The first damaging, frost sometimes arrives during the month of September. In and around New York City it may occur as early as the second or third week of the month, and those of as who live in valleys may be surprised by a frost even earlier than that. My neighbor whose place is on the hill above me, not much more than a city block away, almost every year has flowers weeks after I do.
There are numerous jobs of protecting to be done before those first frosts arrive. House plants that were plunged outdoors should be brought inside or put into a coldframe and protected with sash and mats for a few weeks longer.
The standards, such as lantana, fuchsia and heliotrope that you wish to save for another year, should be put into tubs or pots and stored in an airy basement or in the greenhouse. The basement is preferable inasmuch as it provides darkness and moisture and allows the plants to ripen with less shock to the plants. If they are stored in the greenhouse, shade them till they dry off and then show signs of growth. Heavy heads of standards should be sheared to half their size when the plants are lifted. During the period of drying off, with hold water to a minimum. I prefer not to hold over the standards of fuchsia and heliotrope and instead start new plants from cuttings each year.
Begonias and geraniums must be lifted before frost, as must all tender plants if you plan to save them; or if you want cuttings of them, be sure to take them before frost strikes the plants outdoors.
All tender tub plants such as hydrangea, gardenia and summer flowering oleander should go into storage late this month. A cool, enclosed porch is excellent for storing these evergreen plants, and they are at the same time decorative.
Bulbs, corms and tubers of gladiolus be lifted within the next six weeks and dried off before removing the tops, and-dahlias should be lifted as soon as frost blackens the tops. They all require a frostproof, cool, dry, airy storage place.
Soil Conditioning
Do not forget to sow winter rye to be turned under next spring as space becomes vacant in the garden, and also plan to do some double digging. Double digging seems easier job in the fall than in the spring, perhaps become the weather is cooler and time is move plentiful. If you do not plan to either double dig or plant winter rye, do, however, clean up the garden thoroughly and dig it over, leaving it in as rough a condition as possible so that winter snow and frbst can penetrate and benefit the soil.
Fall Bulb Planting
You can start this month to plant narcissus and numerous small bulbs such as grape hyacinth, crocus, snowdrop, scilla and chionodoxa. It is not difficult to plant large numbers of these bulbs where a mass effect is planned if the grass is first cut very short and a system of planting used. Try using string for guides and mark off a strip about 18 inches wide; then within this area punch the soil full of holes 12 inches deep and 3 or 4 inches apart. Have at hand a quantity of screened soil to which has been added a 6-inch potful of bonemeal to each bushel of soil. Fill the holes with this soil mixture to within 2 or 3 inches of the surface and then tamp it in with a stick to make sure all pockets are filled. Drop a bulb in each hole, right side up (it will he 3 or 4 inches from the top) and fill the remainder of the hole with soil, packing it level full. Complete the job by marking off as many additional strips as you require. If only a few scattered bulbs are to be planted, a trowel will no doubt be handier.
Peonies that are too large or are not flowering, or for some other reason must be moved, are best shifted this month. Divide the clumps into pieces with five or six “fingers” and replant the pieces in prepared soil. Peonies, like roses, are rank feeders and should have bonemeal and manure in their soil, or rotted compost can be substituted for the manure. I like to prepare holes for peonies just as for roses, but do not plant the eyes or tops of the roots any deeper than two inches; and as with roses, plant firmly.
Iris and Daylilies
September is a good time to start dividing the clumps of iris and daylilies. Split them into good planting clumps, discarding the centers. Enrich the soil before replanting by digging and incorporating humus, compost or manure.
Perennial Border
Every five or six years perennial borders should be completely pulled apart and then replanted after the soil has been properly prepared. Next month the work of remaking the border should start, but in the meantime frost may make it difficult to identify the plants. Therefore, if you plan to do the job this year, label all the plants as to color, height, and whether you want a lot or only a few of each variety. Do the labeling this month.
Vegetables
You can extend your vegetable season somewhat by picking the green tomatoes and peppers before the arrival of Jack Frost and storing them on a shelf in the cellar or in flats in a coldframe. With sash protection over the frame they will continuo to ripen for about six weeks.
Winter keeping types of squash, such as Winter Queen and Hubbard, can be stored in a cool dry cellar for considerable time.
Raspberries
Remove old canes now from raspberry bushes so that the young ones will have as much space as possible and more air. The next crop of fruit comes in on the new wood.
In the Greenhouse
Fluctuating night temperatures are disastrous to most greenhouse plants, so as soon as it is possible to control them by all means do so. Cool crops such as chrysanthemums, stocks, snapdragons, carnations and many others like a night temperature of 50 to 52 degrees, while 60 to 62 degrees is a good average temperature for such crops as roses and poinsettias and for stove or tropical plants. Watch the day temperatures also. They should not be allowed to run more titan 10¡ warmer than the night temperature on dull days, and not more than 15¡ warmer on bright days. Of course in sunny fall weather this is not always possible, but heat can be shut oft during the day and ventilators used to control the warmth inside. In cold weather watch the wind and ventilate from. one side of the house only in order to prevent drafts. Drafts cause mildew.
Bulbs
Pot up bulbs for indoor growing this month. If the freesias were not put in last month, you can still do so, following the same procedure suggested in last month’s Pointers. Narcissus, tulips, hyacinths and bulbous iris; should all be potted now, or as soon as you receive them. Pot them in bulb pans with the bulbs touching each other and allow the nose of the bulb to stick out of the soil.
The bulb pans should be placed in a trend 12 inches deep, or in a deep cold-frame that is frostproof, or a cool cellar that stays around 35¡. If buried in the trench outdoors, put a half inch of sand over the pans before covering them with soil; this will simplify the job of separating the soil of the pots from the soil of the trench when you dig them up. In the coldframe they should be covered with about 9 inches of either rotted leaves or coal ashes. In the cool cellar, darkness is all they require.
Bulbs must be potted and buried in this manner to make them root before forcing starts. And no matter which way the bulbs are handled, they must be watered thoroughly before covering.
Lily bulbs for forcing can be rooted either under the bench or on top of the bench if a little hay is put over them.
by J Jack – 62880
