Autumn brings a unique set of critically important garden chores. Perfroming them now through November will give your flower and vegetable gardens a healthy start next Spring.
When a bluebird sky sets autumn foliage aglow it can be a tough choice between working in the garden and wandering along a country road enjoying the scenery and the delightful weather. Why not do a little of both?
There’s still plenty to do in the garden, but be sure to get outdoors and enjoy Fall foliage, too!
September - Act VI: “ Harvesting & Dress Rehearsal for the Final Act”
Dividing Perennials: Prepare new gardens/garden holes with compost and Pro-Start fertilizer or a phosphate-based fertilizer that will aid in root development. Shoot development is not important in the fall. When dividing cut the plant to a third of it's height, dig the root ball and use an edger to divide in halves/quarters. Water daily after transplanting and mulch. Water is crucial for new plants preparing for winter. Continue watering until late October/early November when we have our significant frost.
Irrigation: Continue watering perennials & shrubs that were planted in the spring on an every other day schedule, and water new divisions and transplants every day.
Fertilizing: Stop applying high nitrogen fertilizers to all perennials & shrubs but use a blossom booster for all annuals to keep them fresh and vibrant until late October.
Disease & Pest Prevention: Apply organic Milky Spore to lawns to attack Japanese Beetle that are migrating into the soil for winter. Remove diseased foliage to prevent loose leaf litter inoculating the soil.
Prepping the Vegetable Garden for Winter: Remove all plants that are no longer producing fruit and rake up all leaf litter. Rake soil and seed area with winter rye. Winter rye germinates quickly and provides green manure for the spring plus reduces soil erosion.
Remove weeds. Once potato tops have died back harvest potatoes. Likewise with onions, once the tops have died back and dried, pull from ground, brush dirt off, allow to dry on the ground without cover for a full day( should be sunny & hot), and then dry under cover for a few more days before putting in storage. Squashes and pumpkins should be harvested mid-month to late September. In all cases, remove plants and leaf litter to compost. If diseased throw away in trash.
October & November - Act VII: “ The Final Act “
Putting Beds to Sleep:
Vegetable Garden: Plant garlic bulbs in mid-October. Apply compost and Triple Phosphate fertilizer to base of trench before planting bulbs. Cover with soil and mulch. In late October as we approach a heavy frost, cover strawberry plants with straw. This acts as insulation during winter.
Perennials: Cut back most perennials except for ornamental grasses and Itoh Peonies. Plant spring-flowering bulbs and use Bulb-Tone or Triple Phosphate fertilizer in the hole. Add oyster shells as a rodent deterrent. Apply thin layer of mulch.
Plant plenty of spring-flowering bulbs in October and November. Their bright blooms are a welcome sight after our long winters.
Shrubs: Apply Bobbex to all shrubs that deer browse in winter. Apply Wilt-Pruf to all evergreens to prevent leaves/needles drying out. Both products should not be applied under 32-degrees. Place frames over shrubs that are susceptible to heavy snow load, either from a roof or plow. Burlap barriers are also great shield from wind and deer. Rather than wrap around each plant create a “fence” of burlap a few inches away to avoid smothering the shrubs. Deer netting is also a great barrier to deer and is almost invisible.
Fertilizing: Apply compost only.
Shelters help protect your plantings from snow load and deer damage. Burlap may be effective where snow sliding off roofs or the risk of plow damage is minimal.
Gardening Calendar courtesy of Mill Gardens Farmstand, Orford, NH
www.millgardensfarmstand.com