Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-09-21
Fall Garden. Tips.

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should have good plants.
Fall Garden. Tips.
September and October are two
good garden-making months. Sep
TENDER is the month to prepare new
beds and start new gardens; Octo-
Der is the month to plant shrubs,
vines and trees. Hardy bulbs and
hardy perennials are also planted dur
ing this period. The perennials are
the first to get into the ground be-
cause they require more time to get
re-established before winter. Not all
perennials, however, should be
planted in autumn. Only the spring
and early summer Towering ones
should be included in the fall peren-
nial-planting program. The late sum-
mer and fall Towering sorts should
be planted in the spring. 1t is gen.
orally unwise to move plants when
they are in bloom and it is also not
sound policy to plant perennials too
late in the year. Consequently, the
autumn blooming types should not be
disturbed until spring. Minnesota
winters are apt to come with surpris-
ing suddenness and sometimes alto
gether too soon. Consequently, all
paintings of perennials should be
concluded during the balmier days
of early fall.
Such garden notables as aquile-
gia, coreopsis, dictamnus, dolphin
ium, shasta daisy, painted daisy,
gaillardia, hemerocallis, heuchera,
monarda, trollius, hardy pinks, eve
ming primrose, and forget-me-not may
be planted with remarkably good
success in autumn. There is dis
tinct advantage in having these plants
in the ground in fall because they
do not have to suffer an interrupt
ton and setback in their growth
which spring planted materials al
ways experience. Also there is the
advantage of having these paintings
accomplished before the spring gar
dening program begins. Springtime
is the busiest time for the gardener,
consequently every opportunity to
relieve that situation should be in
viting to the home flower grower.
| All lilies like we'll drained soil, so
if the natural drainage is not as good
as it should be dig the bed deeply
(18 inches at least) and place four
to six inches of fine gravel or coarse
sand beneath each bulb. Tilt the
bulbs on their sides so water will not
enter the overlapping scales, but
will pass off. This precaution is
especially important with bulbs which
have shriveled, as many are received
when delivered late. Caution: Buy
and plant all lilies as early as pos
sible.
Sow hollyhock seed as soon as the
lowest fruits" on the stems are ripe
brown. These seeds sown thus will
make stronger plants than those sown
later. In October transplant the
seedlings where you want them to
bloom next summer. They will do
better than if set out in spring.
Plant bulbs of crocus, snow-drop,
chionadoXa, puschkinia, scilla and
muscari in September if possible Cat
least order them) so they will have
ample time to form roots before WIN
ter and thus be well started for spring
blooming
Narcissus clumps that have become
so crowded as to fail to bloom well
should be dug up, if this has not al
ready been done, divided and re-
planted early in September, prefer
ably in new situations. Before dig
ging, however, prepare the new bed
so the bulbs will be out of the ground
the shortest possible time.
Perennial beds that need revamp-
ing can best be worked over in Sep
TENDER or early October. Dig up
the plants and heel them in where
it's shady; apply well decayed man.
ure on the surface, or if this is not
available use moist, granulated peat
moss and complete commercial fer
tilizer, the former dug in, the latter
raked in the surface after digging;
divide such clumps of perennials as
have become crowded; set the plants
with ample spaces between, so an
nuals may be sown among them to
bloom when the perennials are
through Towering.
God bless gardens, yours and mine,
Where the painted Columbine
Neighbors with the stately Phlox
And the lowly Four-o' clocks.
Where a perfumed little rain
Gently bathes a Pansy face
And some dusty Queen Anne's lace.