Where did the summer go?
It’s not exactly over. There’s no need to dust off the snow shovel quite yet. But you will want a sturdy basket for harvesting all those home-grown fruits and vegetables — and tough garden gloves to begin the important fall chores that will save you time next spring.
You can stretch out this to-do list over the next few weeks — maybe even months — while you enjoy the change of seasons, the fall colors and the fresh bite in the air.
Fall planting
You’ve heard the expression about new plants: The first season they sleep, the second year they creep, the third season they leap. Fall planting means you move to the “creep” growing phase by next spring. In fall, (that’s plant-speak for getting their roots going in the new soil). Why? The days are warm, not sweltering, and nights are cooler. More importantly, the soil is fully warmed and will stay warmer than the nighttime low for several months.
• Walk your landscape, noting plants that didn’t work or survive the season. Buy new or divide existing plants to replenish and fill in the bare spots. If friends have plants that need dividing, lend a shovel and you’re likely to go home with new plants for free.
• Fall is a great time to plant areas surrounding water gardens with new ground covers, bulbs, sedges, ferns and ornamental grasses.
• Remember to shop wisely (hey, the deals are so good, it’s easy to lose your head). But stop and read the plant tag to double-check species and variety and that your bargain will work in your space, soil and light conditions. Don’t forget to check farmer’s markets and public gardens for plant sales, too (the Denver Botanic Gardens sale is Sept. 19-20).
• Your chosen plant’s roots may be compacted or circling inside the container. Gently tease or untangle those roots before planting. This will help them grow into the surrounding soil. In some cases, you may need to use sharp scissors or a knife and make vertical cuts in the roots. This will not harm them in the least; they appreciate being set free and given room to root.
• Dig your planting hole and loosen up the soil. Mix in some well-composted soil (store-bought and bagged is fine) with the native soil, but not so much that the roots will be discouraged from reaching outside the amended soil.
Divide and conquer
• Not in a spending mood? Divide, move or share established, spring-blooming perennials like salvia, catmint, daylilies, daisies, coreopsis and bee balm. Wait until spring to divide and replant late-summer or fall bloomers.
• How do you know whether to divide? When foliage seems sparse, flowers are smaller than normal, or the center of the clump is dying out or hollow (this is especially noticeable on ornamental grasses).
• Water plants a couple of days before dividing and cut the foliage down to 6 inches to make them easier to move.
• Use a shovel to lift up and divide the entire root ball of the plant or to dig down into the plant and take out a section, being sure to include the roots.
• Tough root systems — ornamental grasses and red-hot poker — may need to be divided using an ax or a very sharp shovel once they’ve been lifted from the ground. Try a strong spray of water on the roots to help loosen them.
• Replant your divisions at the same height at which they were growing. Fill in the soil around the root ball and water well. At this point, you may need to add more soil. Last step: mulch.
• Some plants just do not like to be divided because of their long tap root or woody shrub-like structure. Among them: butterfly weed, false indigo, lavender and baby’s breath. Got doubts? : bit.ly/1qmq3iR
Get fall color
• Now’s the time to buy and plant fall mums, asters, pansies and other late bloomers. Plant in the ground or in containers that need a fall face-lift. And don’t forget to buy your spring- and summer-blooming bulbs. You can plant these in late October or until the ground freezes.
Face up to frost
It’s the question on every gardener’s mind as soon as they find themselves whipping out jackets in the early morning. When will it happen?
• Our average first fall frost dates are Sept. 10-15. But as you know if you garden here, averages can have a lot of play on either side. You’ll want to watch the forecast and have the blankets ready for any warm-season vegetables.
• Our average first killing frost date is Oct. 15. That’s when the mercury doesn’t merely kiss freezing and scamper away. A hard freeze, at 24 degrees, is considered a killing frost.
Fall tree and shrub planting
• Because fall-planted trees and shrubs take longer to dig their roots into new soil than smaller-rooted perennials, they should be planted soon. Plant no later than mid-October.
• Trees and shrubs aren’t like half-price perennials that love fall planting. They require careful selection, planning, soil preparation and attention through the winter. If you’ve been doing all of these things all summer and were just waiting for a great sale, go for it. Otherwise, don’t buy these pricier landscape plants on a whim. And :
• Thinking of Hate to say it, but spring is the preferred planting time. Winter can burn or injure the foliage or leaves of trees that fail to establish.
Harvest strategies
• Crops are maturing rapidly, so check those plants daily. I’ve with local food banks or
• Apples and pears can stand a light frost, but get those peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries and raspberries in before frost.
• Tomatoes and other warm-season crops like peppers, eggplant and vine crops can be covered with frost blankets, row covers or sheets for temporary protection on nights below 50 degrees. Be sure to remove the covering when temperatures warm up the next day. Do not use plastic covering directly over the plants; plastic transfers cold temperatures.
• Having lots of green tomatoes on a plant actually delays ripening for all of the fruit. So if frost is getting close, remove some of the greener, mature tomatoes to speed final ripening for the almost-red ones.
• before the first frost. Layer them in a box or wrap individually with newspaper or waxed paper and store in a dry, cool place, checking every few days for ripeness. More: www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1831.html
• Or you can pull up the entire tomato plant and hang it upside down in a cool, dry place. The fruit will continue to ripen. Just don’t put tomatoes in the refrigerator to ripen.
• After harvesting each vegetable plant, put any that have disease or insect infestations in the trash. Healthy plant foliage can go into the compost pile, but first remove seed heads.
Show your lawn some love
• Continue lawn watering as needed. in fall — in fact, it puts on more growth in an effort to repair any summer traffic, disease or insect damage. More: www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1556.html
• Core-aerate the lawn, whether or not you did it in spring. Aerating twice each year, in spring and fall (not in summer when it’s hot) is great for your lawn, especially if there is thatch, compaction, or if you’re battling fungus or diseases. More: www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1505.html
• Lawn weeds are getting ready for the winter by putting on strong root growth, so herbicide treatments can be very effective this time of year. Hand digging weeds also works — and you don’t have to read any fine print to do it.
In the landscape
• Continue feeding fish in ponds and water features during mild weather and when water temperatures are above 55 degrees.
• It’s about time to move indoor plants that were enjoying being outside for the summer. Check for insects, treat if needed, and give them a final prune to remove damage. Add a light fertilizer before moving them indoors. More: www.colostate.edu/ptlk/1332.html
• Continue regularly watering and fertilizing outdoor ornamental and vegetable containers.
• After several frosts and hard freezes, it’s a gardener’s choice whether to cut back the dead foliage for the winter. But most experts recommend that you leave plant material in place to provide protection for newer plantings, with the exception that you should cut back any plants that harbored disease or insect pests.
• Birds also prefer that you leave the plants to them for food, shelter or both. They especially like the seeds of sunflowers, perennial zinnias, coneflower, bachelor’s buttons and ornamental grasses.
Betty Cahill: http:// gardenpunchlist.blogspot.com/
