I not too long ago returned from a week-long street journey to southeast Ohio and western North Carolina. I spoke at a landowner’s convention that was held on the United Plant Saver’s Goldenseal Sanctuary, close to Athens, Ohio. It was beastly scorching and humid there, however the members didn’t appear to thoughts in any respect.
When you have not visited that a part of this nation, I encourage you to take action. The vegetation will look very acquainted however way more vigorous than ours. Roadside crops corresponding to New York Ironweed, Joe Pye weed, Wingstem, and tall Coreopsis towered above my head, rising a number of toes taller than the roadside crops we now have right here. That a part of Appalachia has all of the wild crops we now have right here plus many extra! The variety of an space that was by no means glaciated is well worth the journey in itself.
Most of our area escaped the actually heavy rain final week, however elements of Greene and Ulster counties obtained as much as seven inches of rain, inflicting native flooding as soon as once more. This season has been fairly completely different than final yr by way of precipitation. Generally, our forests and fields are far more healthy when it rains.
Inside a couple of quick weeks, elements of our area can have had their first frost. The times are noticeably shorter now and the evenings a lot cooler. When you have tender crops corresponding to tomatoes, beans and peppers in danger, chances are you’ll wish to cowl them with a material (not plastic) blanket when frost is threatened.
I had a terrific tomato crop that’s beginning to peter out now. I believe I received the fertilizer fee fairly near excellent this season, to permit many of the fruit to ripen in August. Tomato crops that get an excessive amount of nitrogen fertilizer usually fail to ripen a lot of the crop earlier than frost. These overfed crops will develop tall and plush, however fruit ripening shall be delayed. When you have open house in your backyard now, a canopy crop could be seeded. Oats will present a fast cowl that can die when frost happens, winter rye is superb for smothering weeds, however should be tilled in subsequent spring.
For those who nonetheless have houseplants outdoors, they must be introduced in, however earlier than they arrive again in, it is best to spray them a minimum of a couple of instances with a houseplant insecticide, corresponding to Insecticidal cleaning soap or horticultural oil. You might also use a systemic soil poison that’s put within the pot after which watered in. Systemic poisons are absorbed by the roots, transfer upward via the plant and kill the pests from the within out. The crops might seem like completely bug-free to your eye proper now, however I can just about assure that when you carry them indoors with out remedy, they are going to quickly present proof of spider
mites and maybe aphids.
One different for saving them is to make cuttings on tender crops corresponding to coleus or geraniums, which could be grown as houseplants all winter lengthy in a sunny window. The reducing must be three or 4 inches and embody two or three nodes. (Nodes are the locations the place leaves come off the stems) Reduce off any flowers and dip the cuttings right into a rooting hormone powder for greatest outcomes. Stick the cuttings, three or 4 at a time, right into a six- or eight-inch plastic pot that’s stuffed with moist potting soil. Don’t use the black-colored, heavy, potting soil that’s bought in plastic luggage. As an alternative, use a light-weight, soil-less combination comprised of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite.
After sticking the cuttings, put the entire pot in a transparent plastic bag that’s sealed on prime and place it in a shaded indoor location. The cuttings ought to root in about two weeks and the plastic bag could also be eliminated. After they’re rooted, the pots must be positioned within the sunniest home windows you might have out there.
That is additionally time to propagate some perennial flowers. A basic rule of thumb is to divide fall-blooming perennials within the spring and spring-flowering perennials within the fall. Proper now you may dig up and divide peonies, however be sure you replant the divided clumps with the pink buds no multiple inch under the soil degree. Peonies planted too deeply is not going to flower correctly. You might also dig up and divide bleeding hearts, columbine, Dutch iris and another spring-blooming perennial.
Benefit from the present show of our wild, fall-blooming asters and contemplate transplanting some to your perennial backyard. Spring flowering bulb planting begins in earnest subsequent month, however now is an efficient time to purchase the bulbs when the choice is greatest. I’m wanting ahead to the upcoming show of fall colours that’s simply now starting!
Bob Beyfuss lives and gardens in Schoharie County. Ship him an e-mail to rlb14@cornell.edu.
