Hort Tips
September
Edible
Have your soil tested. Fall is a great time to have this done. Soil
labs are not as busy in the fall as they are in the spring. Booklet
available.
Store extra seeds in a sealable jar with a layer of silica gel or
powdered milk on the bottom.
Top your tomatoes for one final pruning in mid-September. This pruning
sends carbohydrates into the existing fruit rather than into new growth.
This gives the tomatoes that are set time to mature.
Ornamental
Watch for evergreen especially arborvitae and white pine to drop needles.
This is normal.
Apply broadleaf weed killers to lawn. Follow all label directions
and spray on a calm day. Factsheet available.
Dig up coleus, wax begonias and impatiens for indoor growing. Check
for insects. Spraying with a hose will remove many bugs. Cut the plants
halfway back before potting. Annuals such as impatiens, geraniums and
wax begonias plus herbs, such as oregano, rosemary and thyme can also
be propagated from cuttings. Follow these steps:
- Cut off a 4-6" stem. Remove the lower one-third of leaves.
- Dip the end of the stem in a rooting hormone. Most garden centers
have this product.
- Stick the cuttings in a damp soilless mix in a 4" pot.
- Place a plastic bag over the pot. Keep the plastic off the cuttings
with straws or wooden stakes. Roots will form in 2-6 weeks.
Divide spring and early summer blooming perennials. A dead plant center,
fewer and fewer flowers, growth that looks crowded are indications a
perennial should be divided. Dig up the clump and cut off divisions
with a spade. Plant and water throughout the fall.
Core aerate your lawn. Rent a core aerator to do it or hire someone.
Use a core aerator that takes up the tubular plugs of soil not one that
just pokes holes in the soil. Those cute shoes with spikes you often
see advertised, do not work. Run the aerator in several directions across
the lawn. The holes should be a few inches apart. Leave the plugs on
the soil. They will eventually break down. Fertilize and water right
after you aerate. Fertilizer will go into the holes and move to the
lawn’s root zone where it is needed.
Save your geraniums. They can be saved over the winter by placing
them in paper bags, potting them up or taking cuttings. For a factsheet
call 773-233-0476.
Plant trees and shrubs in the fall. Balled and burlapped and container
grown trees are best. Plant early in the fall so the roots can become
established. Roots will grow until temperatures fall below 40 degrees.
October
Edible
Clean up flower and vegetable beds. Remove dead plants. If left in
the garden, these plants can serve as overwintering homes for insects.
Add a 2-3 inch layer of organic matter to the soil and dig it in. This
will allow the organic matter to break down and your bed will be ready
to plant next spring.
Pick green tomatoes with no blemishes or soft spots. Wrap individually
in newspaper and store in a dry place indoors. They should ripen in
a few weeks.
Pick pumpkins at a local pumpkin farm. Avoid pumpkins with soft spots
or blemishes. Keep a stem on the pumpkin. Do not hold the pumpkin by
the stem. For a listing of local pumpkin farms, check out our Pumpkins
and More site at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins
or call 773-233-0476 for a list.
Prepare for frost. Our average frost occurs in Chicagoland around
mid-October. Frosts are often followed by a few weeks of growing weather.
Remember last year’s warm fall? Cover plants with floating row
covers, newspaper or sheets. Be sure to cover tender plants like tomatoes
and peppers. Lettuce and beets can survive a light frost while broccoli,
cabbage, radishes and spinach can survive a hard frost.
Ornamental
Continue to mow the lawn as long as the grass is growing.
Lift tender summer bulbs such as dahlias, cannas, gladiolii and tuberous
begonias after frost. Shake off soil, let the bulb dry and store in
a cool, dark place. Check throughout the winter for shriveling or rotting
bulbs. Factsheet available.
Plant bulbs now. Bulbs can be planted until the ground freezes. Squeeze
bulb between your thumb and index finger. The bulb should be firm to
the touch and not feel hollow. Plant larger bulbs in groups of 5-12.
Smaller bulbs should be planted in masses of 50 or more for a spectacular
effect. Factsheet available.
Protect bulbs from rodents. Plant daffodils. The daffodil bulb has
a toxin in it which squirrels do not like. Another alternative is to
dig out an area, plant your bulbs and cover them with _ inch mesh hardware
cloth. Factsheet available.
Become a Master Gardener. Call 773-233-0476 for more information or
an application or apply online at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/chicago/mg/application.html
Watch for the Asian lady beetle. These beetles are multi-colored from
yellow to red. Older homes will attract more beetles because they usually
have more cracks for easy entry. If you were invaded last fall, you
more than likely will be welcoming beetles this fall, because they emit
a phermone (scent) that persists.
Try goldenrod for late season color in the garden. Goldenrod makes
a spectacular splash of yellow in fields and along roadsides. There
are shorter types of goldenrod available for the small garden. Try one
of these cultivars, ‘Crown of Rays,’ Golden Baby,’‘Golden
Fleece’ and ‘Golden Thumb.’
Are branch tips form your trees falling to the ground? This is a common
fall occurrence and is most likely caused by two beetles, the twig girdler
and the twig pruner. Chewing of the branches occurs during the beetles’
reproductive phase. Fallen branches can be up to two inches in diameter.
Chemical control is not necessary.
Plant lilies now. During the first year growth and flowering from
fall planted lilies is better than lilies planted in the spring. Small
bulbs should be planted four inches deep and large one 6-8 inches deep.
November
Ornamental
Rake fallen leaves from grass. Leaves left on lawn over winter will
smother and kill grass.
Plant spring flowering bulbs as long as the ground is not frozen.
Not cutting back perennials may help to protect the crown. If you
mulch, go ahead and cut them back.
Cut down your own Christmas tree at a local farm. Call 773-233-0476
for a free list or check out our Christmas Trees and more site at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees
November
Edible
Place all weeds, leaves and disease-free dead plant material in the
compost pile.
Clean and store all your garden equipment and tools. Factsheet available.
Drain outdoor water pipes.
Kill insects by fall digging or tilling the garden. This exposes the
insects to winter cold, reducing their numbers in next year's garden.
Store root crops - carrots, turnips and Jerusalem artichokes in the
ground. Bury these crops under a heavy layer of straw.
November
Indoors
Turn your houseplants to promote even growth.
On cold nights move houseplants back from icy windows to prevent chilling
injury.
Keep potted overwintering geraniums in bright light and cool temperatures.
Keep soils on the dry side.
September-October
2002
Hort
Shorts | Hort Tips | Plant
Daffodils Now for a Burst of Spring Color | Prepare
Houseplants for Trip Back Indoors | Late
Bloomers for the Garden | Canker Cleanup
| Bug Bites | Lawn
Care Calendar | Food “Phyte”
| Drying Herbs, Seeds and Hot Chilies on a
String | Health & Household Tips
| USDA Nutrient Data Base | Vegetarian
Diets | An Apple a Day | Did
You Know | Fresh Apple Walnut Cake
Index
| Feedback
