Gardening with Becky

The more you plan ahead the less you have to do in the fall:  Use Plants for the right Areas of your yard.  For areas that are sunny all day us the recommend plants for that area and use plants that don’t require alot of sun in your shaded areas.  Try to plant that come up year around which save time and money over time. Choose plants that are suited to your climate and conditions and always use your leaves  and grass clippings to reduce evaporation.

As most of your flowers and plants are dying back and will soon become decaying matter themselves, now is the time to supplement your garden with some good organic nourishment in preparation for the growing season next year. Fall is a good time to treat your garden to a nice 1-2″ layer of compost all over it. Next spring your flowers and plants will surely thank you for it!

Have you been thinking of adding a new bed to your garden area? Fall is the perfect time to set up an easy in-ground bed that will be ready for you to fill with flowers and plants next spring.

Also, remember those garden workhorses … your tools. Fall garden cleanup includes caring for those handy helpers that assist you with your gardening chores all season long. Give them a little extra attention before putting them to rest until next year. Wipe off any residual soil or dirt, sharpen any items that have become dull with use, and oil or lube any that may need it. Hang them up or put them in a dry place so they’ll be easy to find when you need them next year.

Now grab those gardening catalogs from off the shelf where you set them after the planting was all done this year. There are so many gorgeous blooms out there just waiting to be chosen to be planted next season by some gardener. Use this gardening “down time” that’s available in the fall and winter to decide which beautiful flowers and plants will be among those you plant in your garden areas next spring.

If you keep these things in mind, rather than being one of those gardeners who is sad that another growing season has ended, you’ll be one of the gardeners who make fall garden cleanup a time of anticipation. Use this time to prepare for those spectacular areas of bloom that await you in the coming spring!

Perennial plants are always getting ready for the next season. In the spring, they are getting ready to grow and flower. In the summer, they are in full-swing with blooms and leaves. By fall, they are storing food in their roots, getting ready to go dormant. In the winter, perennial plants are reading gardening books to find out who their new neighbors will be.

You can help perennials get ready for spring by feeding them in the fall and doing a few maintenance tricks. This advice is for all perennials: lawns, flowering plants, shrubs and trees. For specific instructions for exotic plants, contact your local nursery or county horticultural extension agent for help.
Lawns - Northern lawns should be fertilized around Labor Day. This keeps them in good condition so their roots are full of reserves for winter and early spring. Another late fall fertilization after lawns quit growing but before freeze-up gives grass the nutrients it needs to survive the winter. Research at the University of Wisconsin indicates that northern lawns continue to need nutrients even when they are not actively growing. Starving lawns during early winter sets the stage for winter-kill.

Southern lawns are trickier to fertilize in the fall. Even though southern lawns benefit from a fall application of fertilizer, don’t fertilize these lawns within 30 days of dormancy. If you fertilize too late, you will encourage growth when they should be entering dormancy. This causes winter kill. According to Dr. George Snyder, professor emeritus, University of Florida, “Use a fertilizer high in iron, such as Milorganite 6-2-0. This keeps your lawn looking nice and green without causing excessive growth. This green stays on even when lawns are not actively growing.”
Tree leaves - Use your mower to mulch leaves when they fall. Some leaves, such as from maples, lie flat on the ground and will smother grass. Mulching leaves speeds their decomposition into nutrients. Sharpening your mower blade will give you better results.

Now, sit back, relax and start dreaming of spring. Your work will be rewarded, if not by a perfect yard, by one that will withstand the ravages of winter and be ready for you next spring. Enjoy!

Wedding your garden can seem like a total pain to do. However, it is important to get all of the remaining weeds out of your garden. You do not want them seeding and then have weeds sprout up all through the garden next year.

Weeds all have seeds and dormant roots during the Fall. This is why it is very important that you get rid of weeds that are in your garden even if all the vegetables are done for the year. This is an important step for you to make sure that you do and not skip to have the best garden for later.

Many people do not realize it but digging and pulling weeds can use up some of the potting soil that is already in your garden. After your garden has completed, you need to add several bags of potting soil to the garden area. You want to add the potting soil directly on top of the other soil that is in the garden. This is an important step for you to make sure that you do and not skip to have the best garden for later.

