" (select cold-hardy winter varieties): you won't need to transplant them and they'll be ready for harvest next May / Cold-stratify root chervil seeds in a pot filled with sand and buried outdoors near a North-facing wall.

LANDSCAPING: Plant biennials and perennials sown this summer; also plant daylily and peony / Plant spring bulbs and lily (except for Madonna lily) / Plant flower shrubs / As the first frosts draw near, pull out begonia, dahlia, canna and gladiolus and store them safely once bulbs and rhizomes have dried out a bit.

Until 6 PM (18:00), flower day:

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for planting biennials and perennials sown this summer; also plant daylily and peony / Plant spring bulbs and lily (except for Madonna lily) / Plant flower shrubs / As the first frosts draw near, pull out begonia, dahlia, canna and gladiolus and store them safely once bulbs and rhizomes have dried out a bit.

After 6 PM (18:00), entering a leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: If not done yet, transplant white cabbage to the growing bed (use root dip if you can't keep the clump whole when pulling the seedlings out), spacing distance 16 inches (40 cm), ridge immediately / Sow green manure (rye and vetch) on vacant plots in the vegetable patch / Protect tarragon: cut leafage back and cover with fern fronds

Harvest mature kohlrabi (remaining ones can grow until early November): cut roots and leaves off and store in a cellar in a crate of sand.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for transplanting white cabbage to the growing bed (use root dip if you can't keep the clump whole when pulling the seedlings out); space them by 16 inches (40 cm) and ridge them / Sow green manure (rye and vetch) on vacant plots in the vegetable patch / Protect tarragon: cut leafage back and cover with fern fronds

Harvest mature kohlrabi (remaining ones can grow until early November): cut roots and leaves off and store in a cellar in a crate of sand.

Before 9:19 AM, leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for transplanting white cabbage to the growing bed (use root dip if you can't keep the clump whole when pulling the seedlings out); space them by 16 inches (40 cm) and ridge them / Sow green manure (rye and vetch) on vacant plots in the vegetable patch / Protect tarragon: cut leafage back and cover with fern fronds

Harvest mature kohlrabi (remaining ones can grow until early November): cut roots and leaves off and store in a cellar in a crate of sand.

After 9:19 AM, entering a fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: Pick mummified fruits and dead leaves off trees and destroy them; treat fruit trees against brown rot with bordeaux mixture if the weather is mild (50°F or 9°C during the daytime) and dry / Harvest olive if freezing is forecast and bring them to the oil mill immediately, or steep them in brine after bruising or pricking holes in them / Keep planting all berry shrubs sold in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Plant a few last strawberry bushes.

Don't garden before 8:45 AM – moon is at apogee at 3:41 AM

ORCHARD: 2nd day for picking mummified fruits and dead leaves off trees and destroy them; treat fruit trees against brown rot with bordeaux mixture if the weather is mild (50°F or 9°C during the daytime) and dry / Harvest olive if freezing is forecast and bring them to the oil mill immediately, or steep them in brine after bruising or pricking holes in them / Keep planting all berry shrubs sold in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for planting the last strawberry bushes.

ORCHARD: 3rd day for picking mummified fruits and dead leaves off trees and destroy them; treat fruit trees against brown rot with bordeaux mixture if the weather is mild (50°F or 9°C during the daytime) and dry / Harvest olive if freezing is forecast and bring them to the oil mill immediately, or steep them in brine after bruising or pricking holes in them / Keep planting all berry shrubs sold in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for planting the last strawberry bushes.

Before 10:20 AM, fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: 4th day for picking mummified fruits and dead leaves off trees and destroy them; treat fruit trees against brown rot with bordeaux mixture if the weather is mild (50°F or 9°C during the daytime) and dry / Harvest olive if freezing is forecast and bring them to the oil mill immediately, or steep them in brine after bruising or pricking holes in them / Keep planting all berry shrubs sold in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 4th day for planting the last strawberry bushes.

After 10:20 AM, entering a root day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: Plant gray shallot atop ridges in well-draining soil / Plant onion seedlings started off in August-September / Harvest all root vegetables that can't overwinter in the ground (crosnes, red beet) and mulch the rest / Pull out endive (chicory) roots without damaging them, and let them dry out (cure) for a week or two on the ground; protect them from direct sun with a cover of dry leaves or fern fronds; after that, shake excess dirt off, remove smaller roots and cut all foliage just above the crown / Thin your most recent root vegetable sprouts / Prepare plots where you'll soon be planting onion, garlic, chives, Welsh onion...

