Now Is The Time To . . .

	Reseed a problem lawn or overseed problem areas. Fertilize the lawn with 10 lbs of 10-6-4 or its equivalent, per 1,000 square feet. Apply lime to the lawn at about 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet, or according to the recommendations of the Soil Test.
	Plant garlic in mid October for a July harvest. It’s easy, try it!
	Plant spring-blooming bulbs in October after the weather and soil start to cool down. Planting depth is at least 3-4 times the diameter of the bulb.
	Bring in the houseplants that were set outside for the summer before the temperature dips below 55 degrees. Check carefully for insects and disease first. Cut back on fertilizing while plants are inside.
	Continue to empty standing water to reduce the mosquito population.
	Discontinue pruning trees and shrubs, unless it is to remove diseased or dying parts. Any new growth will not harden off before a hard frost.
	In mid October prepare roses for winter. Remove debris from the ground around the roses and discard it. Cut back the canes only slightly as they contain sugars for the plant. Mound 6" to 8" of soil around the base of the plant when it's cold, before the ground freezes.
	Dig up and store summer bulbs such as dahlias, cannas, caladiums, tuberous begonias and calla lilies. This is usually done after a light frost kills the foliage.
	Use any finished compost by spreading it on the gardens and working it into the soil. Keep an active pile going through the winter.
	Service power equipment at the end of the growing season so it is ready to roll next spring.
	Clean and store any tools or garden equipment which won't be used any more this season.
	Review the past growing season and make notes in your garden journal for 2010.

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Fall is for Planting…Plant a Tree, a Lawn, a Stinking Rose!
Scott Guiser, Sr. Extension Educator

As the days grow shorter and temperatures cool, I start to think about planting. Planting grass, trees, shrubs, garlic, tulips, and daffodils…darn near anything. There are a few plants that don’t tolerate fall planting but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Fall planting seems counter intuitive to many folks. We know winter is coming, we see leaves dying, temperatures cooling. Planting in the spring after months of being cooped-up inside has more appeal and seems to make more sense. So, why am I advocating fall planting? Let’s think it through.

First the easy ones…certain plants must be fall planted. Many spring flowering bulbs require a cold, dormant period in order to produce normal flowers. You could chill spring flowering bulbs artificially and then force them into bloom; this is done all of the time for potted displays and indoor use. But those naturalized displays of spring flowering bulbs in the landscape are more impressive and longer lasting. Nothing lights up the landscape like daffodils and tulips. One Saturday afternoon in October devoted to planting will pay off in a big way later. Delayed gratification. It’s worth it. See the article below for even more details.

Then there is the Stinking Rose…garlic. Garlic consumption is way up in the USA. It tastes good and apparently is good for you. If you have a garden and enjoy garlic, take the next step. Grow your own. Probably the hardest part about growing garlic is the initial step of finding a source of planting stock. After this, you are self sufficient (as long as you don’t eat it all) because you can save a portion of your crop as “seed” (actually you will save garlic heads and plant its cloves). Local farmer’s markets are a great place to locate garlic that is adapted to our region. There are enough commercial garlic growers in the Northeast U.S. that you can easily find planting stock on-line. Just don’t plant the store bought stuff. It’s probably not well adapted to our region.

How about lawns? Fall seedings are absolutely superior to spring. Several factors make this so. First, recall that the species of grasses we use for lawns are called “cool season” grasses.

They thrive under cool conditions and go dormant when it’s hot. They germinate very well in the warm soils of late summer and earl fall. A September planting means nine months of ideal conditions before they experience the stress of heat and drought. Sure, they go dormant when the soil is frozen. Otherwise, they are growing. Finally, consider the weeds. Although a few weeds geminate in the fall, it is nothing compared to the onslaught of crabgrass and other aggressive summer annual weeds that plague spring seedings. Bottom line…if you want to seed a new lawn or just patch up an old one, do it in the fall. Don’t make the mistake of simply tossing seed onto thin turf or even bare soil. Grass seeds need shallow soil incorporation or at least good soil contact to germinate. If you don’t want to till up the yard, consider one of those nifty slit-seeders” that tool rental places offer. They are made for this job.

