In the Garden
Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener
The weather has turned more fall-like this week, but we are probably still a couple of weeks out for peak fall color. During this transition time, the garden changes a bit every day.
Many flowers will cease blooming, even before we get a killing frost. Plants often have a set life cycle, and it is normal for flowers to dry up as the seeds in them mature. You may deadhead the spent flowers to prolong the blooming period, but I usually stop deadheading at this time of year so the plants will set seed for next year. Many native flowers will drop their seeds and actually begin their life cycle for another season during the waning days of frost-free weather. You may notice that some plants will sprout in the next few weeks. When frost comes, they will go dormant and will return in the spring to produce flowers again.
Many plants usually considered weeds also follow this life cycle. You may notice new dandelions and chickweeds coming up. Both of these plants were once considered vegetable garden plants, but they have long-since escaped cultivation and may grow almost anywhere. However, their wild status does not diminish their food value, and the young plants produced in the fall are considered the best leaves to pick for salads. The young plants are also easier to kill, if that is your desire. You may dig them out, smother them with cardboard or plastic or kill them with chemical herbicides.
It is also a good time to plant most wildflowers, including native milkweeds. You may gather seed pods that will soon release their seeds. Make sure to ask permission if you are gathering seeds from land that you do not own. At Sandhill Gardens, I hope to plant more butterfly weed, ironweed and Joe Pye weed in my meadow. I also plan to scatter aster seeds from the corner of the meadow where they now grow to other parts of the meadow. Even if the seeds are not ones that germinate in the fall, planting now is closer to the way plants naturally propagate themselves. Some of the seeds need the cold weather of winter to sprout in the spring.
As night-time temperatures fall into the 50’s, it is time for one of my least-favorite garden chores. While I love my houseplants, I do not relish bringing them back into the house from their summer sojourn in the gardens. Some of the more tender tropical plants have already been moved inside, as they suffer if temperatures fall into the 50’s. Others will tolerate cooler temperatures and some will even live through some light frost. That allows me to move the plants in waves. Before bringing a plant inside, I inspect the plant to determine if it needs to be re-potted. I usually water them thoroughly the day before I move them. I inspect them for insects and their eggs, treating them as needed. I usually use an insecticidal soap if infestations are too great for hand removal.
The most important activity during the fall is simply sitting in the garden and enjoying the garden that has been your summer’s labor. If you do not have a place to do this, come and sit with me in one of my new hand chairs and watch the colors change in the woods beyond the cliff. The chairs face the west, so sunset is the best time for viewing.