The Garden Website for September
Amanda's Garden Consulting Company
Coronation grapes are ripe for the picking.
September Garden Chores
Fall flowering crocus (Colchicum autumnale) and golden creeping jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'. Click on pic for more.
New: The New West Horticultural Society Garden Tour July 2024
Gardening Classes - September Floral Arrangements - September Garden Stars - Garden Inspections
Planting Time - Planting Spring Bulbs - Perennials - Chop n' Drop - Rhubarb & Gunnera
Dahlias - Tuberous Begonias- Annuals/Bedding Plants - Fall Lawn Care - Northern Lawns
What to Prune Now - Weeds - Fall Lawn Care - Fallen Leaves - In the Veggie Garden
Raspberries & Potatoes - Winter Veggie Gardening - Powdery Mildew - Saving Tender Plants
Peony Measles - Collecting Seeds - Planters - Fall Colour - Winter Protection
Gardening Classes - September Floral Arrangements - September Garden Stars - Garden Inspections
Planting Time - Planting Spring Bulbs - Perennials - Chop n' Drop - Rhubarb & Gunnera
Dahlias - Tuberous Begonias- Annuals/Bedding Plants - Fall Lawn Care - Northern Lawns
What to Prune Now - Weeds - Fall Lawn Care - Fallen Leaves - In the Veggie Garden
Raspberries & Potatoes - Winter Veggie Gardening - Powdery Mildew - Saving Tender Plants
Peony Measles - Collecting Seeds - Planters - Fall Colour - Winter Protection
September's harvest.
Fellow Gardeners..
Dear Fellow Gardeners,
Summer is officially over, but ironically summer weather has finally arrived. The weather so far has been less than stellar. It’s not been very hot, and we had had unprecedented rain for two days in August. My seven tomato plants are not the bodacious beauties of previous years. Yields are down and plants are smaller, but they are picking up after some nice hot days last month. Better late than never. I had a few crop failures this year. I don’t know how many times I sowed cucumber and zucchini seeds only for one seedling of each to survive. In retrospect, it’s probably a good thing that only one zucchini made it though. It gets a bit daunting trying to come up with ways to disguise them in recipes as I am the only one in my household that likes them. The neighbours do like the freebies, but even they have their limits. So, I think having just one zucchini plant is a good thing. Another good thing about this summer is the lack of stink bugs and chafer beetles as well as other lawn grubs. It must be the weather. We had that hard and prolonged deep freeze in January so maybe that killed the overwintering little (insert swear word of your choice here). It also could be that plants weren’t all stressed out and weak from the usual heat and lack of rain we’ve in the past few years. Whatever the reason – yay! I would rather have fewer tomatoes if it means that the stink bugs aren’t sucking the life out my tomatoes rendering them inedible. It’s so wonderful to see the lawns intact instead of them being dug up and destroyed by crows, raccoons and other critters. Now that summer is over, there’s tons of things to do in the garden so I hope the weather holds out. Old Man Winter better not make a surprise visit before I get everything done. I am not as fast as I used to be and, in my experience, he is not to be trusted. Happy fall gardening. Cheers, Amanda New Westminster Horticultural Society Member's Garden tour, July 2024
Roses and masterwort flowers (Astrantia majus) from Garden #1.
I love a good garden tour and the New Westminster Horticultural Society's Annual Garden Tour did not disappoint. Check out the numerous lovely gardens, super plant combos and innovative ideas by clicking here.
Garden Club EventsGet the word out! Click here to list your garden club plant sales, fundraisers, garden tour & other events.
The BC Fuchsia and Begonia Society promotes fuchsias, begonias, ferns and other shade-loving plants. The society meets at 7pm, 3rd Wednesday each month at St. Timothy's Church Hall, 4550 Kitchener Street. They offer knowledgeable speakers, plant displays, plant sales, refreshments and friendship. Click on Fuchsias & Begonias to learn more.
Garden Classes
Click on the coloured links for more information.
Location: Credo Christian High School, Langley, B.C. Lawn Care: Learn the secrets to a healthy, low maintenance lawn. Saturday, Sept 21, 2024, 9:30am to 12:30pm, $29.99 Preparing for Fall: Prepare the garden for winter and the coming year: planting bulbs, dahlias, what to prune, fall lawn care, what to plant and much more. Saturday, Oct 5, 2024, 9:30am to 3:30pm, $59.99 Pruning the Right Way: Classroom session in morning followed by pruning session in the afternoon. Saturday, Oct 19, 2024, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. $59.99 Tuberous Begonia Hack
A planter stuffed with red tuberous begonias is not what it seems. Check out this simple way to grow and to display tuberous begonias with this fantastic hack. For the secret click on the picture.
