September 2017 Tips

Dear Gardening Friends, Upcoming Garden Events: Lessons from Nature Fall Perennial Sale: Fall is a great time to divide and plant perennials. Many of my perennials grew so large this summer from all the rain that I would like to divide them before spring. Sept 5 – 11 I will be having a special “fresh dug” perennial sale by appointment only. This is a great way to get plants at a reduced price because I don’t have to pot them up. Call or e-mail for an appointment and we will dig the plants you want. Available plants are listed at the end of the newsletter. First Come First Served! Garden Consultation: 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. Master Gardener Fall Gardening Classes: There is still time to register for the Master Gardener Fall Gardening Classes: This year all 3 classes will be hands on, make and take. Classes are limited in size so register early. All classes cost $20 or $50 for all three. To register Call Cornell Cooperative Extension, 652-5400, ext. 177 or visit the website: erie.cce.cornell.edu 9/9 – Saturday, 10:00 – 11:30 – Making Hypertufa Planters, Hamlin Park in E. Aurora. Learn how to make the popular lightweight concrete planters. Limit 20. Each person makes one by: MG Lyn Chimera 9/19 – Tuesday, 7:00 – 8:30 at Cornell Cooperative Extension in E. Aurora, Making a Kokedamas, a Japanese moss ball, a unique way to grow and display plants, limit 15. By MG, Carol Ann Harlos 9/27 – Overwintering, Propagation & Making Cuttings - Save money by propagating and bringing in plants for the winter including dormant storage, limit 20 – By MG Peggy Koppmann. Gathering of Gardeners: The annual garden symposium in Rochester is September 9. “Making the Most of Change”, will be a presentation of timely information needed by all gardening enthusiasts. There will be 3 speakers and a wonderful parking lot sale of plants from local nurseries. For more information go to: www.gatheringofgardeners.com Gardening Tips: - Time to start fall garden chores if you haven’t already and weeding should be at the top of your list. Every weed you get rid of now is one you won’t have to deal with in the spring. Besides, removing them now will prevent a lot of weed seeds from spreading. - It’s also an ideal time to divide and move perennials. - Your perennial needs dividing if: o It has outgrown its space o The bloom has diminished o The center of the clump is dying back so the clump looks like a doughnut o The saying goes, if the plant blooms in spring, move it in the fall. If it blooms in fall, move it in spring. - It’s also 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. - Anything planted now whether it’s a perennial, tree or shrub should be well watered until the soil freezes. - If you had lily leaf beetle this summer check leaves for larva. I thought the season was over and I found larva the other day under leaves. Yuck! - Plants not growing properly, this would be a good time to have the soil pH tested. Knowing the proper pH is crucial to healthy plants. Testing now gives you the opportunity to make any adjustments before next spring. You can bring a sample to the Cooperative Extension or get a kit from a local nursery and do it yourself. Go to the website, erie.cce.cornell.edu, to see directions of how to take the soil sample. - Bulbs can be planted now for best results as they will have time to set some roots before winter. That being said, you can technically plant them up until the ground freezes. If you have problems with critters digging up your bulbs put a square of small gauge chicken wire over the planting hole (under the top surface of soil so it isn’t visible). The bulbs will grow right through the chicken wire. Large gauge hardware cloth can also be used. Don’t add bone meal to the bulb planting hole as it actually draws critters. If you use any fertilizer mix it into the soil so it doesn’t burn the bulbs. - This is a good time cut back stems on plants that are past their prime. If it looks more brown than green you can cut it back. Any diseased plants should be cut back and the cuttings discarded. - However, it’s not necessary to cut back all the perennials. Leaving plants with seed heads intact is good food for winter birds. The crowns and leaves of the plants also serve as a protective cover for the plants against temperature changes during the winter. - I tend to leave most plants intact for the winter and leave fallen leaves in the garden beds. It’s good for protecting the roots from temperature fluctuations as well as providing necessary winter habitat for many beneficial insects and their larva. - Early September is a good time to bring in annuals for the winter or take cuttings. This should be done BEFORE the nights get cooler and your furnace goes on. It’s also best to take cuttings or bring plants in when they are in their prime. They will not do well after they start diminishing. Lawn care:  Fall is a good time to reseed or over-seed your lawn.  It’s also a good time to apply fertilizer if your lawn needs it. Applying fertilizer when the lawn is brown and dormant is not advised. Natural fertilizers are much better than chemical fertilizers. However, if you mow high, leave the grass clippings on the lawn and lightly spread some compost over the grass. That’s all you need to do. Perennials Available for Sale: Perennials for Shade: Hosta – many varieties Japanese painted fern Epimedium – yellow and pink Dwarf astilbe Corydalis Native ginger Lady Fern Tall meadow rue Early meadow rue Wood poppy White wood aster European ginger Snakeroot Golden ragwort Flowering raspberry Perennials part sun: Big-leaf aster Tricyrtis Solomon’s Seal Persicaria Blue lobelia Forget-me- not Dwarf Comfrey Northern Sea Oats Candelabra primrose Gold star Perennials for sun: Filapendula Anemone – pink & white Sundrops Black-eyed- Susan Tansy Blue aster Happy Gardening! Lyn Chimera Lessons from Nature 170 Pine St., E. Aurora, NY 14052 716-652- 2432 [email protected] 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