Dear Gardening Friends,

• The first step is to assess what you think needs to be done. I like walking around the garden with a notebook and writing down ideas of what should be divided, moved, or eliminated as well as what you’d like to add or change for next year.
• Second, I prioritize chores into things to be accomplished this fall and those that can wait until spring. Some of which depend on the weather and of course how long my energy lasts! 
• When the weather starts cooling down and we get more consistent rain it will be time to start dividing and moving perennials. I have been holding off until the weather cooperates as it’s really hard on plants to be moved in this dry heat.
• Reasons for moving and/or dividing can be:
  • When a plant develops a “doughnut hole” or bare spot in the middle of the clump.
  • If a perennial has become overcrowded &/or oversized.
  • If a plant isn’t performing well where it has been for a few years. You can move it to a more appropriate location to meet its growing needs or share with a friend.
  • You just don’t like the way it looks in that spot.
• Fall clean up will depend on the weather. I tend to leave up perennials that don’t have disease or insect infestation. The seed heads feed the birds and the crowns of the plants help protect them from winter temperature fluctuations.
  • Plants with powdery mildew should be cut back to the base and all stray leaves cleaned up from the ground. This is important as the fungal spores can winter over if left.
  • Plants that had 4 lined plant bug damage (small lines of black spots on the leaves) should be cut to the base as the insect lays its eggs in the stems of affected plants.
• Weeding is an important fall job. The seeded annual weeds you remove won’t be dropping seeds for next spring and the perennial weeds will be removed before they get larger and harder to deal with. This will be a chore until the first freeze.
• Many people ask about pruning in the fall.
  • Most pruning should be done late winter early spring including roses, trees, and shrubs.
  • The exception is spring blooming trees and shrubs. They should be pruned right after blooming.
  • Another exception is any branches that are in the way, damaged or dead. Dead plant material can be removed anytime.
• Fall is an ideal time to plant grass seed but wait for cooler weather and look for grass seed that is appropriate for your site. Don’t forget to keep it watered. 
• It’s a good time to plant trees and shrubs. Check local nurseries for sales.
  • Perennials will be on sale as well. Check sale plants, trees and shrubs carefully for signs of insects and disease. An unhealthy or infested plant is no bargain.
  • Trees and shrubs, as well as perennials should be planted when they will have at least 4 weeks for their roots to settle in and should be well watered until the soil freezes.
• Now is also a good time to plant bulbs. They will have time to settle in before the ground freezes.

 
Educational Opportunity:
 
Master Gardener Fall Gardening Classes will be held live this year and you won’t want to miss them. All classes will be held at CCE, East Aurora
 
Tuesday, September 14, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Mackenzie Schuler, Lockwood’s Garden Center
‘Growing Succulents Indoors and Outdoors’: Learn about special soil, watering, and sunlight exposure needs to care for these popular and unusual plants.
 
Wednesday, September 22, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Nate Morey, NYS DEC Forestry Region 9
‘Caring for Trees and Shrubs’: Choose the right tree for your site and learn how to plant,
fertilize, water and protect it from disease and invasive insects.
 
Saturday, September 25, 10:00 – 11:30 am
Emere Nieves, Community Garden Trainer
‘Worm Composting’: An alternative to traditional composting, worm composting
recycles food scraps and other organic material into a nutrient rich soil amendment.
 
Cost: Individual class: $15, Public: 3 classes for $45, Master Gardeners: 3 classes for $40
Registration information at: erie.cce.cornell.edu
 
Fall Perennial Sale: Lessons from Nature, 170 Pine Street E Aurora
 
My garden is overflowing with plants that can’t wait till spring to be divided. The sale will be by pre-order only. Let me know what you want, and I will let you know when you can pick them up.
If you have any questions about the plants just let me know. (Contact info below)
 