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Take the guesswork of what to do in the garden each month with The Garden Website.com. Learn what to do, how to do it and when with a free subscription to The Garden Website.com.
Water Restrictions
No more watering lawns, but watering garden beds, trees and vegetable gardens is still permitted.
Metro Vancouver's water restrictions are explained fully on their website. Click on Metro Vancouver for details.
Need A Garden Consultation?
It's difficult to know where to start and what to in the fall garden.
If you know what to do in your garden in the autumn and need help figuring out what to do and how to do it, click here make an appointment with Amanda for a garden consultation. Serving Metro Vancouver.
For the Tropical Gardener For tropical gardeners & those that want to be.
While working in Florida as a horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a reference book detailing all the exotic tropical shrubs. To make my job easier and to help my clients, I wrote a reference book called Ornamental Tropical Shrubs. It includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. If you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
Gift Certificate
Get the perfect gift for gardeners and non-gardeners alike with a gift certificate for a personal garden consultation. During the two-hour consultation get your garden questions and recommendations on how to lower maintenance, garden design, trouble shooting, plant ID, lawn care, veggie gardening and other garden related issues. A $200.00 value. Serving Metro Vancouver. Click here to fill out the form.
September's Floral Arrangement
September 2024
September's flowers are hydrangeas and marigolds. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements.
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September Garden Stars
Pandora lleopard plant, Ligularia dentata 'Pandora', herbaceous perennial, 18" x 18", part to full shade. Zones 4 to 8.
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Autumn crocus, Colchicum autumnale, corm, 6 - 10”, spring leaves, fall flowers, sun to shade. Zones 4 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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White Fountain bush clover, Lespedeza thunbergii, deciduous shrub, 4- 6’ x 4-12’, sun to part shade. Zones 4-8
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Sweet autumn clematis/virgins bower, Clematis terniflora, deciduous vine, 15-30ft, fragrant, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9
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Karl Foester' feather reed grass, Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster', herbaceous perennial, 3’-5’ x 2’-2.5’, flowers May to Feb, sun, moist soils. Zones 5 to 9.
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Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale, up to 30", sun, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds. Zones 4-9. Click on the pic for more.
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Hardy fuchsia, F. magellanica, tender deciduous shrub, 4' to 8' tall and wide, partial shade, prefers moist soil, attracts butterflies & hummingbirds. Zones 6 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Tutsan, sweet-amber, Hypericum androsaemum, deciduous shrub, 2-3’, sun, part shade, yellow blooms, red berries. Zones 5 to 8.
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Autumn Joy Sedum, Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude', herbaceous perennial, sun, 1.5-3', attracts butterflies, drought tolerant. Zones 3 to 9.
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Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus, deciduous tree-like shrub growing to 12 ft, Zones 5-8. Best in full sun. Click on the pic for more.
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Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, herbaceous perennial, 15” to 18” x 12” to 16”, sun, part shade, butterflies. Zones 4 to 8.
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Mango Tango cinquefoil, Potentilla fruticosa 'Mango Tango', deciduous shrub, 2 to 3 ft tall and wide, sun, part shade. Zones 3 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Chrysanthemums, herbaceous perennial, 1-3’ x 1-2’, many flower colours and flowers from September to frost. Zones 5 to 9.
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Pink Japanese anemone, Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’, herbaceous perennial, 4ft, sun, part shade. Zones 5 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Michaelmas daisy, Symphyotrichum, fall aster (herbaceous perennial, 10”-6’ x 4’, butterflies, bees. Zones 4 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Goldsturm black-eyed susan, Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm', herbaceous perennial, 2', sun, part shade, Zones 4 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Yellow wax bells, Kirengeshoma palmata, herbaceous perennial, 3’-6’, part shade, moist soil. Zones 5 to 9.
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Glossy abelia, Abelia x grandiflora, broad leaf evergreen shrub, 4 to 6 ft x 5 ft, full sun to part shade. Zones 6 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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September Garden Chores
Click on the coloured, underlined links to be redirected.
