Fall Work In The Garden
from Amateur Gardencraft
Because the growth of grass on the lawn is not as luxuriant and rapid in
fall as it is in midsummer, is no reason why the lawn should be
neglected after summer is over. It should be mowed whenever the grass
gets too tall to look well, clear up to the end of the season. The neat
and attractive appearance of the home-grounds depends more upon the lawn
than anything else about them. It is a good plan to fertilize it well in
fall, thus enabling the roots of the sward to store up nutriment for the
coming season. Fine bonemeal is as good for this purpose as anything I
know of except barnyard manure, and it is superior to that in one
respect--it does not contain the seeds of weeds.
Go over the garden before the end of the season and gather up all plants
that have completed their work. If we neglect to give attention to the
beds now that the flowering-period is over, a general appearance of
untidiness will soon dominate everything. Much of the depressing effect
of late fall is due to this lack of attention. The prompt removal of all
unsightly objects will keep the grounds looking _clean_ after the season
has passed its prime, and we all know what the Good Book's estimate of
cleanliness is.
Seedlings of such perennials as Hollyhock, Delphinium, and other plants
of similar character, ought to be transplanted to the places they are to
occupy next season by the last of September. If care is taken not to
disturb their roots when you lift them they will receive no check.
If you give your Hybrid Perpetual Roses a good, sharp cutting-back early
in September, and manure the soil about them well, you may reasonably
expect a few fine flowers from them later on. And what is more
delightful than a perfect Rose gathered from your own garden just at the
edge of winter?
Perennials can be divided and reset, if necessary, immediately after
they have ripened off the growth of the present year. If this work is
done now, there will be just so much less to do in spring.
Before the coming of cold weather all tools used in gardening operations
should be gathered up and stored under cover. If any repairs are
needed, make note of them, and see that the work is done in winter, so
that everything needed in spring may be in readiness for use. It is a
good plan to give all wood-work a coat of paint at the time it is stored
away, and to go over the metal part of every tool with a wash of
vaseline to prevent rust.
Have a general house-cleaning before winter sets in. Cut away the stalks
of the perennials. Pull up all annuals. Rake up the leaves, and add
everything of this kind to the compost heap. All garden refuse should
find its way there, to be transmuted by the alchemy of sun and rain, and
the disintegrating forces of nature into that most valuable of soil
constituents--humus. Let nothing that has any value in it be wasted.
After hard frosts have killed the tops of Dahlias, Cannas, Caladiums and
Gladioluses, their roots should be dug, on some warm and sunny day, and
prepared for storage in the cellar or closet. Spread them out in the
sunshine, and leave them there until the soil that was dug with them is
dry enough to crumble away from them. At night cover with something to
keep out the cold, and expose them to the curative effects of the sun
next day. It may be necessary to do this several days in succession. The
great amount of moisture which they contain when first dug should be
given a chance to evaporate to a considerable extent before it will be
safe to put them away for the winter. Cut off the old stalks close to
the root before storing.
While clearing the beds of dead plants and leaves be on the lookout for
insects of various kinds. The cut-worm may still be in evidence, and may
be found among the rubbish which you gather up. And if found, destroy it
on the spot. This precaution will go far toward safeguarding plants in
spring, many of which are annually injured by the depredations of this
pest.
When you are sure that cold weather is at hand, cover the bulb-bed with
coarse manure or litter, hay, or straw, as advised in the chapter on The
Bulb Garden. And give your Roses the protection advised in the chapter
on The Rose.
Cover Pansies lightly with leaves or evergreen branches. If you have
mulch enough, apply some to your hardy plants, and next spring note the
difference between them and the plants which were not given any
protection.
Next: A Chapter Of Afterthoughts Which The Reader Cannot Afford To Miss
Previous: Summer Work In The Garden
|
|
Informational.ca
