To Do List for August

From In the Garden

Happy first day of August. Soon the kiddos will all be back in school and before we know it Christmas will be here. Another year gone. August's To Do list sees us slowing down our activities in the garden. But the cannas are still red hot. The bees are staying pretty cool too. These dog days of summer still require some work in the garden. This list is based on what I do in my Tennessee garden.

1) Deadhead plants, especially daylilies but also hostas. I leave the spent blossoms of coneflowers and brown eyes on the plants for winter interest.

2) Continue to harvest vegetables. You should have most all summer crops coming in by now. Start planning for you fall garden vegetables.

3) Water only if plants are wilted early in the morning and you have not had rain in over one week.

4) Begin planting cool season crops. You can begin sowing lettuce and radishes, preferably in some shade in your vegetable garden, or you can wait until September. Soon the big box stores will be filled with starts of broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. I would plant these right away if you have space in order to get the small plants off to a good start. I usually wait until early October to sow my garlic bulbs. Pull spent crops, especially corn to make room for fall veggies.

5) Continue to cut the lawn high until good rains return in September. I cut my cool season grass at about 3 inches. The extra length shades the roots and allows for better handling of heat stress in the summer. Cut your lawn regularly-do not cut off more than 1/3 of the grass blades in any one mowing.

6) Assess your garden for bare spots. Soon there will be huge plant sales at big box stores. Take the opportunity to fill in these gaps. Some good fall planted plants are: hostas, irises, daylilies, crepe myrtles, peonies, and mums.

7) Do not prune birch trees at this time. Wait until September due to borer activity.

8) Look for pests in the garden and treat as necessary. I have noticed tons of pests in my garden this year. One very destructive one is the sawfly. Treat right away.

9) If you are going to move any plants, wait until after they are done blooming. Be patient. It is also best to only move plants when the ground is moist and rain is expected soon. A good shovelful of compost and pinch of bone meal will help the transplanted plants get off to a good start. This step is vital to success in my garden.

10) If you wish, you can cut off old hydrangea blossoms, but I leave most of mine on the shrub. I like the winter interest. When you cut off some blossoms you can dry them to bring into the house for enjoying during the winter. Do not prune mophead and oakleaf hydrangeas. Only cut the old blossom off if so desired. The plants are setting buds for next year's bloom so if you prune now, you'll be sacrificing next year's blooms.

11) Edge gardens as necessary.

12) Keep on the weeds. Some especially pesky weeds in my gardens are grasses, pokeweed, and poison ivy. They must not be allowed to get a foothold.

13) Continue feeding the birds, especially hummingbirds. Keep their feeders clean and fill every three or four days with fresh nectar. I use a recipe of one part sugar to four parts water. Make up a pitcher so it is on hand, but don't let your teenaged son drink it-label it! My teenaged son drank a whole pitcher of hummingbird nectar. Quite funny!

14) Pick up and dispose of pine cones and twigs. These can be used in fun crafts.

15) Stop fertilizing roses and shrubs. You do not want to encourage new growth that might not harden off prior to the fall frosts.

16) Stop pinching mums so they can set buds and get ready for their fall show. A dose of fertilizer for them would be helpful.

17) Note: I do not usually recommend planting or dividing during the month of August but the recent rains we have had here in this area provide an excellent opportunity to get some planting and dividing done now. Just be sure you are able to easily water the newly planted plants should the rains completely stop. The weather man says we will be back in a summer pattern soon. In the meantime-enjoy this excellent summer!

I will add to this list as I find more things to do. If you can think of something I have forgotten-please let me know.

in the garden....

It's official, according to the weathermen in Nashville July 2009 will go down as not only one of the coolest Julys ever, but also one of the wettest. I tell you that if the south could have summers like this every year it would be so awesome! The gardens are doing so well that it has really been a gardeners dream here in my area.