There's lots to do in September gardens.
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Fall flowers brighten up the garden.
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Walk the Garden: It’s autumn and the garden is changing. Rose of Sharon, autumn crocus and other late season bloomers are putting on a show, whilst spring and summer flowering plants are declining as they prepare for winter.
Now is a good time to assess your plants and the garden. Consider dividing and/or transplanting ones that are too big for their britches or alternately, remove any surrounding smaller ones and replant them in a more spacious location. That’s often easier than digging up and moving the bigger plants.
Weak, straggly, pale and leggy plants that don’t flower are probably receiving too much shade and should be transplanted to a brighter location. Weak, bleached, stunted and fried looking plants are getting too much sun, so either move them to a shadier spot or place a screen or a bigger plant near them to block the light. Before going shopping for more plants, take note of the sunny and shady areas in the garden and read plant labels for their preferred conditions. Know what to look for with Garden Inspections.
Now is a good time to assess your plants and the garden. Consider dividing and/or transplanting ones that are too big for their britches or alternately, remove any surrounding smaller ones and replant them in a more spacious location. That’s often easier than digging up and moving the bigger plants.
Weak, straggly, pale and leggy plants that don’t flower are probably receiving too much shade and should be transplanted to a brighter location. Weak, bleached, stunted and fried looking plants are getting too much sun, so either move them to a shadier spot or place a screen or a bigger plant near them to block the light. Before going shopping for more plants, take note of the sunny and shady areas in the garden and read plant labels for their preferred conditions. Know what to look for with Garden Inspections.
Loosen roots before planting.
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Plant trees so their trunk flare sits above the soil surface.
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This tree has been planted to deeply.
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Check out local nurseries for great end of the season deals. Pictured Harris Nurseryland, Ladner, BC.
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Planting Time: The shorter days, cooler temperatures and wetter weather are ideal planting conditions for planting and transplanting trees, shrubs, ground covers, lawns and everything else. Check local plant nurseries for great deals as they need to reduce their inventory this time of year. To learn the secrets of successful planting methods click on Planting Know How.
Crown Imperial fritillaria is a spectacular spring bulb. Click on pic for more.
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An impressive spring bulb combination of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.
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Protect bulbs from being eaten with bulb pans and chicken wire.
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Bury potted bulbs in the garden to overwinter.
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Potted bulbs add easy beauty everywhere.
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Plant Spring Bulbs: The sooner tulips, daffodils, crocus and other spring flowering bulbs are planted in the ground the better. This gives them time to develop a good root system before winter arrives. Stores sell out quickly so purchase bulbs now for the best selection. Plant some in pots and bury them in the garden to portable bulb displays. To learn how to plant, how to protect bulbs from critters and for effective displays click on Spring Bulbs.
Remove seed heads from hostas.
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Wait to cut back Solomon Seal once their leaves yellow.
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Dig up and divide overgrown daylilies.
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Leave a few inches of the stems when cutting perennials back.
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Perennials: Remove dead flowers from perennials to prevent volunteers, unless you want to collect their seeds to propagate in spring. Autumn is an ideal time to divide and transplant Solomon’s seal, daylilies as well as other perennials. Cut back plants to their base, then dig them up to divide them or slice off sections – roots and all. Use a sharp shovel, or two garden forks back to back and pry the roots apart. Plant them elsewhere in the garden, give them away or pot them up to sell in spring. Once perennials start to decline, cut them back to 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Leaving that extra bit of stem protects their crowns (where stems and roots join) and provides habitat for beneficial insects. Here's more: Fall Garden Chores
A yellowing Siberian iris after being 'chopped & dropped'.
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Leaves from the gunneras are effective winter protection.
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A hydrangea's flowers and stems are a pretty and effective mulch.
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Chop and Drop: When cutting back plants, leave the clippings on top of the soil. Chop the leaves and twigs into small pieces and place them around. Place them on top of tender plants as a winter mulch.
Rhubarb & Gunnera: To protect plants over the winter cut their leaves at their base once they have yellowed then place them on top of the plants.
Rhubarb & Gunnera: To protect plants over the winter cut their leaves at their base once they have yellowed then place them on top of the plants.
It's recommended to dig up & store dahlias overwinter.
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The tops of dahlias die when touched by frost.