ORCHARD, LANDSCAPING: Spread ripe compost around your trees.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for planting gray shallot atop ridges in well-draining soil / Plant onion seedlings started off in August-September / Harvest all root vegetables that can't overwinter in the ground (crosnes, red beet) and mulch the rest / Pull out endive (chicory) roots without damaging them, and let them dry out (cure) for a week or two on the ground; protect them from direct sun with a cover of dry leaves or fern fronds; after that, shake excess dirt off, remove smaller roots and cut all foliage just above the crown / Thin your most recent root vegetable sprouts / Prepare plots where you'll soon be planting onion, garlic, chives, Welsh onion...

ORCHARD, LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for spreading ripe compost around your trees.

Don't garden after 12:55 PM (12:55) – solar eclipse at 5:59 PM (17:59)

VEGETABLE PATCH: 4th day for planting gray shallot atop ridges in well-draining soil / Plant onion seedlings started off in August-September / Harvest all root vegetables that can't overwinter in the ground (crosnes, red beet) and mulch the rest / Pull out endive (chicory) roots without damaging them, and let them dry out (cure) for a week or two on the ground; protect them from direct sun with a cover of dry leaves or fern fronds; after that, shake excess dirt off, remove smaller roots and cut all foliage just above the crown / Thin your most recent root vegetable sprouts / Prepare plots where you'll soon be planting onion, garlic, chives, Welsh onion...

ORCHARD, LANDSCAPING: 3rd day for spreading ripe compost around your trees.

Don't garden before 6:15 AM – lunar node at 1:11 AM

VEGETABLE PATCH: 4th day for planting gray shallot atop ridges in well-draining soil / Plant onion seedlings started off in August-September / Harvest all root vegetables that can't overwinter in the ground (crosnes, red beet) and mulch the rest / Pull out endive (chicory) roots without damaging them, and let them dry out (cure) for a week or two on the ground; protect them from direct sun with a cover of dry leaves or fern fronds; after that, shake excess dirt off, remove smaller roots and cut all foliage just above the crown / Thin your most recent root vegetable sprouts / Prepare plots where you'll soon be planting onion, garlic, chives, Welsh onion...

ORCHARD, LANDSCAPING: 4th day for spreading ripe compost around your trees.

LANDSCAPING: If not done yet, now is the time to plant biennials and perennials sown from June to August / Keep planting lily of the valley, hemerocallis and peony, spring bulbs and lily (but not Madonna lily) / Plant primrose as a biennial: this hardy flower will have time to settle in and will bloom more abundantly in spring

Finish planting perennials and flower shrubs purchased in pots / You can still divide clumps of perennial flowers / After the first frosts, pull out canna, dahlia, gladiolus and begonia and store them safely once bulbs and rhizomes have dried out a bit / Remove wilted leaves from deciduous foliage perennials.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Plant spring harvest cauliflower / If not done yet, now is the time to protect artichoke (thin the leaves and tie remaining healthy leaves in an upright bundle, ridge 8 inches / 20 cm high, and mulch with straw in cold climates).

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day, if not done yet, to plant biennials and perennials sown from June to August / Keep planting lily of the valley, hemerocallis and peony, spring bulbs and lily (but not Madonna lily) / Plant primrose as a biennial: this hardy flower will have time to settle in and will bloom more abundantly in spring

Finish planting perennials and flower shrubs purchased in pots / You can still divide clumps of perennial flowers / After the first frosts, pull out canna, dahlia, gladiolus and begonia and store them safely once bulbs and rhizomes have dried out a bit / Remove wilted leaves from deciduous foliage perennials.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for planting spring harvest cauliflower / If not done yet, now is the time to protect artichoke (thin the leaves and tie remaining healthy leaves in an upright bundle, ridge 8 inches / 20 cm high, and mulch with straw in cold climates).