To Do List for July

From In the Garden

The garden is in its fullness now. Supertunias (pictured above) and other flowers are blooming their hearts out, the weeds and cool season lawn grasses are slowing down, and it is really almost too hot to work in the garden, but I hope you enjoy this month in the garden nonetheless.

In the garden in July I can expect to:

1) Water, water, water. Need I say more? Yes, I will. If you water your lawn (I do NOT) and you do not have a water deficit (less than 1 inch per week for two weeks), plan on watering so that the lawn receives 1" of water per week. You can tell when you have watered for one inch by leaving out a few empty and clean tuna cans and checking them periodically. Do this only once per week. If you have a deficit, you may need to water longer. Dig down about 3-4" to check and make sure the ground is moist.

For newly planted perennials, shrubs and trees, water until they are thoroughly soaked to a depth of 3-4", or even deeper. I usually hand water most of my plantings. Established plantings should not need to be watered unless they are showing signs of drought stress. Another good way to water is to use soaker hoses. Some signs your plants are stressed might be wilted leaves in the morning. Wilted leaves when the sun is out is to be expected, don't worry about it unless they are still wilted the next morning. Try to plant water needy plants close to your watering station, and more drought tolerant plants further away in order to save you work later on. No one wants to drag hoses all over the yard.

Vegetables need regular watering each week. I water mine deeply once a week or sometimes more often depending on the weather and how they are doing. With a mulch, generally vegetables would be happy with one inch to one and one half inches of rain per week. A simple sprinkler will work to get the whole garden at once, but soaker hoses are better because they put the water right at the roots. Watering at night may provide a good environment for fungal diseases to grow so try to water the first thing in the morning. That being said, I've been known to water at night in the vegetable garden.

Container plantings need water frequently. Like almost every day. Seedlings are in the same boat. Water frequently.

If we get rain, be sure to have a rain gauge that is not blocked by overhanging trees or shelter so that you can keep track of how much water your plantings have received.

2) Deadhead (Shastas, bee balm, catmint, salvias, daylillies, hostas, NOT coneflowers or hydrangeas.

3) Pick berries: Blueberries, Gooseberries and blackberries. After you have picked all of your blackberries, cut those canes down to make room for this years canes to grow and replace the old canes.The new blackberry canes will bear fruit next year.

4) Mulch to replace lost mulch or to refresh new mulch. I've been using old hay and some leaves in the vegetable garden. Be sure to put a good layer of newspapers under the mulch and don't cover your stems. Mulching is one of those jobs that is a year round responsibility. At least it seems that way in my garden.

5) Weedeat and trim as necessary.

6) Grass cutting has slowed to about once every four or five days depending on rain. I do NOT water my lawn in the summer. My fescue goes dormant and will recover in the fall. I concentrate my efforts on the newly planted perennials, trees and shrubs, there are always some here that need to be watered and it is not worth it to me to water the lawn. Fortunately this year has seen some fairly good rains and the fescue is hanging tough so far.

7) Stop pinching mums. Apply a bit of fertilizer to them and roses prior to the middle of July.

8) Now is a good time to install a patio watering system for container plants.

9) Harvest vegetables regularly. Prepare to can and freeze your harvest as it will come in fast and heavy.

10) Make sure you remember your feathered friends by making sure you rinse and fill your bird baths regularly.

11) Trim suckers from crabapple trees and crepe myrtles. I like to do this on a regular basis in order to prevent a marathon tree trimming session.

12) Spot treat those pesky weeds like poison ivy, honeysuckle, burdock, thistle, and the like. Roundup works good for this job. Sometimes hand pulling just doesn't get the job done.

13) Finish planting your vegetable garden. It is not too late for some vegetables like corn, zucchini, cucumbers, and beans. I only recently finished planting mine now that the winter crops have all been pulled. Most warm season crops need 8-12 weeks of growing season in order to produce. Here in Tennessee our average date first frost is not until 15 October, so we have a good 8-12 weeks left of the growing season for sure.

