Saturday, October 1, 2011

Julie’s Garden Tips: October

pansy borderIf you want your poinsettia to turn color by Christmas, now’s the time to begin giving it 14 hours of darkness and 10 hours of bright light each day.

The pansy planting season begins now! Plant “six-pack” pansies eight inches apart, larger plants can be spaced ten inches apart.

Cut brown flower stems of purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, daylily and hosta back to ground level.

Move patio plants into shade for two weeks before bringing them inside. This will help prevent leaf drop.

Apply a weed preventer to beds of already-planted cool-season flowers to prevent weed seeds from sprouting.

Finish dividing daylily clumps, iris rhizomes and peony roots. Plant them into a well-dug bed immediately.

Plant spring flowering bulbs, like tulip, daffodil and hyacinth. Old, crowded beds can be loosened and the bulbs divided and replanted now.

chrysanthiumRemove faded rose blooms. Clip wayward stems back so the plant has a compact form.

As chrysanthemum and aster flowers fade, cut the plants back to six inches tall.

Root cuttings of geranium, impatiens, begonia and other “outside” plants to bring indoors for the winter.

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