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Michigan Gardener | September/October 2021 | MichiganGardener.com
Annuals • Take cuttings of coleus and begonias to root for overwintering. Coleus will root in a glass of water, while begonias can be rooted in damp sand.
Bulbs: Spring-Flowering • Plant a mixture of bulbs with different bloom times so you’ll have a beautiful display of color from snow melt until June. Generally, the smaller bulbs are the first to flower. Larger bulbs produce larger flowers. Planting in random clumps of 3, 5 or 7 will provide a more impressive display than planting in a row. • Mulching is useful to maintain moisture and keep the ground from alternate freezing and thawing in the winter. Evergreen branches, hay, straw, pine needles, bark mulches, or tree leaves make good winter mulch. Make sure that none of these mat too heavily and end up shedding moisture rather than conserving it. Apply mulch only a couple inches deep.
Fall is a great time to landscape or refresh your existing grounds.
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Roses • Cease pruning, deadheading and fertilizing in early September to avoid encouraging fall growth that is cold tender.
Vegetables
• Take soil samples to test for next year’s fertilizer needs. Take at least 10 samples from a bed and mix well. Consult your County Extension service for details. Find links at www.MichiganGardener.com, and click on “Garden Resources.”
• If frost threatens, cover tender crops. • Through cool weather, harvest Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard, endive, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, and Jerusalem artichoke. • Begin the harvest of winter squash, pumpkin, and gourds as they ripen. Leave a few inches of stem attached to the fruit to increase storage life. • For a tasty treat, pick green tomatoes, slice, dip in flour, and fry. • Prepare Belgian endive for winter forcing. Lift and clean roots, removing foliage down to the crown bud. Trim roots and store in sand in a cool place. Every 2 to 3 weeks, bury a few dormant roots in several inches of moist sand in a dark place. Keep moist and harvest shoots as needed. • Dig sweet potatoes just before the first frost. Allow to air dry for 2 to 3 hours, then cure at 85 degrees for 10 days. Store at 50 to 55 degrees. • Plant crowns of asparagus and rhubarb in September. • Make final sowings of radish, corn salad, and spinach.
Fruits
Water Garden
• Harvest fall-fruiting brambles.
• Begin fall cleanup. Trim back dying growth, leaving a little bit of material for frost protection. Oxygenators should be trimmed and repotted. • If frost threatens, remove tropical pond plants indoors to their winter homes. • Thoroughly clean the pool. If you opt to not do so, make a 20 percent water change to freshen it up. Remove waste from the bottom and stretch a one-centimeter mesh net over the pond to keep out falling leaves. • Reduce fish feeding and move tropical fish indoors when water temperature goes below 60 degrees.
Bulbs: Summer-Flowering
Fall is for Planting & Landscaping!
• Divide and replant overgrown plants, like daylilies. Cut back to a few inches, dig up, and shake dirt off roots. Divide and replant the healthiest pieces at their original depth. • Dig and divide peonies if desired. Lift the plants, being careful not to damage the buds on the crown. Divide with a sharp knife, making sure each division has a healthy portion of root and at least 2-3 eyes. Replant with eyes near the surface.
• Dahlias and other summer-flowering bulbs should bloom until frost. If you want to overwinter them instead of treating them like an annual, dig up the plants and cut off the top at ground level. Let the plants dry for three days then put them in a cardboard box or paper bag. Cover them with vermiculite or peat moss and try to keep them from touching. Keep them somewhere cool but not cold; an unheated basement is good. Pull them out next March and pot them up for a head start on next year.
General
Houseplants • Bring in houseplants from the outdoors before the first frost. Inspect carefully and treat for any signs of pests or diseases.
Lawn • September is an excellent time to establish a new lawn. Loosen the soil, add organic matter, grade it, and firm it down slightly. Broadcast fertilizer, then sow grass seed. Cover lightly if desired. Water daily until sprouted and growing well.
Perennials • Maintain soil moisture for good root growth and cold hardiness.
Provided by the professionals at English Gardens.