14) Deadhead annuals and apply fertilizer about every 2-3 weeks. In my garden I use the Osmocote slow release fertilizer for all annuals at the time of planting. This normally does not need supplementing, but a diluted dose of liquid fertilizer will not hurt the plants.

15) You can take cuttings of many plants right now. Some I have already done are: sedum, helenium, veronica, salvias, and turtlehead. I've planted most of these out already. Another plant you want to take cuttings from right now is Pineapple sage. I had great luck wintering several cutting plants in my garage. This spring all I had to do was plant them out and they are growing like weeds. This is a good plant to grow because of its drought tolerance and late season red beauty, but is not often found in the stores so cuttings are a good way to be a step ahead in the gardening game. Another bonus of cuttings is the fact the plants stay a bit more bushy and compact. I used to take cuttings of mums and helianthus, but I have found these multiply pretty well on their own so unless you need more of these fast, don't bother.

16) Treat for insects in the garden. Some pests you may run in to are: spider mites and aphids (a good spray of water helps dislodge them and sends them on their way), Japanese beetles (handpick or spray with an approved insecticide), Sawflies (insecticidal spray), potato beetles (handpick or Sevin), Squash vine borers (Sevin, but first cut the stem and remove the borers then tape it back and treat), and flea beetles (Sevin). Good luck as bugs are very bad this year.

17) I don't grow many roses, but the ones that I do I will fertilize one last time (this week or NLT 15 July), and cut them back pretty hard.

18) Probably the biggest chore I'll be doing in my garden this month is rearranging and watering. Sometimes you have to rearrange when plants are in bloom, hence the watering as summer is not the time to move plants around. Hang in there, fall will be here before we know it. Hopefully the rains will continue for the rest of the summer and we'll have the best summer ever....

in the garden....

To Do List for June

From In the Garden

Here is what I expect to do in my June garden.

1) Continue planting. This is the month you should be totally done with planting-yahoo!

2) Continue weeding.

3) Mow your lawn bi-weekly, and mow it long! Raise your mower height to 3-4" for cool season grasses. For warm season you can mow at about 2".

4) Do not water if there is adequate moisture in the soil, no matter how wilted the plants look. You can tell if a plant needs water by whether or not it recovers after the sun goes down and early the next morning. Some friends are already watering and we have enough moisture in the ground right now. The only exception would be newly planted annuals, and larger plants which haven't settled in yet. A good watering once a week is sufficient. Don't over do it. The plants need to reach for moisture; watering now will spoil them.

5) Prune suckers from tomatoes if desired, and from crabapples. Pinch back mums and place cuttings in potting soil to start more plants if desired. They will bloom this year.

6) Apply fresh mulch if you haven't already. It seems the leaf mulch has about all faded away. It is extremely important to mulch your vegetable garden. Come July and August, it will be a jungle fit for no man if you do not mulch now.

7) Deadhead and tidy up plants, leave self seeders to go to seed if seedlings are desired. Some you may wish to leave alone are: coneflowers, dianthus, salvias, and brown eyes.

8) If you have fruit in the garden and don't want to share it all with the birds and other critters, cover the fruit with tulle or cheesecloth. Ensure it is staked down well.

9) If aphids are a problem, hose them off with a strong force of water. This also helps get rid of keep spider mites. Spider mites especially love Dwarf Alberta Spruces, so be diligent with that hose.

10) Check for bagworms on evergreens such as arborvitae. I hand pick the sacks and place in a bucket of soapy water.

11) The Japanese and June beetles will show themselves this month. Hand pick Japanese beetles in the early morning or late afternoon hours. Put them a bucket of soapy water. June beetles usually don't bother things in the garden. They are more of a nuisance. They emerge from well tended turf areas and buzz around for a while. They can be alarming and look like carpenter bees, but they will not hurt you. A preventative measure is to apply milky spore to your yard. Milky spore is an organic bacteria which causes death in grubs. No grubs, no beetles.

