At a Glance: What to Do for Your Virginia Garden in October
- The first frost in Central Virginia arrives around October 15th, though this varies from year to year.
- To protect plants from frost, water the day before and cover crops with row cover fabric. Herbs should be harvested before the first frost.
- October is the best time to plant garlic in Virginia for larger crops next summer.
- October is a good time to plant trees in Charlottesville, but most shrubs should not be pruned now.
- Put beds to rest in October by removing spent or diseased plants, then mulching or covering the soil with leaves.
A Piedmont Master Gardeners once described October as paranoia season, and I have never read a more accurate sentence about gardening in Central Virginia. Their reasoning: the first frost in Charlottesville usually arrives in October, generally around the 15th.
It might come earlier. It might hold off. We just don’t get to know which. I have had years with tomatoes in October and others where after dry and early cold snaps nothing much seemed to grow.
So October is the month of watching the forecast with slightly more interest than is reasonable. It’s also, conveniently, the month with the shortest and most useful to-do list of the year.
When Is the First Frost in Central Virginia?
Piedmont Master Gardeners put the average first frost in our area around October 15, while noting it can arrive earlier or later. Average means exactly that: half the years it comes sooner. Your own yard matters too, since a low-lying spot out toward Ivy or Earlysville can frost days before a sheltered garden closer to town.
Watch the ten-day forecast starting in early October. Plan around that, rather than the calendar.
October Gardening in Virginia: Protect What’s Still Growing
In Virginia’s zone 7b, you can push your harvest well past that first frost with a few straightforward tricks. Piedmont Master Gardeners lay these out clearly.
Water your soil before a frost
There’s evidence that wet soil keeps the air just above it as much as five degrees warmer than dry soil does. It also holds that difference overnight. It’s the easiest thing on this list to help preserve any crops that are still growing.
Cover tender crops
Spun polyester row cover fabric is the proven option. Fabric covers buy you somewhere between two and six degrees depending on conditions and material. Many gardeners, however, use everything from newspaper to buckets. I’ve been known to run outside with old bed sheets and beach towels in a panic, and it helped some!
Spun fabric lets light and water through and can stay put around the clock. Anything that blocks air and water needs to come off during the day once temperatures rise above freezing.
Pro Tip: Leaving air space between the cover and the plants protects better than laying fabric directly on the leaves.
Harvest tender herbs before frost gets them
Basil, in particular, should be harvested before the first frost hits. Hang bunches to dry somewhere cool and dark. You can also freeze the leaves. If you want more on keeping herbs going, we covered the basics in Herbs Made Easy.
October Is the Month to Plant Garlic in Virginia
This is October’s main event. Garlic is the crop I recommend to anyone who has been discouraged by deer. Rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels and deer all leave it alone. Even insects mostly ignore it. If you’ve been fighting wildlife for three seasons, this is the thing that finally works.
Piedmont Master Gardeners recommend mid-October for planting garlic in our area. And the timing isn’t arbitrary: Garlic needs a cold period of roughly two months at temperatures between 32°F and 50°F to trigger bulb formation. Plant it now, let winter do its work, and harvest next summer.
Tips for planting garlic in Virginia:
- Pick a sunny or partly shaded spot.
- Make drainage your priority, since good drainage matters more than almost anything else for garlic.
- A raised bed is one way to get there, which is worth considering given the Virginia clay in the soil.
- Aim for a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0.
- Work compost or well-rotted manure into heavy soil and loosen it six to twelve inches down.
- Separate the cloves just before planting rather than in advance, and plant them pointed end up.
Pro tip: Be sure to mulch after planting your garlic. Our freeze-and-thaw cycles here in the Piedmont can push cloves right up out of the ground over the winter. I like heavy straw that has been heat treated to kill weed seeds.
October Gardening in Virginia: The Best Time to Plant a Tree
This surprises people, but fall planting gives trees an advantage. Conditions are cool and moist. Plus, roots keep growing until the soil freezes, which in Virginia is typically late November. That’s six weeks of root establishment before dormancy.