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Wait a week after cutting plants back to dig up dahlias.
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Shorten stems before storing. Click on pic for more.
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Store dahlia tubers in boxes in a frost free, dry location.
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Dahlias: Keep deadheading and supporting their stems until they start to decline or when zapped by frost. Cut stems back to 4 inches then wait a week before digging them up. Knock off the soil or rinse them off with a soft spray from a garden hose. Remove any dead, diseased and damaged tubers. Place in a dry frost-free area to cure for a week then store them overwinter.
Store tuberous begonias in a frost free location. Click on pic for more.
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Wait for begonia stems to break off before storing.
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To kill fungi, spray with a baking soda solution. Click on pic for more.
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Tuberous Begonias: Bring them in after their tops are killed by frost or when they start to yellow. To encourage dormancy, gradually withhold water. Dig up ones that are planted in the garden and place them on some dry newspaper in a frost free location. Wait a week for their stems to break off from the tuber and remove all debris. Click on Tuberous Begonias for how to store and grow them.
Scotch marigolds (Calendula) flower until frost and they also self seed.
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Cosmos continue to flower when spent flowers & seed heads are removed.
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Leave the roots of annuals, especially sweet peas, as they add nutrients to the soil.
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Nigella, love-in-a-mist, will self seed if you leave their pretty seed pods.
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Annuals/Bedding Plants: Remove those that have seen better days and cut off the spent flowers off those that are still looking good. There’s no need to pull up dead and dying petunias, impatiens and other annuals. Just cut them off at ground level. Those roots are full of nutrients, hold the soil together, and harbour all kinds of microorganisms and fungi that are beneficial to the soil’s biome.
Correct fall maintenance results in a healthy green lawn.
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Set the mower to 2 to 2.5 inches for autumn.
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Mow the dry leaves then place them on garden beds.
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Lawns: Make your lawn mean and green with basic fall maintenance. With cooler and wetter weather, grasses will be greening up and growing up. A big mistake is cutting the grass too short. Set the mower at 2 to 3 inches. Note that the numbers on the lawn mower height are just numbers and do not relate to the height of the cut. Check by doing a test strip then measure the height of the mown grass with a ruler.
Only remove only 1/3rd of the leaf blades at each cut. This means that the lawn must be cut at least once a week when it is actively growing. It’s okay to mow the lawn when it is covered with fall foliage as long as it’s dry and not too thick. Raise the height of the mower if necessary. Keep the bag on the mower to collect the shredded leaves and place them on top of garden beds for a nutritious and protective mulch.
Only remove only 1/3rd of the leaf blades at each cut. This means that the lawn must be cut at least once a week when it is actively growing. It’s okay to mow the lawn when it is covered with fall foliage as long as it’s dry and not too thick. Raise the height of the mower if necessary. Keep the bag on the mower to collect the shredded leaves and place them on top of garden beds for a nutritious and protective mulch.
Add Dolopril lime to mossy lawns.
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Don't add too much nitrogen this time of year.
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Brown patch is a lawn diseased caused by too much nitrogen.
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For mossy lawns that were not limed in the spring, apply Dolopril lime. Wait one week to apply a high nitrogen fertilizer (high first number: 10-5-3) from early fall from September to early October – no later. Too much nitrogen – over 20%, promotes a very lush, green lawn and it will grow like crazy. Due to the rapid growth, mowing must be done more than once a week. Too much nitrogen encourages diseases such as brown patch and the resulting new lush grass is vulnerable to frost damage.
Topdress lawns with compost, not sand.
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Lawn seed combined with fertilizer is a good idea.
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Sod the front lawn and use seed in the back yard.
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Extra Steps to Lawn Care
Adding an inch of compost (not sand) on top of the grass (topdressing) is beneficial to the lawn and soil. Follow up by overseeding with grade A seed that is coated in with a fertilizer. They are readily available where grass seed is sold. Note that it’s not necessary to topdress the lawn before seeding.
Renovating Lawns, Fixing Patches & Installing New Ones: Autumn is the best time to fix your lawn or install a new one. Generally, most front lawns are sodded for instant lawn, however, seed back yard lawns to save money. For more on how to renovate and install new lawns click on Renovating & New Lawns.
Adding an inch of compost (not sand) on top of the grass (topdressing) is beneficial to the lawn and soil. Follow up by overseeding with grade A seed that is coated in with a fertilizer. They are readily available where grass seed is sold. Note that it’s not necessary to topdress the lawn before seeding.
