I have been pulling out spent annuals. They can look so very dead right around this time of year, and just who needs to look at that? There is a dramatic change in the garden when you eliminate them. It actually looks elegant.
As I am writing this we have had a stretch of sunny, windy weather. This means that we need to be watering, especially your trees and shrubs. There is nothing nastier than letting your plants go into the winter dry. If you can get out there give these plants and your perennials a good soaking. They will appreciate it and, thus, reward you next season.
I have a clutch of perennials that did not make it into the ground this season. I have a nursery bed that most of them were transplanted into, but there are those that are still in pots. I have made the decision to leave them in the pots and bury the pot and all in the beds. That way I can lift the whole thing out next spring and move on with the planting. The problem is that I haven't a clue where I want to put them. Come next season I can see what made it and what did not and that will dictate what goes where, more or less.
This brings me to plants still in containers. There have been lots of good nursery stock sales and you may have taken advantage of these. If you still have the plants hanging around you may just consider leaving them in the pots and waiting until next year to do your planting. I have done fall planting and sometimes it is successful and sometimes it isn't. I just really think that, at this latitude, fall planting is not one of the greatest ideas going. Nor is it a bad idea. It seems that spruce, for instance, can be planted any time.
I have every intention of dividing and/or moving early blooming perennials, like arabis and anemone pulsatilla now. If I should wait until spring, it will be too late, they will be in bloom and just as happy as can be right where they are. Give this some thought.
Keep in mind that garlic needs to be planted in the fall. This is one of the earliest plants to break dormancy in the spring. It literally comes up through the snow. What a feat. What a joy. I have harvested six different kinds of garlic this season. Over the years I have tried to determine just which one I like the best so I can concentrate on growing just that one. But, as you can imagine, with so many different kinds, why limit myself to just one?
The mistake I made last fall while planting garlic was the spacing much too close. From now on I will strive for four to six inches between each clove. There are those of you who do not realize that when planting garlic you are not planting the whole bulb but individual cloves; each clove then develops into a bulb. Honest.
Besides garlic you need to be thinking about what flowering bulbs you want to be adding to your collection. If you have never planted bulbs before you are in for a treat. There is a good selection right here at our local nurseries so take your time and pick up a handful of this and that. You really can't go wrong. The minor (shorter) bulbs, like crocus, can be planted in a clutch. Just dig a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate 10 at a time. When in bloom, this little grouping will have more of an impact than one here and another there. Chionodoxa is an absolute favorite of mine. They bloom early and last forever. Excellent. Buy a box of bulb food to add as you go along and have some fun. You will be rewarded over and over come spring.
A friend has a big bed that she has devoted to poppies for years and years. But this year she added a ton of tulip and daffodil bulbs. There was no downtime for the bed. It was a riot of color all season long. First the bulbs were a spectacular statement and then the poppies took over. Not only do they bloom profusely but they hid all of the spent foliage from the bulbs. Just excellent.
You may need to be thinking about reverse hardening of any geraniums (pelargonium), fuschia or tuberous begonias that you may have. They will not take to freezing temperatures and you will need to offer them some protection if you intend on holding them over for next season. I admit that I do hold over some geraniums but they are so easy that I can't go wrong. They bloom through Christmas in the entry, adding a note of color, and then go into the downstairs bedroom. This room is somewhat cooler and has a big window. They can hang out there once they start looking sorry, but that is a long way off. For now just do what you must to keep them alive.
If you think that frost is on the horizon, start bringing your plants inside a few hours at a time, or even for the night. Then bring them outside again during the day. Keep prolonging the time spent inside until you have a plant that will be able to tolerate central heating. Be sure to check them for aphids or anything weird that may invade your houseplants. Giving them a good hosing off before bringing them in should do the trick.
The same goes for any herbs that you may want to keep around in the kitchen for as long as you can make them last. I have had a rosemary plant for several years now. It just moves from greenhouse to kitchen and back again as the years roll on. I have successfully potted up a fistful of thyme and sage and used them fresh deep into the winter. Why not?
Keep gardening. The season is not over.
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