Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
Each season provides new opportunities in the garden. Though it’s tough to wave goodbye to hot summer beach days, fresh basil, and tomatoes ripening on the vine, fall offers its own unique allure. Cooler weather means we can plant colorful pansies and other cool-season plants, move perennials to a new home, and prepare the garden for the days to come.
Now that fall has arrived both meteorologically and astronomically, you can officially fill your garden with mums and pumpkins to your heart’s content. Though mums (chrysanthemums) look lovely in pots and on your steps, don’t forget that they are perennials that will come back year after year. Plant them directly in your garden in a sunny location and keep them well-watered and you won’t need to kick them to the curb in November. Your mums will most likely die back once it gets cold. In the spring, you will see new growth at the base of the mums. Once the weather warms, you can trim away the dead stems. As the mums grow in the spring and summer, give them a haircut a few times until July. This will help your mums maintain a nice rounded shape instead of growing tall and lanky.
Protect your pumpkins from gnawing squirrels by spraying them with a layer of clear shellac. But don’t be surprised if they carve their own jack-o’-lanterns anyway. You may not appreciate the creativity of these rascals, but next year, you’ll have a bumper crop of pumpkins growing in your garden.
Take advantage of cool fall weather to plant cool-season vegetables such as spinach, lettuces, and brassicas. Pansies also love cool weather. Their happy little faces will add fresh color to your garden. If you’re lucky, they will reappear in the spring after going a bit dormant in the winter.
You will also want to use this new season to prepare your garden for winter. Give your plants a nice layer of mulch to protect their roots from the cold and provide nutrients to your plants. You’ll also add a neat, polished look to your garden. It’s amazing how much nicer your garden can look after spreading a few bags of mulch around. Your plants will stand a little prouder and healthier.
As you make your rounds in the garden, inspect your plants for any problems. You want to treat and remove any diseased or dead leaves and stems. Be sure to clean your pruners between cuts so that you aren’t spreading the infection.
Fall is the perfect time to move perennials to a new location in your garden. My friend Esther and I used to joke that our plants had wheels. I’m constantly making adjustments and moving plants around in my garden. Just be careful to dig deeply and get as many roots as possible. Cooler temperatures will help your plants adjust to the move and minimize the stress and shock that they would have during the hot summer months. Keep in mind that fall days can also get pretty hot; choose a cooler, overcast day to transplant. I love to move plants right before a solid rain. Then I know that my plant will settle nicely into its new home.
This time of year is also ideal for dividing plants that have gotten too large. Often you will find that an older plant flops over and has a bare spot in the middle. That’s usually a sign that it’s time to divide the plant. Now you have two plants! Or save one for yourself and give one to a friend.
Living along the shore, we have the opportunity to enjoy the variety of all four seasons. Our ever-changing gardens have special characteristics to value through each of the different stages of the year. As a gardener, we should never be bored as we appreciate the gifts and challenges of each season.
What is your favorite part of gardening in the fall? We would love to hear from our readers. Send your comments and questions to: shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
