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 September...summer is winding down,
but gardening chores begin to pick up. What the avid gardener does in
late summer and the beginning of fall determines how well next year's garden
looks. Time to get those hands dirty!
Interior Gardening
Herbs
Lawns and Landscaping
Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
Trees and Shrubs
Miscellaneous Tips
Interior Gardening
 | Do not use softened water on houseplants because the sodium
accumulates in the soil and can kill the plants. |
| Make sure houseplants placed outdoors have plenty of water.
There are still many hot days left. |
| To avoid injury, bring in houseplants that have been outside for the
summer before the temperature drops below 55°.
Make sure you check them for pests before bringing them in. |
| Take cuttings of begonias, geraniums, solenstemon (coleus), etc. to
grow on as houseplants. |
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Herbs
| Pot up chives, parsley, and other herbs, and bring into the house to
extend the growing season. |
| Plant garlic cloves. Be sure to cover the garlic plot with a layer
of organic mulch. |
| Keep basil, parsley, mint, sage, balm, and borage producing by pinching
out the seed pods. |
| Plant lavender seeds outside in the fall. The seedlings will appear
in early spring. |
| Herbs can be dried quickly in a microwave oven. Place them between
two paper towels, and heat for one minute. Remove them from the oven,
then test to see if the leaves are crisp. If not, return them to the
oven for a few more seconds. Store in jars in a dark place so they will
keep their color and flavor. |
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Lawns and Landscaping
| Over the next three months (Sept., Oct., Nov. or Dec.), it is time to
apply your fertilizer for cool weather grasses.
Here is a Power Point
presentation that discusses fall lawn care. If you don't have Power
Point, you may get the viewer here.
This is for the Window's operating system only, but you obtain a viewer
for Apple at the Microsoft site. |
| Apply herbicides to your lawn for winter annual or perennial weeds in
the fall. Check herbicide labels before using, and select an
appropriate chemical for the weed types and lawn type in your yard. |
| Don't allow leaves to accumulate on the lawn. Rake them up
regularly, and store in a pile or compost for use in your garden next
spring and summer. |
| Dig new garden beds for next spring, incorporating organic matter,
such as leaves. |
| Early autumn is the best time to sow grass seed. By the time
cold weather arrives, the grass is fairly well established and ready to
grow and thicken early the following spring. |
| Fall is a good time to plant trees and shrubs. The roots will
continue to grow until the soil freezes. This is true for both
evergreens and deciduous plants. |
| Fall is the best time to plant ferns in shady spots as fill-ins
beneath shrubs and trees. Add several inches of leaf mold or peat to
the soil before planting. |
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Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
| Start taking cuttings of your annual plants
to bring indoors and carry through the winter. This includes
geraniums, coleus, fuschia and begonias. Be sure to place pots where
they receive plenty of light. |
| Start selecting your favorite bulb
varieties. It is time to order your bulbs for planting in the fall. |
| If you are not sure which end of a bulb is
the top, plant it on its side. The stem will always grow upright. |
| To prevent damage to bulbs from moles, treat
the soil with an insecticide to kill grubs. |
| When caladiums begin to lose their leaves,
dig them up, allow them to dry, and store them in a warm, dry place. |
| To plant bulbs, loosen the soil and make a
hole with a trowel or bulb planter. Don't mash the bulb into the
soil or you may damage the basal plate, causing it to rot. |
| Sowing seeds of hardy annuals, such as sweet alyssum, pinks, and sweet
peas, now will give the seedlings time to get established and develop good
root systems before the coldest part of winter. |
| Establish new perennial flower beds; dig,
divide, and replant overcrowded beds of cannas, daylilies, violets, and
shasta daisies. Spread a liberal amount of organic matter and bulb
fertilizer evenly over the area. Mix this into the soil at least 6
to 8 inches deep. Space divisions at least 1 foot apart in all
directions so that root competition will not be a problem for several
years. |
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Trees and Shrubs
| Give your perennials and woody ornamentals a
fall check-up. Look for weak or diseased plants. Eliminate plants
that might infect or take energy from neighboring plants. |
| Wait until deciduous trees and shrubs begin to
drop their leaves before fertilizing them. Roots are active until soil
temperature drops below 40°F, so nutrients will be taken up and used by the
plants to develop a stronger root system. |
| Many balled and burlapped trees and shrubs are
now sold wrapped in a synthetic burlap that will not rot in the ground,
resulting in a rootbound plant that doesn't grow well if the burlap is left in
place. If in doubt, cut it away from the root ball once the plant is in
place. |
| Tree-wound paints used after pruning are no
longer recommended because they can slow healing and may promote decay. |
| Stake and wire newly planted trees only if
necessary. Use a piece of rubber hose around the guy wires to protect
the trunk, and don't tie the tree tightly; it needs to be able to move a
little in the wind. Remember to remove the supports and stakes in a few
months once the tree is established. |
| Do not move deciduous trees before their leaves
fall. |
| Needle leaf or cone-bearing evergreens can be
moved now if you transplant them. Move plants with an ample root ball. |
| Add a 3-inch layer of an organic mulch around
the base of plants to retain soil moisture and regulate soil
temperature. Keep mulch from direct contact with the trunk of trees. |
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Miscellaneous Tips
| Buy only those fertilizers with a guaranteed
analysis and those proved by university research. |
| Whenever you apply pesticides, adhere strictly
to the directions on the package. |
| Making compost is good for your community.
Leaves, grass clippings, or prunings that go into the pile don't end up
wasting space in a landfill. Do this by incorporating some garden soil
and a little fertilizer into a pile of leaves, turning the pile every month or
so for faster decomposition. |
| Sterilize old flower pots by soaking overnight
in a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. |
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"Gardening
is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it."