12) Check your shrubs for winter die back and prune as necessary.

13) When you are weedwhacking, be on the lookout for new weeds which may be desirable wildflowers. Queen Ann's Lace and Mullein are biennials. They will be setting seed soon and it is possible you already have seedlings. I have noticed many in my garden. These two wildflowers will bloom next year. Plan for their growth, especially the mullein; which can get quite large and woody. The Queen Ann's Lace can take over so pull those plants while they are small if they are in the wrong spot.

14) Guide vines onto their supports. Despite popular opinion, roses do not climb. You must train even climbing roses onto a support. I have to tie my canes up. If you let the canes get too long-good luck! They can become inflexible pretty quickly and stick you with thorns if that is the type you have. Ouch! Can you tell that is what I have? Training vines will save time later.

15) Shear hedges as necessary. I don't shear any shrubs in my garden, but have in the past. Normally you have to shear them a few times throughout the growing season. June or July are the months. These are typically boxwoods and some hollies.

I will add to this list and all of my to do lists as we go along. Please use this as a guideline as it is simply what I do in my garden in June. I am looking for a slowdown-much overdue with the busy spring we have had. July should bring it!

in the garden....

I am out of town this week and will be back as soon as I am able. I am sorry I will not be around to visit all good blogging friends but will try to catch up as I am able.

Two very nice bloggers have invited me to visit their gardens in North Carolina so I am ever so excited! And you can bet blogging will not be far from my mind, but I will still be on vacation so not on the computer. I left a few short posts for readers in the meantime.

Can you guess the two bloggers? It should be easy as I think they are the only two who live close enough to each other that a visit to their wonderful gardens is doable for us. One has deer and rabbit problems, and the other encouraged me to start my garden coaching business.

Remember, I do not respond to comments on these To Do lists. They are simply informational for anyone wishing to read along.

The picture above is of some crinum lilies growing in my garden. They were passed along to me by a very good gardener here in my small town. I think of her often when I see them in the garden.

I picked a few to take to garden club recently and they won a blue ribbon. But I was most surprised that some of the long time gardeners in my club were not familiar with these lilies. Crinums are hardy here and very easy to grow. They like sun and good drainage with good soil. Too simple. I've seen them at the Nashville Lawn and Garden show so you can purchase these lilies and I know they come in a wide range of colors. If someone ever offers you some crinums, consider it as big as an honor as offering you peonies because they are pretty special! I know I do.

To Do List for May

May's To Do List might not seem so long considering all we have to do in the garden, but just the entry "Weed" says enough! Here is what I plan to do in my garden in May.

1) Weed*Weed*Weed* Need I say more?

2) Divide and move perennials as necessary. Some perennials which can be divided this time of year include: Hostas, Daylillies, Brown Eyes, Coneflowers, Moss Phlox, Shastas, Bee Balm, Ornamental grasses, Irises (after bloom preferably), Daffodils and other already bloomed bulbs. Most any plant can be moved now, but peonies in particular prefer to be moved in the fall. Keep in mind that any plant you move now may require extra babying this summer in terms of watering.

3) Lay out soaker hoses for summer watering. If you prefer, install a drip irrigation system now while it is still fairly cool and not needed. I use soaker hoses for all gardens.

4) Move all houseplants outside if you haven't already. Divide and repot wintered over ferns and repot potbound houseplants like: philodendrons, pothos and spider plants.

5) Take cuttings of perennials to increase your stock of plants. Some plants I start from cuttings include: Salvias, Russian sage, Chrysanthemums, Helenium, Veronica, Sedums, Cleyera, Agastache, asters.

6) Trim back perennials to keep them bushy. I trim: Chrysanthemums, Helianthus, Helenium, Russian Sage, Eupatoriums, and Sedums.