The next step in getting your garden ready for fall is to spread a thin layer of general fertilizer over your garden. You can get Miracle Grow or other fertilizers for vegetables and blooming plants from your local hardware store or gardening store. This is an important step for you to make sure that you do and not skip to have the best garden for later.
Now that you have everything on top of your soil that needs to be there it is time to get the under soil ready for your garden. You should have no weeds. You should have a layer of potting soil. You should have a layer of fertilizer. You should have a layer of compost.

Next you are going to rent a till from the garden store or hardware store in your area. You should till the entire garden area. This will mix the soils together and plow up any old vegetable plants that you still have in the garden. These are good for the soil too.

Tilling is an important part of Fall gardening. It is very important not to skip this step. Some people don’t want to mess with tilling but they don’t know how important tilling is for their garden. Be certain to till the entire garden area. You want all that good stuff you put on your gardening area to be mixed together really well. This is an important step for you to make sure that you do and not skip to have the best garden for later

The next step in your Fall Gardening is to tamp down all the garden area. Yes, now that the soil is good and tilled you want the area completely tamped down. You can rent equipment from the local hardware store or garden store to do this.

Another way that you can tamp down the area is to walk back and forth across the area. You will want to do this many times to make sure that the area is good and tamped down. This is an important step for you to make sure that you do and not skip to have the best garden for later.

Many people think that since the garden is going to be dormant all winter it is not important to water it. Well you have to water the garden after you have tamped it down. This will make sure that all the fertilizer and compost has a chance to get down into the soil really, really good.

It’s late fall – time to forget about the garden, right? Not so fast – if you get your garden ready for winter properly, it will make a big difference next spring.

Instead of playing catch-up and fixing winter’s damage, you’ll be ready to enjoy your garden when the first spring bulbs come up.

Use this checklist to help with the late fall jobs around the yard and garden

Rake up fallen leaves from your lawn each week instead of leaving the job until all the leaves have fallen. In fall, lawn grass still needs sunlight as it is creating sugars to store in its root system for good growth next spring. Leaving the leaves on top of the lawn can smother the grass and weaken it.

A good compromise is to remove leaves and stalks that frost turns to mush and any that are diseased, but keep some ornamental grasses and the perennials with seed heads that provide winter food to birds. When cutting plants down, prune perennials to 4 to 5 inches of the ground.

Annuals: Pull out any last frosted annuals and add spent plant material to your compost.

Winter mulch: Once the ground freezes, apply a layer of winter mulch to perennial beds – don’t do this too early or you’ll provide winter shelter for rodents.

A potent fall color tree can work effectively in your own landscape to provide interest late in the year, and to emphasize certain parts of the garden. A tree takes many years to mature, and you don’t want to wait a decade to discover that yours will never perform as expected.

A big reason for habitually disappointing color is related to what horticulturists call “species variability.” This means that you can expect that a tree grown from seed may not produce the same brilliant color of its parent. It’s the luck of the genetic draw. Some Japanese maples are routinely grown from seed, and we see huge variability in the color quality of those seedlings sold in nurseries.

The best way to be sure you get a super color tree is to buy and plant now, in the fall. Wait until the trees begin to turn before choosing your tree at the nursery. If you find a container-grown sapling showing intense color, this indicates it has the ability to do so the rest of its life. Often it is necessary to sort through the trees on display to find that stellar individual you can count on in the future.

The key to warm-season color is to choose trees that are not so temperature-dependent for their color. American sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is without a doubt the most colorful and reliable tree for warm climates. It is actually native to bottomlands of the South where temperatures are mild. These trees do exhibit some variability, so be sure to look for named varieties such as “Festival” or “Burgundy,” which are clones of an individual with proven performance

There’s no better time to enjoy the spectacular beauty that nature has to offer than during the autumn season. This is an ideal occasion for entertaining friends and family, especially around Halloween. Why not take advantage of all the vibrant colors and stimulating textures that autumn provides by creating a garden themed around this exciting holiday.

Halloween parties provide a great opportunity to bring the bountiful harvest from the garden indoors; or better yet, invite guests out into the garden instead. Bathe the garden or patio with soft lights. Set autumn or Halloween-colored votive candles inside small jars or glasses and place them on terra cotta saucers adorned with colorful leaves. These charming, little lanterns can be used as attractive centerpieces for tables or scattered throughout the garden. Pumpkins are an absolute must for decorating a Halloween garden.