Renovating Lawns, Fixing Patches & Installing New Ones: Autumn is the best time to fix your lawn or install a new one. Generally, most front lawns are sodded for instant lawn, however, seed back yard lawns to save money. For more on how to renovate and install new lawns click on Renovating & New Lawns.
Keep lawns free of soggy, frozen and rotting leaves for the winter.
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Keep off frosty lawns.
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As fall progresses apply a high phosphorous fertilizer.
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Lawns Up North: Since I live in British Columbia zone 8, frost usually occurs in November, however for more northern climates, it might be too late to add a high nitrogen fertilizer. Instead, apply a winterizer fertilizer (5-2-10) now. It’s low in nitrogen, but high in potassium, which promotes winter hardiness and not a lot of green tender foliage. Frost on Lawns: Keep off the grass and don't mow it when it's frosty.
This crap apple won't flower next year if it is pruned now.
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This crab apple will have to wait until winter to be tamed.
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Prune hedges asap as the resulting new foliage is susceptible to frost damage.
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Fall Pruning
It’s the end of the growing season so some plants benefit from some judicious pruning, but not all. Don’t cut back spring flowering trees, shrubs and vines as you will be removing next year’s flowers. Leave plants that are still green and flowering as they are still actively growing. Go easy on the pruning; no more than ¼ of overall growth should be removed, and do so only after leaf drop.
It’s the end of the growing season so some plants benefit from some judicious pruning, but not all. Don’t cut back spring flowering trees, shrubs and vines as you will be removing next year’s flowers. Leave plants that are still green and flowering as they are still actively growing. Go easy on the pruning; no more than ¼ of overall growth should be removed, and do so only after leaf drop.
Cut back rose of Sharon after they finish flowering and leaf drop.
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Cut off suckers and the burl they are growing from.
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Remove suckers coming from the roots.
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What prune now: Wait to cut back summer and fall flowering plants until they have finished blossoming and their leaves have yellowed. On all plants, cut off any suckers, watersprouts, anything that’s dead, broken and diseased. Also cut back or cut off any branches in the way of walking by. Be mindful not to take too much off one plant; no more that ¼ of healthy growth. Take pruning seriously as it is plant surgery. Cutting into their stems and removing branches and other body parts sets plants back. Learn how to make the right cuts so plants can heal themselves. Click on Pruning to learn more and Pruning Tools.
Weed block landscape fabric don't work as weeds just grow on top of them.
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Use corn gluten to kill germinating seeds.
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Pull out horsetails, don't dig them up.
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Lay mulch down once an area in weeded.
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Weeds: They are best removed before winter so they don’t get run. Naughty weeds. To make the job easier, wait until the ground is moist to yank them out. Don’t add seedy weeds and ones with runners to the compost.
If you would prefer using a herbicide, make sure it's organic (Safer’s Fatty Acid, horticultural grade vinegar etc.). Follow the instructions to the letter, don’t spray on windy days, protect yourself and neighbouring plants with cardboard etc. Repeat applications of herbicides are necessary to fully kill the plant.
To prevent weed seed from germinating, sprinkle corn gluten on top of the soil. Do not apply where you have recently sown desirable seed. Once the area is weeded, cover the ground with a 3 inch layer of mulch to prevent further infestation. Don’t dig up horsetails and bindweed as that spreads them even more; just keep pulling them up as soon as they pop out of the ground. It works, but you must be consistent.
If you would prefer using a herbicide, make sure it's organic (Safer’s Fatty Acid, horticultural grade vinegar etc.). Follow the instructions to the letter, don’t spray on windy days, protect yourself and neighbouring plants with cardboard etc. Repeat applications of herbicides are necessary to fully kill the plant.
To prevent weed seed from germinating, sprinkle corn gluten on top of the soil. Do not apply where you have recently sown desirable seed. Once the area is weeded, cover the ground with a 3 inch layer of mulch to prevent further infestation. Don’t dig up horsetails and bindweed as that spreads them even more; just keep pulling them up as soon as they pop out of the ground. It works, but you must be consistent.
Colourful rose hips add to the winter garden and help feed wildlife.
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Cover the base of roses with soil or mulch.
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Remove all dead rose canes.
