Fall Perennials

Echinacea

When asked which is your favorite season in the garden I say fall! I know it seems like it should be spring when everything comes alive and starts to bloom. But fall weather is a great time to access your garden's needs. Is there a corner or planting bed that needs some color or is there a dead spot? The time is also right for planting perennials!

Shasta Daisy

I reworked a bed 2 years ago in September, making it into a perennial bed. The weather is perfect for planting and getting perennials in the ground in the south. Planting now will give perennial roots a good start. This is also a good time to pick up bargain plants. At the end of the season you can find great discounts on plants that are past their peak. You will often find these plants reduced 50 - 75%. This is when I like to get my perennials. I check the clearance rack before looking at fresh plants! The plants are super cheap because they look so pitiful and are often at deaths door! If a plant looks like it has a hint of life left I will bring it home as long as it looks bug and disease free. I will occasionally find a plant I can't bring back to life but the price can't be beat!

Hibiscus moscheutos 

Frost is not the problem you might think it would be in Fall. Especially here in the south, where frost don't come until around Thanksgiving and the soil doesn't freeze until much later. Even if frost kills the tops of the plants it won't affect root growth. Roots will continue to grow until the soil freezes. In the spring it takes a while for the soil to warm up so the roots of plants grow very slowly. In the fall the soil is still warm allowing the roots to grow faster. Since they aren't using energy to produce flowers all that energy can go into root development. You can get your plants off to a good start by planting in good soil and keeping watered during dry spells.

Daylily

To give your bargain plants a fighting chance give them a good soaking when you get them home. Set them in a tray or saucer to catch the water that runs through the pot, allowing the roots to soak up the water. Then plant as you would any healthy plant. They will need less water because of the lower temperatures and shorter days in the fall. But if rain is really scarce keep them watered until the soil freezes. Remember the roots are still growing.

Joe Pyeweed

Even if a few of your new plants don't make it, you can still come out ahead and it will give you a jump on spring gardening!

Garden Phlox

Here are a few Perennials to plant in the fall:

Aster
Astilbe
Balloon Flower
Iris
Bee Balm
Brunnera
Catmint
Columbine
Daylilies
Echinacea
Hosta
Lamb's ears
Oriental poppies
Phlox
Sedums

Re-grow Romaine lettuce Hearts

I saw this on a The Grumpy Gardener (I think) and decided to try it.

Just save the end from your lettuce and put into a little water (about a half inch). Change out the water every day. The lettuce will grow back incredibly quick too.


The best and most amazing thing about lettuce, besides eating it, is that if the stump is intact it will regenerate and regrow new shoots for a second harvest. I took three photos romaine “stumps” in various levels of regrowth in my herb garden. All I did was put each stump in a half inch of water, check the level daily, and wait for tender new growth. I've also planted the stump right in the ground and had success as well when the weather is cool.

The perfect environment for re-growing leafy greens is a cool and bright window with all day light. Give it a try the next time you have a head of lettuce with the stem still intact. You have nothing to lose and a free harvest of lettuce to gain.

Important Tip: Romaine Lettuce is one type of produce that is easy to find in the organic form. It is often packaged as three heart of romaine and it pays to spend just a dollar or two more and have your salad free from any unnecessary pesticides.

I understand it works with celery as well.

Fall Clean-up in the garden

The last week I've been concentrating on Fall clean up in the garden. It is kind of sad pulling up dead and dying annual flowers, removing the moon flower vine from the arbor, and cutting back an overgrown vine. Fall garden chores also included relocating my limelight hydrangea, and planting 3 azaleas purchased earlier this year. I also started a new compost pile in one of my 2 compost bins.

There are many pretty colors provided by the maples, blueberries, crape myrtles, dogwoods and Virginia Sweetspire as I work in the garden. When the leaves fall they need raking, unless like me you put down a pre-emergent. Raking can break the weed-shield provided by the pre-emergent. My husband mulched and bagged the leaves so I could add them to the compost pile I started. In a compost pile, the natural process of decomposition is sped up and you are left with a rich form of organic matter for your flower bed or vegetable patch. Compost also helps soil retain water.

In fact, autumn is a great time to make compost since there is a good mix of leaves, some spent plants and grass clippings. This means you will have a combination of carbon (leaves and other “brown” material) and nitrogen (grass clippings and other “green” material), which produces compost quickly. Keep the pile moist and turn it often, and you will have compost to use in your garden come spring. Or just leave it alone to decompose slowly.Don't compost any diseased plant material.

Some of my garden clean up will go on a brush pile. It will provide winter quarters for lizards, frogs, toads and small mammals such as chipmunks and rabbits, as well as bumblebees and other native bees. The leaves and other dead vegetation are like a “down comforter” for winter wildlife. You can Start your own brush pile with a layer of loosely stacked or crisscrossed branches, and add stalks and leaves on top.

When autumn approaches, I stop removing some spent flowers and let them to go to seed and only remove diseased plant parts and leave the rest standing in some areas of the garden. I don't like the sight of brown stems but like to leave some of them as cozy winter nests for wildlife. Lady beetles, butterflies and other insects will bed down among the stalks during the cold season. Siskins and other birds will dine on the seeds of sunflowers, cone flowers, grasses and other plants.

Using these clean up ideas will not only produce less of the waste clogging up landfills, you also will protect your plants and enrich your soil, while providing a winter welcome mat for wildlife.

PASS-ALONG PLANTS: a Southern gardening heritage

One of the great pleasures of gardening is sharing information with family members, friends,and neighbors. But perhaps the best benefit of sharing with other gardeners is receiving and giving pass-along plants.

Sharing plants is an especially strong tradition in the South. Pass-along plants are easily propagated, often unavailable at a retail nursery, and "passed along" to other gardening friends. Each holds a story of where it came from and the loving hands that grew it whether you trade with your next door neighbor or attend an organized plant swap. I have pass-along plants that were given to me when I lived in Florida that traveled to Georgia and now reside in my South Carolina yard! I feel close to the giver whenever I see them in my yard. I have also passed along plants to my friends in all 3 states and hope they have the same good memories.

Many old varieties, such as Confederate rose and heirloom vegetables, are available only as pass-along plants from other gardeners, who have often cultivated them for generations. A pass-along plant is defined as one that can be easily propagated and given away. But when and how does one acquire them?

Fall is a good time for acquiring pass-along plants, with divisions, seeds and cuttings as the usual methods of propagation. Here are some tips for each.

Divisions: the rule of thumb in plant divisions is that the plant should be divided opposite the season when it blooms.
Thus, those plants that bloom in spring and summer can be divided now. Some examples alliums, cannas, ox-eye daisies, coreopsis, crinums, crocosmia, dianthus, gladiolas, daylilies, iris, and phlox.

Seeds: seeds can be collected and saved for spring planting or for starting early indoors or in a greenhouse. There should be many seeds available for such old favorites as coral vine, cypress vine, cardinal climber, hyacinth bean,
butterfly weed, yarrow, coreopsis, purple coneflower, gaillardia, gaura, salvias, and many others.

Cuttings: for plants that aren't winter hardy, you can make cuttings to carry over indoors or in a greenhouse,
for setting out next spring.

Here are our some popular plants to hand down from generation to generation.
Keep your eyes open for pass-along opportunities so you can participate in the enjoyable activity of sharing what you have with others and having others share with you.

daffodils
spider lily
canna
daylily
crinum
cameilla
gardina
ginger lily
Iris

Some Quick Gardening Tips for Fall

Now with cooler temperatures coming to the Lowcountry I can finally get back outside to do some gardening and landscaping. Here are just a few things I will be doing this fall. What is on your to do list for Fall?

Vegetables- Now is the time to clean up the summer garden. Many pests and diseases over-winter in old plant debris. Get it out of your garden and into the compost pile, as long as it is not diseased. Otherwise, have it removed from your property. I’m growing a few cool-season crops right now such a radish, spinach and lettuce. Most cool-season crops can handle cooler temperatures than you might imagine, and many taste even better after a few light frosts. If you've never had a fall vegetable garden, you're missing a real treat.

Landscape-Fall is absolutely the best time of year to plant any tree and /or shrub. The soil is still warm enough for roots to actively grow and yet the demand on foliage growth is waning. Trees and shrubs planted now have months to develop a healthy root system before the heat of next year. Be sure to keep your new plants watered. The drying winds of the cooler weather can quickly dehydrate plants. Check the soil moisture often, and water when needed. For new plantings, provide water once a week in the absence of rain.

Organic Gardening-Don't waste those fallen leaves. Dump the leaves onto the grass, and run your mower over them. This shreds them into small pieces, can be raked into beds. They break down rather quickly and are a very good way to add organic amendments planting beds. They also pull double-duty, serving as that important layer of mulch over the winter.

Flower Gardening-Plant those bulbs, in cooler climates, plant in October. In southern climates, the best time for bulb planting is November. Tulips, daffodils, crocus, iris and hyacinths are all great choices for spring color. This is also the ideal time to divide perennials and plant perennial seeds for next spring.


This will keep me busy for the next few weeks, how about you? The best part is that next spring, I will be rewarded with a garden that comes alive, looking better than ever and due in large part to the work I do this Fall.

9 tips for Sensational Harvest

All across the country people are rediscovering the joys of growing their own vegetables, fruits and herbs. As well as producing fresh, flavorful food, a kitchen garden can be a source of nearly year-round enjoyment. If you are planning a fall garden or spring garden consider these ideas to improve your yield.

1. Contain your plants-Rusted washtubs; wheelbarrows, and watering cans make whimsical planters for salad greens such as ‘Red Fire’, Oakleaf, and butter lettuces. Containers add another level of interest while boosting growing space. (Be sure to drill holes for drainage.)

2. Plan for bounty & beauty-The French potager is a kitchen garden designed for visual appeal and productivity. Beginners should start small. Four 4 X 4 beds can provide one or two people with fresh greens, tomatoes, and herbs throughout the growing season. Check with your county extension service for varieties that are the best for your locality.

3. Raised beds to lift yields-Garden beds raised several inches above pathways are easier to tend, warm up faster in spring allowing for earlier planting and drain better than flat beds. Make beds 4 feet wide for easy maintenance; pathways should be 4-5 feet wide to allow easy passage with a garden cart.

4. Choose companions-Be skeptical about following of-repeated plant adages such as “plant carrots with tomatoes”. Many of these claims have not panned out in scientific trials, overcrowding beds can reduce yields. Instead, consider edging beds with compact herbs, like parsley or edible flowers like nasturtiums. Herbs and flowers add visual appeal and attract pollinators.

5. Embrace diversity-Grow herbs alongside your vegetables. Loaded with flavor and fragrance, herbs such as garlic and chives can be potent pest repellents. At the same time, tiny herb flowers attract and sustain beneficial insects and pollinators, which are critical for crop production. To reduce plant diseases, nutrient depletion, and insect pests, avoid planting the same crop in the same location is successive years.

6. Build a structure-The best kitchens gardens include a seating area--a shady place to rest and escape the heat of the day. While a well-placed shade tree will do the trick, a pergola also offers the opportunity to grow vines such as grapes.

7. Reach for the sky-Take advantage of vertical space by including climber, which produce more per square foot of garden space than bush varieties. Red-blossom ‘Painted Lady” and ‘Scarlet Runner” pole beans planted along one edge of a row of beds climb 8-foot tall stakes that form tepees over pathways. Tomatoes, peas, and vining fruits also should be supported with stakes, cages, or trellises for big blemish-free produce.


8. Blanket your soil-After the soil warm, lavish plants with a thick layer of organic mulch such as shredded leaves or grass clippings. Mulch helps retain soil moisture, blocks weeds and will gradually break down into humus-all will be beneficial to the plants growth. Mulching can also reduce plants susceptible to soil-borne diseases.

9. Plan to succeed-Double your harvest with relay crops.” Follow spring-planted veggies, such as lettuce, carrots, scallions, or peas, with late-maturing crops, such as sweet corn, melons, broccoli, or kale. Successive crops might occupy the same bed for a short time. By the time the second crop is big enough to take over the space, the first will be ready to pull out. Choose fast-maturing varieties when using this technique.

If you’ve dreamed of gathering basketfuls of sun–ripened fruits and vegetables right outside your door find a sunny location and give these tips a try.

Micro-climate Gardening

A couple of years ago I was gardening on an early spring day and uncovered several impatiens that had over wintered in a flowerbed. The summer flowers were in a protected spot up against our house and were buried under several inches of mulch. I’d discovered a microclimate in my yard. I’ve also discovered other protected growing areas in my yard against a fence and near my pond.

Within a given yard, different areas have different growing conditions, known as micro-climates. These planting pockets can offer a protected microclimate where marginally hardy plants can survive. By selecting plants adapted to each microclimate, you’ll see the most favorable growing conditions. Check your yard to see if you have any of these common microclimates.

Wind- Walls, solid fences, and buildings create wind turbulence as wind travels over and around them. Wind turbulence can damage broad-leaved evergreens, such as rhododendron or boxwood and knock over tall plants. Semi permeable barriers, such as hedges, trellis or nonsolid fence, offer the most effective wind shelter.

Surface colors- Dark colors in buildings; mulches, rocks or fences absorb daytime heat and radiate it at night, forming a warm pocket suitable for frost-tender plants. Light colors reflect heat onto plants during the hottest part of the day, perfect for growing succulents.

Raised beds- Soil in raised beds warms and drains earlier in spring, which hastens planting dates and plant growth. South-facing raised beds stays warmer in winter, allowing tender plants to over winter.


Exposure- Northern exposures tend to be cool, creating a shorter growing season. Southern-facing spots are warmer, offering moderated winter temperatures. Eastern exposures tend to have moister soil; western-facing beds have dryer soil and harsh afternoon sun. In wintry climates, these conditions can combine with cold nights to crack bark on young trees.

If you discover a microclimate or two in your yard see if you can take advantage of them by planting to the strength of the micro climates

.

Bargain Plant Buying Tips

I’ve been talking about shopping for bargain plants on the clearance shelf at garden centers so I thought I’d come up with some buying tips. Once the spring and summer buying rush is over you can find plans discounted 25-75%. I’ve picked up several perennials for $1 and even free in late summer this year.

· Save gas by calling garden centers first to see if sales have started.
· Check the small multi-plant bedding containers to make sure there is a live plant in each cell.
· Choose young plants that haven’t flowered yet and pick a bushier plant over a spindly one.
· Examine roots by sliding the plant carefully out of its pot; buy plants with plenty of white, healthy roots but not one so crowded that it is pot bound.
· Inspect leaves and roots for insects or diseases that will weaken plants or spread them to your other garden plants.
· Buy several of the same color and type of plant so you have enough to fill in pots and beds.
· Before planting at home prune blooming annuals 1/3 to ½ to encourage bushier growth and more blooms.
· Massage the root ball when removing a plant from its pot to release any tangled roots.
· Plant purchase as soon as possible, watering well.
· Group your new plants according to sun or shade requirement.
· Fertilize annuals following package direction, using a high–phosphorous product such as 5-10-10. (the middle number indicates phosphorous)

Many bargain plants look scruffy but with careful buying practices and some TLC they can soon be providing some color to your garden. Perennials may not produce until the following summer but at the bargain price it is worth the wait and fall is a great time to get these plants started in the garden giving them plenty of time to develop new roots and growth for next summer.

Color in my fall garden

Starting in late August I begin to shop the clearance rack in the garden centers. This year I have picked up at ½ price, $1 or even free plants mostly perennials for my garden. While shopping for seeds at Lowe’s yesterday I found a Rabbit eye Blueberry bush at ½ price to replace one of my bushes that died this summer. I already rescued Black and Blue Salvia, May night Salvia, Veronica, Gerbera Daisies, a Butterfly bush and Verbena and they are happily planted in my garden and flowering! I bring them home, add some compost and a bit of fertilizer to the planting bed, loosen the roots (if they are pot bound), then plant then and water well. I keep them watered during dry times and when I’m lucky they will bloom in the fall. If not they are well established to bloom next summer.

For more fall color this summer I took cutting from assorted Coleus when Cypress Gardens was pinching back their plants and started them at home. When it started to cool off a bit I put them out in the yard and now with Celosias coming up from last years seeds I have a nice amount of new color in my yard to go with the plants that are still blooming and the trees and shrubs that are beginning to show fall color in their leaves.

I’ve also used the cooler weather start my fall vegetables and herbs, clean out dead and dying annuals from the planting beds and to try and control the weeds. Soon I will be putting down a pre-emergent in hope of controlling winter weeds in the lawn.

Overall this is a good time of year to just enjoy your garden

Benefits of Fall Gardening

The weather is finally beginning to cool down and fall is just around the corner. Fall will be a busy time in my garden –It’s the best time for planting, bed building, path building and other big projects. Fall is like a second spring in the South.

As the overwhelming heat of summer takes a toll on gardeners like myself we also get the pleasure of being able to grow a fall garden. The weather returns to a manageable level and the onset of winter is still many months off so there is still plenty of time to grow flowers and vegetables and to plant shrubs and trees. Fall gardening can be similar to spring gardening in that plants that thrive in cooler temperatures are the best choice for the fall garden.

My fall garden planting plans for this year includes vegetables as well as flowers. Some vegetables I plan to grow in my fall garden this year are: Herbs, Tomatoes, radishes, Salad greens-Leaf lettuce, spinach, chard, peas, and peppers.

I also like to plant and transplant perenials- like Asters, Echinacea, and Veronica; bi-annuals- digitalis and hollyhocks, and sow annual plant seeds of cosmos, bachlor buttons, marigolds, larkspur, and poppies. I find Fall gardening in the Lowcountry to be very satisfying. With cooler temperatures and fewer insects, I can spend more time enjoying the garden and less time maintaining it. Fall is my favorite season to be outside even if I have to suffer sneezing and watering eyes because of Ragweed!