Create a variety of Jack-O’-Lanterns and spread them throughout the surrounding landscape. Light them up with candles. You could also choose to hollow out varieties of pumpkin, gourd, and even squash to use as festive containers for cut-flower arrangements. Fill them with various mums, Chinese lanterns, stems having berries attached, sunflowers, dried peppers, twigs, etc. Wicker harvest baskets also make lovely containers. Gather a few bales of hay or straw, add some corn stalks and pumpkins, and accent with Indian corn and small decorative gourds. For additional interest, you could cover tables with old burlap sacks. Create cozy seating around these tables; or perhaps, self-contained, rock fire pits.

Autumn-themed gardens are generally rich with colors such as crimson, gold, dark green, and burnt orange. These beautiful colors result from a variety of flowers, foliage, berries and seed heads. In keeping with a traditional Halloween theme, there are several ways to accomplish a spook-tacular garden. If you desire, your focus can be centered on orange and black. However, too much dark color can result in making the garden dull and unappealing. Your goal is to achieve an inviting atmosphere. Good choices for adding orange color might include zinnias, marigolds, tiger lilies, Gerber daisies, poppies, and butterfly weed. Near-black beauties could include a variety of tulips and irises.

Don’t forget to throw in some orange and black-colored pansies as well. Keep in mind, however, that a Halloween theme does not need to be limited to just these colors. Flowers that are deep maroon can also help set off your Halloween effect. Look for these shades in favorite varieties of cosmos, bachelor buttons, or snapdragons. Complimentary colors such as orange mums and purple asters can add additional interest. Mix in some gray or blue grasses. Likewise, try implementing some dark maroon roses in the garden; allow them to climb along an old iron trellis. Place stone benches in various areas for seating, allowing different views, and maybe a nearby water basin to wash away troubles. Additionally, you might want to include plants that have creepy names such as devil’s tongue, blood lily, spider orchid, bat plant, bleeding heart, bloodroot, etc.

Just for fun you might consider designing a witch’s garden filled with various herbs. These gardens are generally circular in shape as it was once believed a sacred symbol by witches. Plant rows of red beauties around the perimeter of the garden. Red blooms were said to keep out evil doers. Try geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, red spider lilies, or firecracker flowers.
Just for fun you might consider designing a witch’s garden filled with various herbs. These gardens are generally circular in shape as it was once believed a sacred symbol by witches. Plant rows of red beauties around the perimeter of the garden. Red blooms were said to keep out evil doers. Try geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, red spider lilies, or firecracker flowers.

Just for fun you might consider designing a witch’s garden filled with various herbs. These gardens are generally circular in shape as it was once believed a sacred symbol by witches. Plant rows of red beauties around the perimeter of the garden. Red blooms were said to keep out evil doers. Try geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, red spider lilies, or firecracker flowers.

As the season moves along, perennials and annuals should be deadheaded, even right though the early fall months. Further along, towards late fall, these plants need to be cut back to the ground as they begin to die back. Though this can wait until spring I like to do it in the late fall, there are too many other projects to worry about in the spring. Late fall is the ideal time to cut back your perennial garden as some perennials, though finished blooming, have great fall colors. Let them stand until the end of the season. Some, such as Balloon Flower and Astilbe turn beautiful shades of yellow and gold. Others retain their striking form and develop interesting seed heads, such as black eyed Susan and Sedum “Autumn Joy”.

As the annuals die or begin to look a bit spent, remove them and add them to your compost pile. There a few fall blooming plants that you can replace them with . Aster and chrysanthemum are the most common. They can add vibrant color to your garden up until late November.

Avoid pruning shrubs too late into the season, this can often encourage new growth which may be susceptible to winter kill if it did not have tine harden off. After deciduous shrubs become dormant in the winter pruning is fine for general shaping.

Examine your garden, are there any shrubs which are outgrowing their allotted space? Fall is a great time for transplanting shrubs. The cooler weather results in less stress for a newly transplanted shrub. There’s generally more rain in the fall as well which also helps reduce stress. Plant new shrubs during the fall for the same reasons. Especially since you may be able to find great deals during late season sales at your local nursery. Be sure to stake new trees and shrubs which may vulnerable during winter snows.

Plant bulbs before the ground freezes, they’re are a great way to add early spring color to the garden. Bulbs are also great way to naturalize your landscape. Daffodils, scilla, and bluebells are wonderful when planted beneath a large shade tree. Tulips and hyacinths are better suited to for formal settings such as a perennial border.