Tips for planting trees in the fall:
- Water thoroughly after planting.
- Mulch with three inches or more of organic material. Leave a gap of three to four inches around the trunk to avoid rodent damage.
- Stake only if the tree genuinely needs the stability. If you do, run the guy wires loosely enough that the tree can move a bit in the wind.
- Remove any supports once it’s established, usually within a couple of months.
- Pick up any fruit that drops, unless you’d like to personally invite the deer.
What Not to Do in October Gardening
Don’t prune your shrubs. According to Virginia Cooperative Extension’s shrub pruning calendar, October is a month for almost nothing.
Shrubs that bloom on new wood get pruned in late winter, and ones that bloom on old wood get pruned right after they flower. Cutting now costs you next year’s blooms on many species.
Other October Garden Tasks: Putting the Beds to Rest
As you prepare for the first frost, now is the time to put your garden beds to rest.
- Pull out the spent plants. Healthy material can go on the compost pile or be turned under. Anything diseased should leave the property entirely rather than going into compost, where it will wait patiently to reinfect next year’s garden.
- Plant any cover crops. If you’re planting a cover crop, the window closes November 1.
- Protect the soil. If you’re not planting cover crops, protect bare soil some other way. You can either use mulch or a layer of shredded leaves, which you likely will have in abundance.
Gardening With Kids: Make It a Family Afternoon
Here in Central Virginia, October is genuinely the most pleasant month to be outside. And garden cleanup is one of the rare chores kids will cheerfully help with. Give your kids tasks like raking, hauling debris, gathering seed pods, or planting garlic cloves one at a time.
Check out our tips on how to garden safely with children if your unsure what kind of tools kids should use or how much supervision they’ll need.
Frequently Asked Questions: October Gardening in Zone 7b
When is the first frost in Charlottesville?
Piedmont Master Gardeners put the average first frost in our area around October 15. This varies, though, from year to year and by location. Low-lying yards frost earlier than sheltered ones, so watch the forecast rather than the date.
When should I plant garlic in Central Virginia?
Mid-October is the recommended window for planting garlic in the Charlottesville area. Garlic needs about two months of cold between 32°F and 50°F to form bulbs properly. This is why fall planting produces so much better than spring.
How do I protect my plants from an early frost?
Water the soil beforehand, since wet soil can keep the air above it up to five degrees warmer overnight. Cover tender plants with spun polyester row cover fabric, which buys two to six more degrees. Be sure to leave air space between the cover and the leaves rather than laying it flat.
Can I plant a tree in October in Virginia?
Yes, fall is a great time for planting trees in Central Virginia. Cool, moist conditions favor establishment. Plus, roots keep growing until the soil freezes, typically late November in Virginia. Water the tree well and mulch, keeping the mulch a few inches back from the trunk to keep rodents away.
Should I prune my shrubs in the fall?
Generally, you should avoid pruning shrubs in the fall. Virginia Cooperative Extension’s pruning calendar lists very few shrubs for October. Most flowering shrubs should be pruned either in late winter or right after they bloom, depending on the species.
October is beautiful in Charlottesville, and you don’t want to miss out on all the season has to offer! Wander through the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont, which is completely free and at its best during this season. Check out one of our favorite local pumpkin patches or corn mazes. And don’t forget to plan your costumes for Charlottesville’s best Halloween events!
Keep the ideas coming all season long with our free Out and About newsletter. And remember to support the great local partners who strengthen our community.
JENNIFER BRYERTON, M.Ed., our Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, started her career in teaching, co-founded CharlottesvilleFamily, and is a mom of four. A believer in experiential education and an avid gardener, beehives, a fruit and veggie plot, perennial borders and a chicken coop dot the family lawn west of Charlottesville. Jen also enjoys sharing travel, museums, theater performances and nature attractions with her family.