Gardeners Have Long
To-Do Lists For Autumn
Autumn is a season of color and of
change, and a time for many activities in the
garden. As summer wanes, the cooler nights
bring a crisp freshness which can be smelled
and felt in the air, as the leaves begin to turn,
and the summer glow of shrubs, trees and perennials begins to fade. It’s also a time when
fruits begin to drop, seeds begin to disperse,
and new life begins, quickly growing to
become large enough to survive the wrath of winter.
Some of the most important activities in the garden include
removal of weeds and their flower heads, which quickly ripen
this time of year — to become a menace in the spring. It’s also
an ideal time to harvest seeds from your favorite summer annuals
and perennials. When harvesting seeds, be sure to label and date
the envelope in which you store them. If kept in a cool, dark
place, seeds may remain viable for many years to come.
Early to mid fall (the end of September through early November) is a very suitable time for sowing seeds of many perennials
and trees, as well as cool-weather vegetables and many hardy
annuals and biennials (Peas, Broccoli, Pansies, Poppies and Hollyhocks are good examples).
Many perennial, tree and shrub seeds need to be stratified
(given a cold period), in order to germinate; so have patience
with the seeds, as many will hold over until spring, before they
begin to sprout. (Thinking of seeds, if you feed the wild birds, be
sure to keep their feeders filled, while the wild seeds are at a
minimum.)
Dividing herbaceous types of perennials (those plants which typically
die-back to the ground fo r the
winter) is best performed in
the fall, when the plants
are more
readily
JACQUELINE DUFRAIN
kept cool and well-watered. A few perennials which may easily
be divided in autumn include: Aconitum, Astilbe, Day Lilies,
Delphinium, Lupine and spring-flowering bulbs, as well as many
ornamental grasses and ferns.
When dividing, try to keep at least 2 to 3 eyes (growing tips)
with each piece or division; even 3 to 5 eyes, if able. The more eyes
per division, the easier they are to reestablish. Some plants don’t
like much disturbance of the roots, so a good soaking with a vitamin formula, such as Super Thrive, is highly recommended.
Autumn is the ideal time for planting out into the garden, trees,
shrubs, spring-flowering bulbs and hardy annuals and perennials.
Here on the coast, our planting season almost extends from September through March. However it’s best not to plant small plants,
if frost is expected.
When planting, be sure to water-in the young plants well, and
then finish with a nice layer of well-rotted compost and mulch,
to help protect them through their first winter. Non-hardy bulbs,
such as Tuberous begonias, should be lifted and stored in a
cool, dark place until the danger of frost has passed.
Autumn is the time for blazing colors, falling leaves,
crisp nights, and truly one of the best
seasons for planting.
Robert Goleman
Owner, Hortus
Botanicus
