In The Garden

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.

In the Garden

Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     The weather was not very cooperative, but I would like to thank everyone who made it out to help me celebrate the 100^th anniversary of my family’s gardening on Sandhill.  I appreciate the visits, the cards and the gifts I received.  We’ll do this again in another 100 years.  Of course, it you did not make it, you are always welcome to stop in and see the gardens.

     The remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped through southern Indiana last Friday.  With the dry conditions from drought, the ground was quickly softened by the rains.  This resulted in the up-rooting of top-heavy trees.  Of course, the damage here was minimal when compared to the areas across the south that felt the brunt of Helene.  Our prayers are with the people there.

     If you had damage from the storms, clean up the debris as quickly as possible.  When cutting broken branches, always cut just above the cuff of the branch, where it attaches to the larger branch or trunk.  Do not use paint or sealants on the exposed cuts.  If the cut is clean, it will begin healing on its own.  While it is not the best time of the year for trimming, you may need to do some additional trimming to balance the weight of a tree canopy.  Leaving a tree lop-sided could increase the likelihood of its toppling in a future storm.  If the damage is extensive, or if the tree is near electric lines or structures, you should contact an arborist, who will have the knowledge to determine if a tree is able to recover from the damage.

     The shrubs and perennials under the fallen trees may also have been damaged.  In the case of herbaceous perennials, at this late time in the growing season, you should probably cut the plants back and clean up around them.  They should rebound in the spring.  Of course, fallen trees may result in a change in the amount of sun an area will receive.  This may make it necessary to move shade-loving plants to another area and give you an opportunity to plant some sun-loving plants in their place.  I would recommend waiting until spring to do this, unless you have specific spots in other shade gardens where there is room for the plants.

     If you have a tree with a trunk still standing, but which has been badly damaged by the storm, you may consider pollarding the tree.  This involves cutting the branches back to the trunk.  If the tree survives, it will put on new growth.  This growth will not be as strong as natural growth, but you may elect to shape it to get the lollipop look that one sees in European gardens.  This is not recommended for healthy trees, but if one is damaged anyway, go ahead and have some fun with it.  Another option is to leave the trunk standing and encouraging woodpeckers and other birds to visit.  Some may consider such stick-ups unsightly, but bird lovers know the value of such trees.  A garden is not just for people.

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In the Garden

Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     A century is a long time.  In today’s society, families move around the country frequently, and few families remain on the same homestead.  On October 1, 1924, Robert V. and Bertha M. Hooten moved from a tenant farm in Northeast Township, east of Orleans, to a small farm in Northwest Township, north of Prospect.  On October 13 of that year, Bertha gave birth to a girl, whom she named Helen Marie.  That baby would grow up and marry Charles Purkhiser, and they would become my parents. 

     Grandma Hooten loved flowers of all kinds.  She had brought some shrubs with her when she came to the farm, and began planting them.  Many of those plants are still growing here at what I now call Sandhill Gardens.  Grandma and my parents involved me in gardening from a young age.  We raised a lot of fruits and vegetables, but Grandma always included some flowers to attract pollinators and to provide beauty.  She also had a large collection of tropical plants that she brought into the house during the cold months.  I developed a true love for the gardens, and learned from these capable teachers.  It was only natural that I would later take the Purdue University Master Gardener courses. 

     When moving to a new home, some people like to clear out what is there and design from a clean slate.  While there have been some changes made from Grandma’s original plantings and I have added many new plants, there are still many of Grandma’s shrubs and flowers growing right where she planted them.  On Saturday, September 28, I will be celebrating a century of gardening at Sandhill Gardens by the Hooten and Purkhiser families.  I invite you to join in the celebration.  There will be a plant exchange beginning at 10 AM, and garden talks throughout the day. 

     Highlighting the celebration will be the plants that Grandma Hooten planted a century ago.  Several such plants form informal hedge rows on both sides of the driveway.  On the south side are a large bridal wreath spirea and a mock orange.  The north side of the drive has a forsythia, three lilacs and  rose of Sharon.  I have added a double-flowering rose of Sharon.  There are also two of Grandma’s peonies (or, as she called them, pineys), but they have been cut back for the season.  Over the years, I have added many more peonies, including tree peonies and intersectional peonies.  One of my favorites is a wild mountain peony from Japan.  It is from this plant that most of the modern peonies have been bred.