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Fall Rose Care
It was once believed that cutting roses back hard in the autumn was a good thing – research and experience has proven that it is not so – especially if the winter is mean and ugly. Instead, give roses a light pruning. Remove all dead, dying and broken canes then cut back any overlong canes that will whip in the wind and tie climbing rose canes to their support. Remove all diseased plant parts and dead flowers but keep the colourful rose hips for wildlife and winter interest.
After pruning, remove all infected leaves with black spot etc., then place at least 3 inches of organic mulch or soil on top of the crown (where stems and roots join) of the rose for winter protection. Click on Pruning Roses for more.
It was once believed that cutting roses back hard in the autumn was a good thing – research and experience has proven that it is not so – especially if the winter is mean and ugly. Instead, give roses a light pruning. Remove all dead, dying and broken canes then cut back any overlong canes that will whip in the wind and tie climbing rose canes to their support. Remove all diseased plant parts and dead flowers but keep the colourful rose hips for wildlife and winter interest.
After pruning, remove all infected leaves with black spot etc., then place at least 3 inches of organic mulch or soil on top of the crown (where stems and roots join) of the rose for winter protection. Click on Pruning Roses for more.
A Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) colourful fall foliage enriches the soil beneath.
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A mulch comprised of Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) leaves protect and improve the quality of soil.
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Keep fall leaves and fall debris on garden beds, but remove those that fall on top of shrubs.
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Fallen Leaves: The annual shedding of the leaves is often received by many as a curse. Lawns are smothered and shrubs are buried with layers of colourful fall foliage. There’s no need to remove them from garden beds as they protect the soil and add nutrients as they decompose. Just remove fallen leaves from the top of shrubs under the trees. Save yourself time and aggravation by not bagging fall foliage from the lawn, instead mow or rake it onto garden beds to improve and protect the soil as well as plants.
Protect the Soil & Plants: Mother Nature does not like bare naked soil, that’s why she invented weeds. They quickly spread and cover the ground protecting it from the elements. Beat her to the punch and protect the soil from erosion, nutrient loss, temperature fluctuations and extreme weather conditions with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch placed on top of the soil and between plants. For more on mulch click on Mulch & Mulching
Protect the Soil & Plants: Mother Nature does not like bare naked soil, that’s why she invented weeds. They quickly spread and cover the ground protecting it from the elements. Beat her to the punch and protect the soil from erosion, nutrient loss, temperature fluctuations and extreme weather conditions with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch placed on top of the soil and between plants. For more on mulch click on Mulch & Mulching
Veggie gardens are productive until the first frost.
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Swiss chard is cold hardy & will continue to grow.
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Encourage tomatoes to ripen faster with judicious pruning. Click on pic for more.
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In The Veggie Garden
Depending on where you live, some veggie gardens are all done and dusted. Many crops are finished, however, there are many that are still chugging along. In BC, generally, this is the last month for tomatoes as they succumb to blight and the end of the season. Lettuce, radish and many other crops have flowered (bolted) and gone to seed. Broccoli is still pumping out florets, peppers are turning from green to yellow, orange or red and kale is killin’ it. There’s still lots going on out there.
Since it is the end of the season tomatoes need to hurry up and ripen, click here for tips. To control crazy tomato plants click on Taming Tomatoes. Toss all tomato plants that have succumbed to disease, and don't compost their debris. Here's more on tomatoes: Tomato Troubles - Tomato Tips - Saving Tomato Seeds
Depending on where you live, some veggie gardens are all done and dusted. Many crops are finished, however, there are many that are still chugging along. In BC, generally, this is the last month for tomatoes as they succumb to blight and the end of the season. Lettuce, radish and many other crops have flowered (bolted) and gone to seed. Broccoli is still pumping out florets, peppers are turning from green to yellow, orange or red and kale is killin’ it. There’s still lots going on out there.
Since it is the end of the season tomatoes need to hurry up and ripen, click here for tips. To control crazy tomato plants click on Taming Tomatoes. Toss all tomato plants that have succumbed to disease, and don't compost their debris. Here's more on tomatoes: Tomato Troubles - Tomato Tips - Saving Tomato Seeds
September's harvest.
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Sow cover crops now. Crimson clover pictured.
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Don't leave vegetable gardens bare over winter. Straw is a suitable winter mulch.