VEGETABLE PATCH: Again, a few days are given for for transplanting white cabbage to the growing bed (use root dip if you can't keep the clump whole when pulling the seedlings out) / Sow green manure (rye and vetch) on vacant plots in the vegetable patch / Take care of the endives you dug out recently: select the largest ones, shorten them to 8 inches (20 cm), and only keep an inch of leafage (a few cm). / Stack them together vertically in moist soil in a tray or crate; store in a dark cellar or in the vegetable patch under a thick, opaque tarpaulin / Protect tarragon: cut leafage back and cover with fern fronds

Harvest mature kohlrabi (remaining ones can grow until early November): cut roots and leaves off and store in a cellar in a crate of sand

Blanch your cardoon: first remove any damaged leaves, then tie each clump into an upright bundle; wrap with a carton or several layers of old newspapers; you can start harvesting blanched stems in 2 to 3 weeks.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for transplanting white cabbage to the growing bed (use root dip if you can't keep the clump whole when pulling the seedlings out) / Sow green manure (rye and vetch) on vacant plots in the vegetable patch / Take care of the endives you dug out recently: select the largest ones, shorten them to 8 inches (20 cm), and only keep an inch of leafage (a few cm). / Stack them together vertically in moist soil in a tray or crate; store in a dark cellar or in the vegetable patch under a thick, opaque tarpaulin / Protect tarragon: cut leafage back and cover with fern fronds

Harvest mature kohlrabi (remaining ones can grow until early November): cut roots and leaves off and store in a cellar in a crate of sand

Blanch your cardoon: first remove any damaged leaves, then tie each clump into an upright bundle; wrap with a carton or several layers of old newspapers; you can start harvesting blanched stems in 2 to 3 weeks.

Before 9:14 AM, as the moon is descending:

ORCHARD: Pick mummified fruits and dead leaves off trees; destroy them; treat fruit trees against brown rot with bordeaux mixture if the weather is mild (50°F or 9°C during the daytime) and dry / Harvest olive if freezing is forecast and bring them to the oil mill immediately, or steep them in brine after bruising or pricking holes in them / Gather raspberry offshoots to transplant them elsewhere. / Keep planting berry shrubs sold in containers / Though you won't plant them until end of fall, dig the planting holes for future fruit trees

VEGETABLE PATCH: Plant a few last strawberry bushes.

After 9:14 AM, the moon begins to ascend again:

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow faba bean, snow pea and round pea, in mild climates. / In warmer climates, sow jujuba / Harvest any ripe fruits.

ORCHARD: If you want to prepare your own grafting rootstock for new stone fruit trees, cold-stratify stones and pits: place peach, plum and apricot stones in a pot filled with sand buried all winter long near a north-facing wall.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day to sow faba bean, snow pea and round pea, in mild climates. / In warmer climates, sow jujuba / Harvest any ripe fruits.

ORCHARD: 2nd day, if you want to prepare your own grafting rootstock for new stone fruit trees, for cold-stratifying stones and pits: place peach, plum and apricot stones in a pot filled with sand buried all winter long near a north-facing wall.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow monthly cycle radish and half-long carrot under a cold frame or tunnel for an early spring harvest / If not done yet, cold-stratify root chervil seeds in a pot filled with sand placed outdoors in a spot exposed to the North / Check on your potato tubers and twist off sprouting shoots, if any.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing monthly cycle radish and half-long carrot under a cold frame or tunnel for an early spring harvest / If not done yet, cold-stratify root chervil seeds in a pot filled with sand placed outdoors in a spot exposed to the North / Check on your potato tubers and twist off sprouting shoots, if any.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Finish the harvest of saffron / Harvest your cauliflower and sow a new batch in the ground under a cold frame, they'll be ready for transplanting in a month.

INDOORS: Start forcing hyacinth bulbs in special water-filled forcing vases for them to bloom this winter: set them in a cool, dark place until a crown of leaves appears, at which point you can transfer them to a warmer, well-lit room.

LANDSCAPING: Sow perennial sweet pea directly in the ground under a lattice that will help it climb (it'll sprout early spring) / In regions with milder climates, you can still sow hardy flowers (columbine, godetia, Jupiter's helm, hollyhock, Delphinium, bellflower, wallflower, knapweed...) so they're ready to transplant in spring.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for finishing the harvest of saffron / Harvest your cauliflower and sow a new batch in the ground under a cold frame, they'll be ready for transplanting in a month.

