October 2018 Tips

Dear Gardening Friends, The strange weather continues. At least we’re getting enough rain. People have been asking if you can still divide and move perennials. Ordinarily it would be getting a little late for moving but with as warm as it has been it could be safe for hardy perennials like hosta, daisy, cone flower etc. Perennials should have at least 4 weeks to settle their roots in before the soil gets below 50 degrees. That’s the iffy part. It’s impossible to predict. I moved some ground cover a week ago and am hoping the  mild weather lasts. At this point it may be safer to wait till spring. If you do transplant anything be sure to keep it well watered until the ground freezes and mulch it well after the ground does freeze. Some other thoughts on October in the garden: - It’s still fine for moving or planting trees and shrubs. You can do that into November. - Planting spring bulbs is another good October chore. Ideally they should be planted soon so they have a chance to grow some roots. However you can plant them until the ground freezes. - Remove any diseased plant material and discard. Make sure to remove all the infected fallen leaves around the plant also as some types of fungal spores can winter over. - If you have any potted perennials that haven’t been planted yet you can store them in a garage, dig the pot into the soil or place it among ground cover and cover with leaves. The important thing is to prevent the roots from freezing. If you have an open compost pile you can dig them in there and cover with leaves. It’s a good idea to hold the leaves down with deer or bird netting so they don’t blow away over the winter. This also helps prevent small critters from digging in. - Although fall isn’t the best time to prune many trees and shrubs, any dead or damaged branches should be trimmed. This will eliminate the possibility of them breaking during a winter storm.and damaging home, garage, etc. Any branches that have grown large enough to be in the way or in danger of poking someone in the eye should also be removed. - When you do the last mowing of the season leaves the mulched leaves on the lawn along with the grass clippings. It’s good “food” for the lawn. - If you have little flying fungus gnats all of a sudden, they likely came in in the soil of some plants you brought in to overwinter. Keep the soil on the dry side and that will solve the problem.  The larva of the gnats live in the top 2 inches of moist soil. If the soil is dry, that will break the cycle. - As your annuals fade, pull them out roots and all. It’s easier to remove them before the frost makes them mushy. - In general the amount of fall clean up you do is up to you. Some feel total clean-up is best including raking fallen leaves off beds. I tend to leave a lot in place including fallen leaves. It provides winter protection and a home for beneficial insects and larva, especially during winters when we haven’t had a solid snow cover. You do, however, have to rake off the leaves in spring before perennials start growing. Educational Opportunities: Master Gardener Meeting open to the public: On November 6 the Master Gardener Meeting will be about invasive species including the jumping worm. The meeting will be free and open to the public and will be an excellent opportunity to learn about what you should be watching out for and how to prevent the spread. There will be two presentations: Lucy Nuessle, the WNY PRISM Project Manager will be discussing a few early detection terrestrial plant species, iMap, and give an update on the japanese stiltgrass found in East Aurora, and elsewhere, this season. FYI – japanese stiltgrass is one the early detection species. Sharon Bachman, the CCE Invasive Species Educator, will do a presentation on the new invasive Jumping Worm that we have all been hearing about. Even though it’s a free event registration is required. To register go to https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/CCEErieMGNovMeetingInvasives_214 WildLIFE Education & Appreciation Day Sat. October 27, 9:30 – 3:30, ECCNorth, 6205 Main St., Wmsvl., Kittinger Hall, Lecture Hall k-1000 There will be exhibits, children’s activities, workshops, wildlife ambassadors (birds of prey and more) and series of short Ted Talk type presentations. I’ll be doing one on natives. The following is the listing for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/987145454798839/ Should be a fun day. Any groups that would like a speaker on horticulture related topics can contact me or a full list of presentations. You can also check on my website: LessonsfromNature.biz Happy Gardening! Lyn Chimera Lessons from Nature 170 Pine St. E. Aurora, NY 14052 [email protected] 652-2432 Copyright © 2014 Lessons From Nature, All rights reserved. You're receiving this message because you requested to receive Lessons from Nature newsletters. Our mailing address is: Lessons from Nature 37 N Union Rd Williamsville, NY 14221 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences