I recently read an article that spoke about the hidden pleasure of yard work. Yeah, yeah. yeah, I thought to myself, the pleasure part is when it is all done and you can kick back and sip that lemonade in the garden.
The weather has been so hot this past month, and with water rationing everywhere, I have been neglecting my watering and trying to see how long I can stretch it out without losing any plants. Forget the lawn, of course. Our lawn is now the size of a postage stamp as each year I take more and more of it to plant a perennial and veggie garden.
I read author Gerri Larkin, in the AARP magazine, who said to have a great garden you need to: want a great garden, do what needs doing, see whatʼs in front of you, share the abundance, give it your enthusiasm, keep the weeds at bay, have patience, harvest its joys.
In October, plant or sow fall blooming annuals. Use calendulas, pansies, Iceland poppies, snaps, sweet alyssum, ajuga, campanula, chrysanthemum, cineraria, nemesia, schizanthus, vincas, primrose, stock, viola, sweet peas and forget-me-not. Disbud fall-blooming mums if you want large, spectacular blooms instead of masses. Leave one or two buds per stem, feed regularly until they bloom.
Cut back Perennials such as Coreopsis, Delphinium, Penstemon and Shasta daisies to 6 inches when flowers fade. You may get second flowering in the fall. Divide bearded iris. Trim fans to inverted "V" and replant one foot apart. "Aim" the leaf end towards the direction you wish the iris to grow.
Sow seed for the following vegetables this month: carrots, chard, lettuce, peas, celery, radish, spinach, turnip, parsley, Chinese cabbage and mustard. You'll be harvesting them all winter-long. Remove seed pods on fuchsias to promote continued bloom. Fertilize summer annuals, begonias, fuchsias and container plantings. Train or tie any trellis-trained vegetable vines regularly.
Tomatoes, cukes, melons and gourds are often trained vertically to conserve space and make for easy harvesting. For midwinter bloom, plant sweet peas this month. Sow seed of early flowering, bush, knee-high, early multi flora and vining types. Soak the seed for 24 hours before planting to ensure germination.
Fertilize fruit trees this month. Use 1/2 pound of sulfate of ammonia per inch of trunk diameter. Scatter broadly under the tree and water deeply. Fertilizing now helps trees build up the starches needed for winter maintenance.
Luckily in the Bay Area we are able to do garden projects almost all year long due to the mild Mediterranean climate. Planting bulbs now such as tulips, muscari, crocus, freesias, daffodils, hyacinths, gallanthus, ixia, Dutch iris, sparaxia, anemones, and ranunculus will brighten your garden in the early spring and late winter. Plant them at weekly intervals for several weeks to extend your flowering season. Remember to refrigerate the tulips, hyacinths, and crocus.
Growing bulbs is especially foolproof if you improve the soil by adding amendment, compost, and humus which naturally improves the drainage, especially important for bulbs. At the same time add bulb fertilizer to provide slow release nutrients. Most bulbs need at least 1/2 day of full sun or partial sunlight under deciduous trees before they fully leaf out. A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs 2-3 X as deep as the height of the bulb, or easier yet, use one of the charts available at any nursery.
Plant bulbs with pointed ends up, corms, tubers and rhizomes with the withered roots at the bottom. Plant rhizomes of bearded iris now to enjoy the beautiful flowers in the spring both in the garden and in the house. The selection of iris color is amazing and they grow easily in full sun or partial shade. Plant the rhizomes just below the soil line, making sure you have great drainage. Water immediately after planting and when the rains come, the drainage is very important.
If you plant flowers now between the bulbs, one can enjoy an abundance of color during the winter days. Color is the key when planting bulbs, grouping bulbs together for masses of color, planting low growing bulbs in front of tall growing ones. If you want to create a spectacular spring garden, try setting a mass display of one color against another mass display of another, some in a geometric display, some random.
Plant some in interesting containers mixing bulbs with spring flowering shrubs and perennials for a continuous display of color, keeping in mind color, texture and shape. Some great web sites for bulb purchase: http://www.johnscheepers.com, 860-567-0838, http://www.brecks.com,800-622-9997,http://www.dutchgardens.com,513-354-1511, http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com,877-661-2852, http://www. dutchbulbs.com, 888-821-0448. Actually my father swore by Brecks and used them for many years growing many exotic tulips including some of the spectacular parrot ones, none of those yellow King Alfredʼs for my dad.
October is a great time to choose narcissus and amaryllis for planting in November for holiday gifts. A container of narcissus given to me by a friend a few years back still blooms each year. What better gift than something alive and growing, lasting such a long time in flower.
For lawn care this month, lower the mower blades for the winter, use pre-emergent feed and weed killer and fertilize. Be sure to order your bare roses and fruit trees now for the best selection to plant late winter and early spring. Did you know the average home owner enjoys 8.5 hours per month in his/her garden (garden clubbers spend much, much more), during peak garden months for relaxation, exercise and enjoying and being in the outdoors. Prune hollies and late growth on camellias, divide perennials and also cut them back drastically. Be sure to keep using Sluggo to keep those pesky snails and slugs away.
Ask questions by writing me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, SM, CA or email:
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