Last, let’s look at the woody plants. Because we see trees and shrubs signaling the beginning of dormancy as they develop fall color (and even drop leaves) you may think that they are not growing. Yep, shoots do stop but roots keep growing until soils get rather cold. And fall soils start out with lots of retained summer heat. So, plant away. Plant trees in September, October and even November. Shrubs, too. Earlier is better but the entire fall season is a wonderful window of planting opportunity. Garden centers offer great deals on left over stock. Take advantage of it.

There is nothing new about fall planting. It makes sense. It works. Join the fun.

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Plant Bulbs this Fall for Early Spring Beauty

After a long, cold winter, the sight of flowering bulbs from our windows brings anticipation of spring. Some early blooming bulbs such as snow drops and crocus can flower while snow is still on the ground. Plant these small bulbs en mass for impact. Bulbs can enhance the landscape from early spring 'til frost. Inter-planting early, mid-season and late blooming varieties will extend color and interest. The later flowers will divert attention from the dying foliage of early flowering types.

It's best to plant spring flowering bulbs when the air and soil temperatures start to cool to prevent them from initiating premature growth. If you order your bulbs from a catalog, they will mail them to you at the proper planting time. If no planting depth is suggested, the bulbs should be planted at least 3-4 times their diameter, with ample space between the bulbs for root growth now and air circulation around the leaves when they emerge in the spring.

After flowering, the leaves continue to provide energy for the bulb as it develops its flowering mechanism for the next year. Cut off the "spent" flowers of larger bulbs to prevent seed formation, which will take energy from the bulb for next year’s flowering. Although it can be unsightly, allow the foliage to turn yellow and/or die before removing it. Suggestions vary for fertilizing bulbs; some recommend working granular fertilizer into the soil in the planting hole. Others say wait until late winter to work it into the planted area before the bulb foliage starts to show. Compost can be added into the soil at any time.

If deer are a problem, daffodils (Narcissus) can be interplanted with earlier blooming bulbs--nothing eats daffodils! If voles are the problem, place the bulbs in "baskets" made of 1/2" wire mesh. Some spring-blooming bulbs can provide years of beauty with a minimum of attention. Bulb catalogues are arriving now; they are a great resource for information in planning your bulb displays. If you've never planted spring-blooming bulbs, give it a try!
Contact Extension’s Horticultural Hotline from 9 AM to 12 noon Monday through Friday for more information.

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Master Gardener Corner

Is your perennial garden getting over-crowded ? Do you wish you had more of certain plants? Many perennials benefit from being divided every 3 years.

On Thursday, September 17 at 6:30 PM join the Master Gardeners for a class on Dividing Perennials And Caring for your Garden Tools. We will meet at the Extension office at 6:30 PM and proceed to the garden for a hands-on demonstration in dividing perennials. Following a short break and some refreshments, learn some easy ways to clean, sharpen and store your garden tools for the winter. Bring your gardening questions.

On Tuesday, October 13 at 7 PM join the Master Gardeners to learn about Home Composting. Convert those fall leaves and your kitchen scraps into gardener’s Black Gold! Compost is the best soil conditioner and it’s free!

No fee but Registration required for both classes, call 215-345-3283.

Horticultural Happenings

Burpee’s Fordhook Farm—Autumn Garden Tour
Friday and Saturday, September 25-26. Open from 10 am - 4 pm both days.
Learn how to plant your fall garden and how to prepare for next spring by gardening with bulbs and perennials. The speakers (fee) at this garden open will be: Bill Miller - The Science and Art of Gardening with Bulbs, September 25, 11:00 a.m. and September 26, 11:00 a.m.
and Jerry Fritz - The Art of Using Perennials in Your Garden September 25, 1:30 p.m. and September 26, 1:30 p.m.
For more info call 215-674-4900 ext 1401.

4-H Horticulture Club is starting up again this Fall at the Plumsteadville Grange. If you know a child, ages 8 to 18, who might be interested, contact Nancy Stephenson, 4-H Youth Educator at 215-345-3283 for more information.

Scott Guiser, Extension Educator/Horticulture
and
Sue Schneck, Master Gardener Coordinator

E-mail: bucksext@psu.edu
Phone: 215-345-3283
Fax: 215-343-1653

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