     Another of grandma’s original plants is a tall sedum that has white flowers.  The original planting was under the kitchen window.  That original house is no longer there, but the sedums still grow in that place.  I have taken cuttings and have more of them growing in other parts of the garden now.

     Perhaps the plant most requested by family members is grandma’s old-fashioned rose.  The light pink double rose has one of the most fragrant scents of any flower I have ever smelled.  It is a one-time spring bloomer, but that scent is so wonderful that it definitely earns its place in the landscape.

     The original snowball viburnum still grows in the front yard, and another, propagated from a cutting, is in the moon garden I have planted at the top of the cliff.       

     I cannot promise that the gardens will be spectacular.  The weather, my aging body and malfunctioning equipment have stymied my attempts to make everything perfect, but you will see a lot of plants and one of the most breath-taking views in southern Indiana. I’d love to see you there.  The gardens are located at 3061 N. County Road 810 W. in West Baden Springs, IN.   

In the Garden

Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     Autumn will arrive on Sunday, September 22 at 8:44 AM Eastern Daylight Saving Time.  However, it appears that summer just does not want to let go.  Warm temperatures remain in the forecast.  A tropical system may bring some chance of much-needed rain to the Hoosier Hills this week, but cooler temperatures are not expected, with highs expected to be near 90 degrees.

     If you visit garden centers, you may see signs claiming that fall is for planting.  Normally, that is so, but the weather conditions need to be more fall-like to really be good for planting.  Perennials, trees and shrubs may all be planted in the fall, but timing is important.  For most plants, they need to be planted early enough to allow good root establishment before the ground freezes.  Without good root establishment, the plant may suffer from heaving during the freeze-thaw cycles typical of an Indiana winter.  It the roots are heaved out of the ground, they may freeze during the next cold snap.  Even if the cold does not kill the plant, the heaved roots will become desiccated if there is little snow cover.

     Moisture is another important factor in fall planting.  Soil moisture levels are low after several weeks of drought, and plants must have moisture to get established.  Supplemental watering will almost certainly be necessary, even if we get some rain.  Watering deeply is necessary.  Plants that are watered sparingly will develop feeder roots near the surface to take advantage of the water sprinkled on the soil surface.  Letting the water soak deep into the soil will make the roots grow to seek that moisture.  It is better to water deeply and less frequently.  On the other hand, some plants will suffer if we get a lot of moisture in the winter.  Such plants should be planted in areas with good drainage, such as on banks.

     Garden centers will soon be marking down the plants, and it is hard to pass up bargains, especially for plantaholics like me.  I already have a nursery area of plants I have purchased, and I am sure I will find more as I visit garden centers this fall.  The truth of the matter is most nurseries do not have the capacity to over-winter plants in pots.  While some plants that are especially cold hardy may survive, more marginal plants need to be in the ground.  Big-box stores do not overwinter any of their plants, so they will either discount them or throw them in the dumpsters.  However, a bargain is not truly a bargain if you are just going to let the plant die. 

     Plants set out in the fall will need special attention through the winter.  While our winters tend to be wet, if we do not get normal precipitation, you may need to water plants in the winter.  This should be done on days when the ground is not frozen.  You should check on your plants frequently to see if they need water.  You also need to watch for heaving of the root ball, and take steps to get the roots back in the soil if heaving occurs.  One way to prevent heaving is to apply a couple of inches of an organic mulch after the ground is frozen.  This will insulate the soil and keep it from thawing.

      Over the next couple of weeks, I will be trying to plant some of the shrubs and perennials I have purchased.  It will be a busy time, as I will also be preparing to host my Century Celebration open garden event on Saturday, September 28.  Come on by Sandhill Gardens to help celebrate 100 years of my family’s gardening here.  We will begin with a plant exchange at 10 AM, and there will be some gardening talks and demonstrations throughout the day.  It will be pretty informal, but I invite you to come and see plants that my maternal grandmother, Bertha Hooten, set out in the fall of 1924.  She must have done it right, as many of them are still growing in the same locations a century later.  I hope to see you here.