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Early fall chores
Published 4:18pm Friday, September 25, 2009Cool weather is coming and shortly after that, that four-letter word — snow. So, it behooves gardeners to get some of their gardening chores done now. Here are a few things that can be done while the weather cooperates.
n Pick up leaves as they fall, and either pile them for winter mulch or spread them on the garden to be tilled in later.
n Remove any plants that are done producing. Why feed corn stalks if they aren’t feeding you?
n Remove all dead vines from the garden. Most garden debris can be tilled in but vines wrap around the tiller tines and lead to blue air.
n Pick up any fallen apples. Not only do they draw wasps, they also harbor apple maggots.
n Remove any over-ripe fruit and vegetables from the garden. They draw picnic beetles.
n No matter what your uncle Pud told you, do not stomp down the onion tops. They will fall over by themselves when they are ready. Dry them a few days in the shade before storing for the winter.
n When night time temperatures drop to 38 degrees and stays there, bring in the house plants that have been vacationing outside. Spray them off well. Pay particular attention to the bottoms of the leaves. This should prevent spider mites and aphids from hitch hiking into the house. Some plants will drop leaves after coming in. This is caused by a change in light. Putting them in a bright window will prevent or at least, slow this down.
n Plant tulips and minor bulbs like crocus and the many types of hyacinths. For an exclamation point in the flower garden, plant a clump of alliums.
n If your iris is looking tacky, cut the leaves off to 3-4 inches tall.
n Remove the leaves from the garden as they harbor bugs and diseases.
n Dead-head all flowers. This will ensure that they keep blooming and don’t set seed. That activity takes a lot of energy from the plant that you want to go into the flower. If, however, you like a particular annual and want more of it, let it go to seed. Scatter the seed on the bare soil or lightly scratch it in. Let some lettuce go to seed. It will pop up almost before the snow is gone.
n Keep weeding, hateful as that job is. It will cut down the amount of weeds you have to deal with next summer.
n Winterize the thin spots in the lawn now. Water the chemical in or you are wasting your time.
n Continue to water, one inch a week. All perennial plants, including trees and shrubs, need water now to survive winter.
When does gardening stop for the year? Never. Gardeners come in in the fall and immediately start planning next year’s plantings. The gardener’s vow, next year it will be better.
