In The Garden
As we transition to autumn, let’s hope for cooler, drier days in which we spend pleasant time in the garden. It is getting trickier to predict what each season will bring.
Autumn is the only time you should plant peonies. Fall is a good time to divide perennials, to plant trees, shrubs and spring-flowering bulbs. After the gray days of winter, there is nothing more welcoming than the bright colors of daffodils and tulips. Also consider the wonderful snowdrops that arrive so early. Winter aconite is a real treasure. And, there are crocus, scilla, glory-of-the-snow and hyacinths to cheer even the darkest days. These bulbs can be planted in November when most of the garden chores, except raking leaves, are finished.
While deadheading, pulling out annuals and raking leaves, why not start a compost pile? You can use free pallets, chicken wire or nothing at all to start your pile. Kitchen vegetable and fruit scraps, including coffee and tea grounds, just go to waste if you are not composting. The nutrient-rich soil you will create is an excellent growing medium and think of all the plastic bags (of soil) you won’t be throwing in the trash.
If you find diseased leaves (rose blackspot for example) under your plants or weeds, do not put them into your compost. Put them in the trash. Weed as much as you can to prevent these unwanted plants from reseeding.
Fall lawn care (up until Oct. 15) includes reseeding, feeding, and the application of lime. After that date, most of the nitrogen in the fertilizer cannot be absorbed by the grass roots. Add limestone to lilacs, lavender and bearded iris.
Unfortunately, invasive plants are taking over our native forests. If you have any of the following plants on your property, get rid of them by mowing, cutting, and pulling repeatedly: Bittersweet vine, autumn olive, euonymous (Burning Bush), Japanese knotweed, barberry. In fact, barberry is a plant that attracts ticks. So, getting rid of it not only helps the forest — it will help you.