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Once crops are harvested, remove all their remnants, rotten fruit and any other debris. Don’t compost any infected, infested and weedy plants. To put the beds to bed for winter either sow a cover crop, such as crimson clover, or cover with a layer of straw (not hay) or a thick layer of ripped up newspaper. It’s important to keep the ground covered during the winter. This prevents nutrient loss, erosion and winter weeds.
Train raspberries on a wire trellis.
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Remove canes that have produces raspberries.
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Cure harvested potatoes before storing.
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Raspberries: Cut off all canes that have borne fruit just above ground level. Pull up and cut off any wayward canes invading other areas. Cut off all infected and weak canes at their base. Tie new canes to the fence, trellis or other support. Remove all weeds, grass then add a 3 inch layer of an organic mulch.
Potatoes: Once their leaves have yellowed, wait 3 weeks for their skin to harden before harvesting. Once harvested they need to cured and stored in a cool dry frost-free location. For more click on Potatoes.
Potatoes: Once their leaves have yellowed, wait 3 weeks for their skin to harden before harvesting. Once harvested they need to cured and stored in a cool dry frost-free location. For more click on Potatoes.
Buy starter plants to get a head start on winter veggies.
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Direct seed beets and other hardy plants.
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Protect winter crops with a cloche. Click on pic for more.
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Winter Veggie Gardening: If you don’t want to put your garden to bed, keep on growing with cool season crops. If you like peas and carrots, sow their seeds in the ground now. For kale, cabbage and other cool crops get thee to your local plant nursery and purchase their cool season starter plants. For more on winter veggies click on Winter Veggie Gardening.
Powdery mildew on a tomato plant.
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Powdery mildew on a tuberous begonia.
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Powdery Mildew: That white powdery substance found on cucumbers, roses, maples, phlox and many other plants is a prevalent disease this time of year. It’s caused from wet foliage combined with dry soil. Infected foliage can’t be fixed but by using solutions of baking soda or milk further contaminations are reduced. Click on Powdery Mildew for more.
Angel Trumpets, Brugmansia.
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Bougainvillea
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Coleus
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Saving Tender Plants: The party is over for any tender plants that were vacationing outside during the summer. Bring in tuberous begonias, fuchsias, geraniums, angel trumpets (Brugmansia, Datura), bougainvilleas, impatiens and coleus. If you wait too long, they are overcome with diseases and insects and often fail to survive. To learn more about saving your tender babies, click on Saving Tender Plants and Houseplants in Winter.
Peony blotch 'measles'.
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Hollyhock seeds are ready to collect.
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Lettuce, when allowed to flower, produce many seeds.
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Peony Measles: If the leaves on your peony leaves are covered with ugly brown blotches they have peony blotch, also referred to as peony measles. When preparing peonies for winter, cut off their foliage and discard any infected foliage, do not add to the compost. To learn more click on Peony Measles.
Collect Seeds! Save your money by collecting the seeds from peas, sweet peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, hollyhocks, foxgloves, calendula, marigolds and others. To learn when and what plants to harvest seeds from click here.
Collect Seeds! Save your money by collecting the seeds from peas, sweet peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, hollyhocks, foxgloves, calendula, marigolds and others. To learn when and what plants to harvest seeds from click here.
A tired summer planter needs some TLC.
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After the removal of dead plants, the leggy marigolds were back.
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After being cut back & being tidied.
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A silvery purple coral bell (Heuchera), a tiny pumpkin and funky gourd transform the planter.
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Planters: Most planters look pretty sad and tired after the summer. You can easily tweak them and give them new life for the fall and winter months without tearing them all apart. First remove all dead, diseased and buggy plants. Scrape off all debris and weeds from the soil surface. Cut back any remaining leggy plants by ½ to ¼. Add an inch or two of compost, triple mix or SeaSoil. Plant cool season plants that will look good for months to come: winter pansies, primroses, a dwarf aster, chrysanthemums, Lenten rose (Helleborus), dwarf evergreens. Add some fab twigs: red twig dogwood, curly willow, white birch. Give everything a good drink spiked with transplant fertilizer. Click on Container Growing for more ideas.
Troki Virginia creeper. Click on pic for more.
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Darwyck gold beech, Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck'.
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Ornamental kale is pretty without flowers.
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A dwarf Japanese maple. Click on pic for more.
