Fall is a Great Time for Planting

If you're considering a new plant for your landscape, but feel that you should wait until next spring…don't wait.  Fall is an ideal time for planting.

Here are three great reasons to do your planting and transplanting in the fall:

1. Cooler temperatures mean less stress on the plant.
2. Increased rainfall help the plant's roots become well-established.
3. The soil is still warm in the fall (actually warmer than in spring) and allows roots to grow until the ground freezes.

Hydrangea Winter Dieback

Winter seemed to go on forever this year.  When spring finally arrived, we still had plenty of cold days mixed in with the warm days. The result of the crazy weather has been Hydrangea dieback.

This Bigleaf Hydrangea (H. macrophylla) has new growth at the base, but the stems are bare – a classic example of dieback.

If you’re seeing bare stems in mid-May, it’s ok to cut them all the way back to the base because they will not produce any flowers this year. The new stems should grow to the same height as the old stems. Hydrangeas that flower on new wood (H. paniculata) will still bloom this season.  Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood (H. macrophylla) may not bloom at all, or may have a few blooms but not until late summer.

For more information about Hydrangeas, visit the United States National Arboretum website.

The Mystery of the African Violet

Why doesn’t my African violet bloom?

It’s a question that I’d asked myself for years.  No kidding...years.  I tried everything…

Moving it to various locations to make sure it was getting enough, but not too much, light…
Nothing

Carefully watering based on recommendations from my local nursery…
Nada

Using fertilizer specially made for African violets...
Not happening

Transplanting to a larger pot with improved soil...
Zip

Then I bought a Thirsty Light.  The reason for my purchase had nothing to do with the African violet saga. It just seemed like a great way to help me remember to water my houseplants. But, just weeks after adding a Thirsty Light to the pot, my African violet bloomed!   I’m still not entirely sure what was wrong with my watering routine. I’m just happy that Thirsty Light has made it right.

Mystery solved!

Fall Pruning

While raking the first of the fall leaves, I noticed that my row of Euonymus shrubs were a little messy.  They had a growth spurt back in August, but I was busy doing other things and never got around to pruning them.  So, I got out my pruners and spent a couple of hours cutting back the new growth.  The Euonymus looked nice and tidy and I was very pleased with my work.

A few days later I received an email newsletter from Horticulture Magazine with the subject “Fall Pruning: Do or Don’t?”.  Unfortunately for me, the answer to that burning question is DON'T.
 
Oops!

In a panic I did a Google search hoping to find an expert that would support the idea of fall pruning and get me off the hook.  No such luck. All of the reputable sources agree that pruning encourages new growth which is not something you should do in the fall when the plant is trying to go dormant.

Drats!

Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to hope that my untimely pruning won’t cause my beautiful Euonymus any serious damage.

To read more about fall pruning check out this Rodale article.

Organic Lawn Care Book

I switched over to organic lawn care about 8 years ago.  I’m glad that I made the switch, and for the most part, I'm happy with my lawn.  But, I have to admit that it isn’t picture perfect.  Part of the reason is that I focus most of my time and attention on my garden beds, and then really just don’t have enough energy to fuss with my lawn.  I’m satisfied if it’s green, even if some of the green is weeds.

However, this spring I noticed that the north side of my property was being taken over by clover. So, I decided to research the best way to get rid of it. My first thought was some kind of chemical weed killer. Then I came across a book that I found to be very helpful:  The Organic Lawn Care Manual by Paul Tukey.

The author spent many years as a lawn care professional.  After suffering from some medical problems related to the use of lawn chemicals, he decided to eliminate chemicals and find organic alternatives to lawn care.

The book explains how to evaluate your lawn’s current condition and how to make the transition from chemicals to organics.  There are instructions on how to start a lawn from scratch as well as how to renovate an existing lawn.  The author is a proponent of compost tea, and gives step-by-step instructions (with photos) on how to make your own brew.   There is a very detailed description of common weeds and what they are trying to tell you about your soil (in my case, the clover is an indication that my soil lacks nitrogen).

Overall, I found this book to be well written and would recommend it to anyone interested in organic lawn care.

Late Winter Is The Time For Hard Pruning

If you have an old shrub that has grown too big for its space, now is the time to get it under control. Winter is the best time to do a hard pruning because the shrub is dormant, so you won’t risk damage to delicate buds.  In addition, it will have plenty of time to recover from the pruning before next winter.  A hard, or renovation, pruning is when you cut the stems back almost to the ground.  Keep in mind that a shrub that blooms on old growth may not bloom in the first season after a hard pruning.

Use a hand saw or pruner to cut the stems back 6-10 inches from the ground.   It may be easier to use a chain saw for very thick stems.  In mid-summer, cut back about ½ of the new stems.  Prune some of the remaining stems so that they aren’t all the same size. Always try to prune back to an outward facing bud to force new growth out and away from the center of the shrub.

Not all shrubs will tolerate a hard pruning, so be sure to do a little research before you begin. Keep notes so that you’ll remember which of your plants can handle a renovation pruning. It helps if you take photos before and after you prune.  This way you’ll be able to document how well the plant recovers.

Here is an interesting video that illustrates hard pruning. In the video you’ll see that they prune Burning Bush within a few inches of the ground, but they leave 2-3 feet of the Viburnum stems.

Can I Prune a Knock Out Rose In The Fall?

Yesterday, I stopped by my neighbor’s house. As soon as she saw me she said “I know I’m not supposed to prune this Knock Out Rose in the fall, but it looks so bushy that I just have to neaten it up for the winter”. When I got home, I opened my GardenScribe to see what I had written about pruning. Sure enough, my notes said to prune in late winter or early spring. But admittedly, I also had been thinking about pruning my two Knock Outs so they wouldn’t be damaged by snow during the winter.

I decided to see what the experts have to say about fall pruning, and this is what I found. The vast majority of advice agrees that you should prune your Knock Out in late winter when the plant is still dormant. You can remove dead or diseased branches anytime. Additional pruning in late spring and early summer to encourage blooms is fine too.

But, I still wondered if I would do my Knock Out's harm with a fall pruning.

The answer is that it’s ok to remove tall large canes that may snap during a winter storm. But keep pruning to a minimum since pruned canes may dieback during the winter.

It’s Time to Combat Lawn Grubs

September is a great time to take care of lawn maintenance. If your lawn has been showing signs of severe grub damage, now is the time to take action.

Beetles lay their eggs in late June and early July. Those eggs hatch about 2 weeks later into grubs which feed on the roots of your grass throughout August. It's now, in September, that the grubs are closest to the top of the soil, which is why this is the best time to eliminate them.

Look for products like "Bayer Advanced 24 Hour Grub Killer Plus" in your local garden center and follow the manufacturer instructions.

To learn more about the life cycle of grubs, check out this Cornell University article at  http://nysipm.cornell.edu/PUBLICATIONS/grubs/life.asp

Protect Your Shrubs From Winter Damage

This week in New York we had a major storm that dropped about 16 inches of snow in our area. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the light and fluffy kind. It was the wet heavy kind that has the potential to damage plants. The following photo shows my Arborvitae which are bent over under the weight of the snow.

I’ve read that you shouldn’t try to remove the snow because you might break the branches. I don’t agree. I use a soft broom to gently shake the snow off the branches. If you’re careful, you won’t cause any damage. I do the same thing for most of my shrubs. I’ve never had a branch break while removing the snow. The worst that happens during the shaking process is that I end up with a lot of snow down my jacket and in my boots.