September
- Order and Plant Bulbs. Remember last spring when you were admiring your bulbs or those of your neighbors and wished you had planted more? Well, now is the time. Look for perennial Darwin hybrid tulip bulbs. These you only have to plant once and they will spread and come back every spring. Don’t forget to mark planting areas. You might want to set some bulbs aside for forcing.
- Disease Control. When cutting back plants, remove diseased leaves including those on the ground and place in a trash bag to be discarded. DO NOT COMPOST.
You’ll just spread the disease. - Take a Hike. Cooler weather provides a great time to visit other gardens. The best garden could be next door or down the street. Gardeners love to share and talk plants. Don’t forget the gardens at Secrest. Stop by and visit the hydrangea and echinacea trials located across from the Secrest Welcome Center on Williams Rd. to see which plants you want to buy at the Autumn Discovery Day Plant Sale, Saturday, October 5th.
October
- Fall is the New Spring. Cooler weather and more rain make a great time to plant perennials, shrubs, and trees. Many are discounted but remember, cheap is great but only if the plant is still healthy. Pick wisely. Check out the article in this newsletter titled, "Now’s the Time" by Karen Edgington on proper planting techniques.
- Can You Dig It. Carefully dig up the roots of tender plants, collectively referred to as bulbs, such as cannas, dahlias, elephant ears, and gladiolas. With the milder winters, people are choosing to let cannas and dahlias overwinter in the ground, especially those against the house and well-mulched. DISCLAIMER: Experiment for yourself but hold back some bulbs to overwinter in the garage in case you’re not the gambling type especially with your first-place winner in the county fair.
- Fall Cleanup. Pull annuals and vegetable plants from the garden. Leave the tops of perennials to help protect the crowns of plants and the stems will mark the location for next year. This is helpful for late emerging perennials such as hardy hibiscus, a variety of milkweed, and some hostas.
- Don’t Forget to Order. Whether providing a winter food source for birds or holiday decorating, watch for Friends of Secrest Winterberry Holly and Mixed Greens sale at Secrest Arboretum. Typically orders need to be placed the first of November at FriendsofSecrest.com. Pickup is usually towards the end of November. Details for pickup will be available on the website when orders are placed.
November
- Winter Interest. Delay cutting back perennials such as coneflower, rudbeckia, sedum, beebalm, tickseed, and sunflower. They provide winter interest as well as much needed food for birds. How fun to see your coneflowers sporting white winter caps after it snows.Last Chance.
- Take a final walk through your garden to gather and store ornaments, statuary, containers, birdbaths, and garden hoses that might freeze and break. Good time to also repair and clean tools so they are ready to go in the spring when you have a million other things to do.
- Spring in Winter. Place any leftover bulbs in pots and water well. Place in a cold garage but not freezing (35-55 degrees) for several months. Bulbs forced indoors must go through a prolonged cold period called vernalization to bloom well. Bring indoors in late winter and enjoy an early colorful spring as the snow flies outside. Daffodils, hyacinths, and crocus are the easiest to force. You can also pre-chill your bulbs by storing them in a refrigerator for several months before planting.
–Sue Cook, Master Gardener Volunteer
