This month we are featuring two more native wildflowers. Go to our new wildflower website (http://urbanext.illinois.edu/wildflowers/) for information and pictures on over 140 wildflowers.
Lance-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago graminifolia) is one of the many species of goldenrods native to Illinois. The yellow flowers bloom from July through October. This goldenrod will grow up to 6 feet tall and likes full sun or partial shade. It can tolerate wet sites.
Heath Aster(Aster ericoides) is one of the numerous aster we see in the wild in late season. While many asters have blue flowers, this one is one of the white flowered species. It blooms from July to October and grows up to 3 feet tall
Heath Aster does best in full sun, with a moist, well drained soil.
Dig and Store Summer Bulbs
Now as summer is winding down and frost may soon be on the way, it is time to dig and store summer bulbs like dahlias and gladiolus. Different bulbs will need slightly different care. Here are some guidelines:
Tuberous begonias - Dig tubers after the first frost; dry the tubers in the open air for a few days; store tubers in dry peat moss, vermiculite, etc, at 35-40 degrees.
Caladiums - Dig tubers in fall before leaves lose all their color; dry the tubers in the open air for a few days; store in dry peat or vermiculite, at 70-75 degrees.
Calla Lily - Dig rhizomes in fall after foliage withers; allow rhizomes to dry; store at 50-60 degrees.
Cannas - Dig rhizomes in fall after first frost; let rhizomes dry for a day or two; store in dry peat or vermiculite at 40-50 degrees.
Dahlias - Dig tuberous roots after the first frost. Before digging, cut the tops off so that a 3-4 inch section of stem remains attached. Tuberous roots tend to spread, so dig away from the main stem; try to dig the entire clump to avoid injuring the individual tuberous roots. Remove the majority of the soil from the clump; let the remainder dry and remove it once dry. Store in dry peat or vermiculite at 35-50 degrees; packing material can be very slightly moist to reduce shrinkage of the tuberous roots.
Elephant Ears - Dig up in autumn after the first frost; allow tubers to air dry; store in dry peat or vermiculite, at 70-75 degrees.
Gladiolus - Dig corms after the first frost; cut the stems just above the corm; air dry the corms for a week or more; store in mesh bags or slotted trays with good air circulation; store at 40-45 degrees.
A Few "To-Do" items for October-November
October
- Clean garden tools before you put them away for the winter
- Be sure garden chemicals and fertilizers are stored properly for the winter
November
- If the ground is still not frozen, keep watering evergreens
- Store seeds in paper bags or envelopes in the refrigerator. Be sure they are dry before storing.
- Cut small branches from your evergreens to use as holiday decorations. Put them in water to keep them fresh; replace as they dry out.
Fall is here and it is time to put the garden to 'bed' for the winter. Here are some things that should be done to get the garden ready for the dormant season.
Clean up vegetable gardens and annual flower beds. First, harvest all usable vegetables and annual flowers. Then, leftover debris can be tilled into soil or placed into the compost pile. Be sure to clean up weeds as they can harbor diseases and insects. Add compost and other organic material to enrich the soil for next season. Mulch beds to prevent erosion during winter
Clean up perennial flower beds. Again, remove weeds that may harbor diseases and insects. After we have a couple of frosts, mulch the perennial bed (about 2 inches of mulch is enough). Plants can be cut back now or in early spring, depending on when you have time. Some plants provide seeds for the birds in winter and you may want to wait until spring to cut these back.
Tree and shrub maintenance. Prune trees after they go dormant (lose their leaves) or in early spring. Do not prune evergreens at this time. Prune late summer and fall flowering shrubs after they go dormant. DO NOT prune spring flowering shrubs in fall (they already have their flower buds). Instead, prune them in spring when they are done flowering. Trees and shrubs can be fertilized after they go dormant (October) or in spring. Continue regular watering as long as ground is not frozen, especially on evergreens as they will continue to lose water through their needles.
Not all perennials need to be cut back for the winter. You may want to leave some that produce seed heads that might attract birds to the garden.
Paperwhite Narcissus: Easy and Fun
Paperwhites are a type of narcissus that don't need any winter chilling. Take a shallow pan or bowl and fill it with pebbles, gravel or marbles. Fill the pan with water, so that the water line is to the top of the pebbles. Then simply place the paperwhite bulbs on top of the pebbles. Stand them close together, so they are almost touching. You may want to nestle the bulbs into the pebbles a bit so the bottom of the bulb makes contact with the water.
Within a couple of days you will see roots and then shoots forming. Flowers should be seen in about 4-5 weeks. While the bulbs are sprouting and growing, keep them in a cool room and keep the water level up to the bottom of the bulbs. Keep the bulbs in bright, but indirect light. When they are kept in low light, the foliage tends to get very tall and floppy.
Paperwhite bulbs are usually available in stores in November and December. Buy several and start a group each week to extend the time of blooming. Paperwhites are extremely fragrant and their scent can fill a room. The blooms are generally white or yellow. The white flowered type have a very strong, almost overwhelming scent. The yellow flowered types smell very sweet. Paperwhite bulbs should be discarded after bloom.
Caulk around windows to prevent insects like boxelder bugs and Asian multicolored ladybugs from entering your home.
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