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Add Fall Colour: If your garden is drab, get thee to a garden centre for some fab fall flora. There’s lots to choose from including asters, chrysanthemums, Japanese maples and ornamental kale. Read plant labels to select the right plant for the right place. Your local nursery will have oodles of options to brighten your garden. For more plants click on Colourful Fall Plants.
Snow crushed this once elegant Green Spire euonymus.
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It's all tied up and ready for snow.
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Wrap or bury planters overwinter.
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Frost blankets protect tender plants over the winter.
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Winter Protection: In southern British Columbia, it is a bit too early to lay down winter mulch overtop of tender plants, but it isn’t in more northern climates. Lay a 3-inch layer of an organic mulch, evergreen branches or soil on top of the plant. In spring, once plants start to grow, remove the mulch incrementally as it thaws. Wrap string to keep snow from disfiguring and breaking evergreens. Protect tender shrubs with burlap, fabric, frost blankets. Bury the pots of plants growing in containers or wrap them with bubble wrap, insulation or blankets. For more tips click on Winterize Your Garden.
Plant of the month
Chinese Windmill Palm
A Chinese windmill palm gives this Vancouver garden a tropical edge.
Snow is not an issue for the Chinese windmill palm.
In cooler climates, locate the Chinese fan palm in a protected location.
The bud at the top of the palm tree is where leaves emerge.
Chinese windmill palms are found in garden throughout the temperate regions of B.C.
Palm fronds only emerge at the top of the tree.
Rhododendrons surround a palm tree in Vancouver, B.C.
This palm tree is dead due to prolonged cold snap killed the growing bud at the top of the tree.
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Common Name: Chinese windmill palm
Botanical Name: Trachycarpus fortunei Form: narrow upright with fan-shaped top Family: Arecaceae Genus: Trachycarpus Species: fortunei Plant Type: palm Mature Size: 10’ to 40’ Origin: forested mountains of China Hardiness Zone: 7 to 10 Foliage: fan-shaped, evergreen, palmate, dark green up to 3’ wide with 2-3’ long petioles (leaf stems), segmented halfway results in drooping tips Flowers: yellow, June to July, drooping panicles up to 2’ long, dioecious Trunk: solitary trunk covered with fibers from old leaf sheaths Fruit: dioecious: only on female trees, dark blue drupes Water: medium Exposure: sun to partial shade in protected locations Soil: organically rich, moist, well-drained Uses: winter interest, tropical accent, specimen, focal point Invasive Tendencies: none Pruning: only remove dead palm fronds, no green ones Comments: Throughout coastal British Columbia and on Vancouver Island, where winters are generally mild, Chinese windmill palms are a common sight. Among the Douglas fir, cedars and rhododendrons, these hardy palm trees add a delightful tropical flare to local gardens. The Chinese windmill palm is one of the hardiest of palm trees. They tolerate up to -12°C (10°F) but only for a very short time. They don’t mind BC’s soggy winters but prolonged stretches of severe freezing temperatures, and in early spring they do suffer and sometimes it’s fatal. Grow Chinese windmill palms in protected locations, preferably close to the house or another structure that blocks cool winds from the north. Although they tolerate partial shade, they do better in full sun, except in more tropical zones. Not all palm trees grow along sandy beaches. In fact, the majority don’t - including the Chinese windmill palm. It’s native to the forests of temperate and subtropical mountains of China where the soil is organically rich, moist and well-drained. Keep the roots warm in the winter and moist in the summer with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch. Winter Protection It’s essential to protect windmill palms during the winter. They are most vulnerable during unusual cold snaps and when temperatures fluctuate in early spring. The most vulnerable part of all palm trees is the central bud at the top of the tree where all the fronds emerge from. If this part dies, the tree dies. It won’t sprout new babies from the base or from the top. To protect the bud, cover it (if you can reach it) with burlap, frost blanket, old sheet or another breathable fabric. You can also wrap the trunk if you wish. Don’t use plastic as it will cause the bud to rot. Adding 3 inches of an organic mulch on top of the soil insulates the soil from the cold and temperature extremes. Cover small trees with a frost blanket, sheets and other breathable fabric from its top to the ground. Place a small, low wattage incandescent bulb underneath the cover where the bud is. Don’t forget to remove after the danger of frost has passed. 
Their trunks are shaggy from old leaf sheaths.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
Click on the links below to be redirected.
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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