INDOORS: 2nd day to start forcing hyacinth bulbs in special water-filled forcing vases for them to bloom this winter: set them in a cool, dark place until a crown of leaves appears, at which point you can transfer them to a warmer, well-lit room.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for sowing perennial sweet pea directly in the ground under a lattice that will help it climb (it'll sprout early spring) / In regions with milder climates, you can still sow hardy flowers (columbine, godetia, Jupiter's helm, hollyhock, Delphinium, bellflower, wallflower, knapweed...) so they're ready to transplant in spring.

Don't garden before 8:05 AM – moon is at perigee at 9:01 AM

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow spinach, small-leaved corn salad and winter lettuce (under a cold frame for the lettuce), chervil, arugula, garden cress, watercress, parsley, Bremen cabbage (a type of non-headed kale from which you harvest leaves every now and then once winter has started), early harvest lettuce (again, under shelter) / Also sow green manure to keep any free vegetable patch plots covered until spring (mustard, vetch, rye...) / Harvest spinach, headed lettuce, garden cress, corn salad, sorrel, Mizuna cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and blanched vegetables (chicory, frisée endive, branch celery, cardoon) / Harvest herbs and dry or freeze them.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing spinach, small-leaved corn salad and winter lettuce (under a cold frame for the lettuce), chervil, arugula, garden cress, watercress, parsley, Bremen cabbage (a type of non-headed kale from which you harvest leaves every now and then once winter has started), early harvest lettuce (again, under shelter) / Also sow green manure to keep any free vegetable patch plots covered until spring (mustard, vetch, rye...) / Harvest spinach, headed lettuce, garden cress, corn salad, sorrel, Mizuna cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and blanched vegetables (chicory, frisée endive, branch celery, cardoon) / Harvest herbs and dry or freeze them.

Don't garden today, or at least not before 8:15 AM (lunar node at 3:13 AM) nor after 3:10 PM (15:10) (lunar eclipse at 8:14 PM (20:14)

Before 10:21 AM, leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for sowing spinach, small-leaved corn salad and winter lettuce (under a cold frame for the lettuce), chervil, arugula, garden cress, watercress, parsley, Bremen cabbage (a type of non-headed kale from which you harvest leaves every now and then once winter has started), early harvest lettuce (again, under shelter) / Also sow green manure to keep any free vegetable patch plots covered until spring (mustard, vetch, rye...) / Harvest spinach, headed lettuce, garden cress, corn salad, sorrel, Mizuna cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and blanched vegetables (chicory, frisée endive, branch celery, cardoon) / Harvest herbs and dry or freeze them.

After 10:21 AM, entering a fruit & seed day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: Finish harvesting fruit vegetables (last tomato, squash, pumpkin, bell pepper, chili, bean).

ORCHARD: Finish harvesting all fruits / If the first frosts have hit, harvest fruits that require bletting: persimmon, medlar / Keep harvesting olive / In mild climates, sow faba bean and round pea.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for finishing the harvest of fruit vegetables (last tomato, squash, pumpkin, bell pepper, chili, bean).

ORCHARD: 2nd day to finish harvesting all fruits / If the first frosts have hit, harvest fruits that require bletting: persimmon, medlar / Keep harvesting olive / In mild climates, sow faba bean and round pea.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Prepare plots where you'll plant onion, garlic, chives, Welsh onion... / If not done yet, you can still pull endives out and let them dry for around ten days, mulching them lightly to protect them from frost / Pull out and store remaining red beet, and mulch root vegetables that can stay in the ground during winter / Remove sprouts from potatoes and check that vegetables stored in silos aren't going bad / In a cold frame, sow a last batch of baby carrots and red radish / Sow rows of chervil.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for preparing plots where you'll plant onion, garlic, chives, Welsh onion... / If not done yet, you can still pull endives out and let them dry for around ten days, mulching them lightly to protect them from frost / Pull out and store remaining red beet, and mulch root vegetables that can stay in the ground during winter / Remove sprouts from potatoes and check that vegetables stored in silos aren't going bad / In a cold frame, sow a last batch of baby carrots and red radish / Sow rows of chervil.