Hello Fall

October, the month of the Moon of the Falling Leaves, the month that brings the first frost which is usually followed by several weeks of mild weather.  The average first frost comes to the Upper South by mid-month -are you ready?  Be prepared to cover tender plants and they will survive the first cold spell and keep blooming or producing until a true killer freeze comes along sometime in November.

Fall is a favorite time for me as long as I can push away the thought that cold weather will soon follow. Fall is the time to enjoy the colors of the leaves, certainly, and it’s also the time to plant pansies and wildflowers, to divide perennials and harvest greens, and to find that perfect spot to just sit in the sun and watch the seasons change.

October’s chilly nights signify the end of the growing season and the final harvests of the summer. Around here, sweet potatoes and fresh pork sausage begin to appear on the table, late season greens are cooked up, and just maybe, thoughts of next spring will urge one to get out in the garden and prepare for some early spring flowers to lift the spirits after the cold winter.

Plant hardy annual, perennial and biennial plants like pansies, English daisy, dianthus, foxglove, Shasta daisy, rudbeckia, purple cone flower and larkspur outside all this month. Plant potted, blooming chrysanthemums the first part of the month to have flowers until the first hard freeze. Fertilize as you plant; this is the only application needed until spring. There is no need, however, to fertilize established plants this late in the season. If you have already purchased spring-blooming bulbs, wait until November to plant. If you are not ready to plant, keep the bulbs cool until planting time. As annual and perennial tops die, cut the plants to the ground and remove all dead material. Dead plants are an invitation to fungus and disease.

If you still have them on your porch or in your yard, you can still take cuttings of begonias, coleus, geraniums and impatiens. Root them in perlite-filled pots or trays and keep them misted to encourage root growth. Take lots of cuttings to make sure you have strong, healthy plants for next spring.

Dig geraniums before they are killed by a hard freeze. Shake the soil off the roots and placethe roots in a plastic bag for storing in a cool place over winter.  Mulch semi­ hardy plants like canna, tuberose and lilies to keep the roots or bulbs alive over the winter. We don’t really get cold enough around here to have to dig them up for protective storage, but if you have any doubts, dig them and store them in a cool, dry place. Dahlias, caladiums and elephant ears should definitely be dug up as soon as frost burns the foliage. Caladiurns and elephant ears need to be kept warmer than dahlias, by the way.

In the vegetable garden, plant hardy onions, winter cabbage and collard plants for a spring harvest, but don’t waste your money on beets, turnips, or carrots. They will not survive.

Dig sweet potatoes before the first frost, as soon as the ground begins to crack around the base of the plants, indicating that big potatoes are waiting. Dig carefully, to prevent bruising or cutting the skin. Shake off excess soil, let the potatoes cure in a warm place for several days, then wash, not scrub, off the remaining soil.

Harvest remaining tomatoes before the first frost warning, even if they are green. Tomatoes with a radiating star on the bottom will ripen if placed in a sunny window, and the rest can become fried green tomatoes! The rest of the vegetables in the garden like peppers, eggplant, carrots, beets and radishes should be gathered as well, and the plants removed from the garden. What a stew they will make!

I mentioned pansies earlier and for those of us who do not raise vegetables, these little flowers can bring lots of satisfaction. Small-flowered mini-pansies bloom better in cold weather and are a great choice for planting with tulips or other spring-blooming bulbs. Use large-flowered pansies where you want a strong splash of spring color.

Plant early so plants are well-established by the time soil temperatures drop below 50 degrees. Buy some humus, compost or other type of organic matter when you purchase your plants, along with some all-purpose fertilizer.  Before you set each plant, mix a Shovel full of organic matter and a teaspoon of fertilizer into the planting hole.  Break apart the bottom of the roots and spread them out in the soil. Compensate for broken roots by trimming the plants back as you set them out, snipping off flowers and leggy stems.

Follow up with a mulch of pine straw to help keep the soil moist.  In early spring, fertilize your plants again to give them the energy to produce plenty of blooms. Whew! And you thought October was the time to sit back and rest.