After the ground is frozen, cover plants which require winter protection with hay or evergreen branches, especially in areas that are cold but have little snow. Perennials will benefit from winter protection.

Though things seem to be winding down as the winter approaches, a quick walk through the garden will reveal a number of project still to be done.

Late winter blooms:

Galanthus, or snow drops, bloom the earliest. “If you’ve wondered whatthose little white, bell-shaped flowers are blooming in people’s yards startingin late January, they’re probably snowdrops, Species crocuses start blooming in late January or early February, followedby large-flowered Dutch crocuses in February and March.

Also blooming at this time are winter aconite, which resemble low-growingbuttercups; chionodoxa, which have pink, white or blue star-shaped flowers; andsquill, which have deep-blue flowers.

Early spring blooms:

Anemone blanda bloom in March and April and have purple, pink or whiteflowers that look like asters. Also blooming at this time are grape hyacinths,with grape-like clusters of purple or white flowers, and iris reticulata, whichlooks like other irises but grows only five inches tall.

“Some more familiar flowers also bloom during these months, such ashyacinths; double-early, Kaufmanniana and Fosteriana tulips; and miniature andtrumpet daffodils,.

Flowering bulbs can be planted in formal or informal beds, rock gardens andin established ground covers. Most prefer partial shade, so avoid planting themwhere they will receive direct midday sun. Heated basement walls can damagebulbs, so plant them at least five feet away from foundations.

“Keep in mind that you can fit a lot of bulbs in one space by plantinglarge bulbs, covering them with two inches of soil and planting small bulbs ontop of them,” says Nuss. “You also can plant shallow-rooted annuals ontop of bulbs.”

Bulbs need good drainage and a high amount of organic matter, so if your soilis mostly sand or clay, mix in peat moss or compost until organic matter isabout 25 percent of volume.

When planting tulips, daffodils and other large bulbs, dig out the entire bedto a depth of about 8 inches. Arrange the bulbs six inches apart with thepointed ends up. Smaller bulbs such as crocuses and grape hyacinths can beplanted three inches apart and five inches deep.

Before covering the bulbs, add one rounded tablespoon per square foot ofeither a sulfur-coated, slow-release fertilizer, or one handful per square footof bone meal plus one tablespoon per square foot of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10fertilizer.

You then can replace half the soil and water the area thoroughly, add theremaining soil, and water again. “A three-inch layer of wood chips, peatmoss or bark will retain moisture and keep mud from splashing on the flowersnext spring

When shoots start breaking through the soil in the spring, sprinkle a secondapplication of fertilizer around them. As flowers fade, cut them off so theydon’t go to seed and rob nourishment from the bulbs.

“The foliage gathers nutrients for the next season’s growth, so allow itto completely die before removing it,” says Nuss. “Other than thesefew steps, spring-flowering bulbs don’t need much attention. They’ll come backyear after year, just when winter seems as though it never will end.”

Tomatoes, peppers, beans, eggplant, cucumbers and melons are all frost tender vegetables. A light frost, noticeable by the white crystal coating on your lawn in the morning, will cause their leaves to blacken and fruit to die. When a light frost is predicted you can either end your season and remove all harvestable vegetables or try to extend the season just a little more by putting a protective barrier between your plants and Mother Nature. Garden cloth called Reemay, or a light blanket placed over your plants will protect them from the seasons first light frost.

 Let’s look at beets as an example of how to determine the best time to start them. My average frost date is October 20. Beets take 8 weeks from seed to harvest. I would directly plant the seed into the garden mid to late August. This gives the crop plenty of time to mature by the frost date and because it is frost tolerant, I should be able to harvest them a couple of weeks past my frost date. Some crops take longer to mature from seed. Starting them yourself or buying transplants from the garden center are better options. Broccoli is a good example taking 16 weeks to mature from seed. Broccoli needs cool weather to grow properly and I would have to direct seed in June, hoping the seeds will grow properly during the heat of the summer. Instead I could count back 16 weeks from the first frost date and start the seeds indoors under grow lights in peat pots and then transplant them out 8 weeks before the frost date or I could buy starter plants from the garden center and plant them 8 weeks before my first frost. You will need to figure these dates and numbers for each vegetable you want to grow. When planting them, try to group them together, this way if an unusual hard frost hits you will be better able to protect them if they are in one area.