Native white violet                             Large blue hosta
Lenten Rose seedlings                                    Med. Late blooming hosta
Brunnera                                             Native Big leaf aster
Native Gold Star                                 Native Wood Poppy
Tricyrtis                                              Dwarf Astilbe
White & Yellow Corydalis                 Native Chocolate Snake Root
Curly Ginger                                       Dragon Arum
Pachysandra                                        Native White Wood Aster
Tansy                                                  Holly Fern
Native Flowering raspberry                Native Golden Ragwort
Native Amsonia                                  Native Blue Wood Aster
Native Shrubby St. John’s Wort         Persicaria
Forget-Me-Not                                    Native White Snake Root
Joe Pye weed             
 
Garden Consult:
 
Late summer is when you can assess your successes and failures and make improvements for next year. What to keep, what to get rid of or what to move. A Garden Consultation can help you decide what worked, what didn’t, why these issues occurred, and what you can do about them. Call or e-mail to set up an appointment.
 
Happy Gardening!
Lyn Chimera
Lessons from Nature
170 Pine St.
E. Aurora, NY 14052
lyn@lessonsfromnature.biz
716-652-2432
 
 
 
 

Dear Gardening Friends,

• Japanese beetles are almost done (at least in my garden). I’m only getting 4 or 5/day instead of lots. I count them as I flick them into a container of soapy water. It gives me great pleasure.
• You may notice some things are blooming either early or late. This is probably due to the erratic weather we’ve had since early spring. It’s not a long-term concern but I do hope there are some fall blooms left in late fall for the hungry pollinators. 
• Depending on the weather, mid to late August is a good time to start dividing and transplanting perennials. A few tips:
  • If it’s hot and dry hold off till the temps cool down and we get rain. It’s very stressful for a perennial to be dug up and replanted when it’s hot and dry especially if they are in the sun. They go into shock. Giving them some shade with a basket or box for a few days really helps. Transplanting in the shade is much more forgiving.
  • Cutting a tall perennial back a little to reduce the amount of greenery the newly moved plant has to support is less stressful for the plant.
  • Wait to divide until a plant has stopped blooming.
  • The old standard recommendation is if it blooms in the spring move it in the fall and if it blooms in summer/fall move it in spring.
  • This being said, there are many perennials you can divide and move anytime, daylilies. hosta, many groundcovers, and ferns among them.
  • Make sure the plants you move are well hydrated until the ground freezes.
• By mid-August you can stop fertilizing if that is part of your routine. The plants are slowing down and preparing for winter dormancy.
• Leave seed heads on plants as they provide winter food for birds.
• Check your plants regularly for signs of insect or disease. I have noticed some fungal disease showing up. Determine the cause, and if any action is necessary, BEFORE you arbitrarily spray a pesticide or herbicide. Remember pesticides kill ALL insects, and herbicides kill ALL plants, the good with the bad. Always look for a nontoxic product. 
• A few holes in your leaves are not necessarily a disaster. Beneficial insects have to eat too. Remember butterflies and moths come from caterpillars so they are not necessarily the bad guys.
• Spiders are more common in fall. Some people don’t like spiders but keep in mind they are your friend! Spiders are one of the best predators of harmful insects in your garden.
• Mid-August to mid-September is ideal for starting grass seed. However, if it’s hot, wait a while. Grass seed germinates better in cooler weather.
  • If you have some bare spots or thinning turf, you can over seed during the cooler weather. Simply scatter some seed right over the existing grass and bare spots. If the bare spot is larger than a few inches, it’s best to loosen the soil a little with a hand cultivator so the seed makes good contact with the ground.
  • When buying grass seed make sure to match your sight requirements (amount of sun, moisture and soil pH) to the type of seed.
  • If you do reseed make sure to keep the area well watered.

• Pruning trees and shrubs, including roses is best done in early spring. Pruning in the fall can cause new growth to sprout which will be too weak to survive the winter.
  • The exception is if there are damaged branches or branches that are in the way. They should be removed.
• If you have oak trees, be aware there is a pathogen, Oak Wilt, that can be deadly to oaks. To help prevent the disease don’t prune any oaks until they are dormant. The insect that spreads the disease lays its eggs in newly cut wood when the sap is still active.