Now (September) is the Time

September is peony planting time. The first step is to prepare the soil properly, adding dried or well rotted manure and bonemeal. Set buds of newly acquired plants, or those divided from clumps, two inches below the soil level, and no deeper, otherwise plants will not bloom. Cut back foliage of established peonies turning yellow or brown from frost as this helps to prevent diseases.

Separate Your Daylilies

Divide and plant daylilies in a sunny or shady spot in the garden, setting plants with the crown level with the soil. If grown among other plants in the border, avoid overcrowding. Water well after planting to encourage strong root growth before freezing. Then place a stake or other marker near them, as well as other fall planted perennials, so as not to disturb when bulbs are planted later.

Sow Rye Grass

Build up the home vegetable garden by sowing winter rye grass as soon as crops are harvested. It adds humus to the soil and helps to prevent erosion. Plow or spade the rye under in early spring when it is 18-24 inches tall and apply three-four pounds of 5-10-5 fertilizer per 100 square feet.

Let’s Look at Lawns

Fall is a good time to remake an old lawn or start a new one in properly prepared soil. Consider such requirements as drainage, feeding, liming, good seed and watering. It is very important that the grass be given a chance to make good root development and grow a little before frost. Under trees where shade is dense and grass will not grow, plant a ground cover of pachysandra, myrtle, English ivy or purple-leaf enonymus.

Try Christmas Roses

Set out plants of the winter flowering Christmas rose (Helleborus niger). A dwarf growing, hardy perennial, it should be placed in a cool, moist, partially shaded location, such as under high branching trees, where it will not be moved, since its roots do not like disturbance.

Evergreens Need Moisture

Thoroughly soak evergreens if autumn rains fail, as this will help to build up their resistance and check them from drying out during the winter. For broad-leaved evergreens for the shady side of the house, use mountain laurel, mountain or Japanese pieris, leucothoe, rhododendrons or Oregon holly-grape.

Prepare Winter Bouquets

Gather flowers for drying when buds begin to open for use in winter bouquets. Tie in bunches and hang with heads downward for several weeks in a dry, airy, darkened room. Milkweed pods, jimson weed, bittersweet, bayberry, sumac and curly dock, all attractive in winter arrangements, may be gathered from the wild.

Plant Trees and Shrubs

Lilacs and other early spring flowering shrubs and trees may be planted now in most parts of the country. Lilacs need a well-drained soil on the alkaline side and a sunny location. Birch, magnolia, redbud and tulip trees are more safely planted in the spring. Water woody plants after planting and stake any that are likely to be lashed by strong winds.

Attend to Summer Bulbs

Take up tuberous-rooted begonias before heavy frost. Do not remove tops until dry, then store tubers in soil, peat, vermiculite or in paper bags in a cool, dry place, where they will not freeze. Also dig gladiolus before frost and dry out the corms before storing under similar conditions.

On Harvesting Gourds

Remove gourds from vines with a sharp knife when stems are withered, leaving about two inches of stem. Harvest before they are injured by frost and take into a warm, dry place to cure. Then wipe with a soft cloth dampened with a household disinfectant. Wax later, using ordinary floor wax, and polish lightly.

Care for House Plants

Prepare to bring in house plants. Repot with new soil and feed if they need it and take indoors early in order to get accustomed to house conditions before winter sets in. You may pot annual asters, calendulas, dwarf marigolds, lobelias, sweet alyssum and petunias, which will flower indoors for months. Before bringing plants inside, check for aphids, mealybugs or mites.

Bulbs for Spring Color

Early spring flowering bulbs, like the members of the narcissus family, scillas, crocus, snowdrops and chionodoxas, are best planted as soon as they arrive. If bulbs are not planted on the same day of arrival, open packages and store in flat boxes or with tops of bags open.

Related Articles Of Interest:

• Autumn Is Bulb-Planting Time
• September Garden Work Brings More Chores
• A Quick Guide to Choosing and Planting Bulbs
• Pros and Cons of Fall Planting

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