7) Apply mulch if needed. Fluff existing mulch and be sure to uncover emerging perennials. Some of my hostas are emerging late and I am having a hard time finding them, so be diligent.

8) Move seedlings that have sprouted up. Such seedlings can include: Cleomes, Feverfew, Alyssum, Eupatoriums, Cosmos, Pulmonaria, hellebores, santolina.

9) Hand prune shrubs for bushiness and fullness. Shrubs to prune include: Privet, Photinias, Nandinas, Yews, Cleyera, Silverberry, and roses. Remember pruning stimulates growth so prune to a bud where you wish growth to come from.

10) Shape your young trees. I hand trim J. Maples, Crepe Myrtles, and Crabapples to remove suckers and direct growth in the manner I wish. Many larger trees such as oaks and maples may have alot of sucker growth along the trunk due to the stress they suffered the last few years, you will want to prune them out. I have been busy with this in my garden. The twiggy growth is not welcomed and I prefer clean trunks up to about 15-20 feet.

11) Deadhead perennials. Some perennials I always try (try being the imperative word) to deadhead include: irises, tulips, daffys, and peonies. I leave self seeders like hellebores, Jacobs ladder and the salvias.

12) Continue feeding hummingbirds. Ensure your birdbaths are clean and full.

13) Plant all warm season vegetables and seeds. Tomatoes, eggplants and peppers should all be in the ground by now. I will be planting seeds of cucumbers, gourds, corn, zucchini, and beans as soon as some cool weather crops move out of the beds. May is the month these can all be planted. You may wish to succession plant later as well. Be sure to plant corn in a block form for better pollination. I always try to plant right after a rain and near when a rain is coming.

14) Now is NOT the time to fertilize or overseed cool season grasses. You would just be wasting your money. If you grow warm season grasses, by all means give it a dose of recommended fertilizer. I grow cool season grasses and am done with all maintenance except mowing until the fall. Mow your grass frequently and to the recommended height. This is vital to a healthy cool or warm season lawn. Leaving the clippings on the lawn should be all the nitrogen your cool season lawn requires at this time of the year.

15) Plant all warm season bulbs and tender plants (such as Pineapple sage and brugmansias). Dahlias should be planted and staked at the time of planting. Peonies will also need to be staked and gladiolus are now emerging from their winter hibernation, stake them as well.

16) One more important thing I am adding to the list this year is to limit your plantings of big things until the fall. If you can't resist and have to purchase shrubs or trees at this time, be prepared to water them to help them get through the summer. The last few summers have been brutal on newly planted shrubs and trees. I am keeping mine in pots until the fall. I will still have to water but watering pots will be so much easier.

Remember, these are things I do in my Zone 6/7 garden here in Tennessee and it may be different in yours. What are you doing this month?

in the garden....

It is so fun looking back at all the old comments from last year. I hope the folks on here enjoy it as much as I do! It is like a picture frozen in time to me and takes me back. Was it only last year??

I had posted a friend's wisteria on here last year, I should've reposted an updated picture of the arbor as I do have some from this year, but instead posted a pic of an azalea in my garden. I enjoy them so much.

My oldest son's birthday is Sunday. I want to wish him a Happy Birthday a bit early.

To Do List for April

From In the Garden

As is customary here at In the Garden, the first day of the month is when I post my to do list for the month. I am on the edge of Zone 6B/7A; which covers a big area. Even so, your to do list may be different based on your weather pattern. Feel free to add in the differences here as readers in your area will be able to use your suggestions too. I cannot possibly remember all you must do but I try-truly I do. Here goes:

1) Cut back ALL perennials that have not already been cut back. These include: Butterfly Bush, Artemesia 'Powis Castle', Salvias, coneflowers, brown eyes and grasses. Most of these have been cut by now, but if not do it right away.

2) Mow your yard. I mow mine short this month depending on rain and temperature. I have a cool season grass (Fescue). I have already started mowing the lawn-four times so far! The weather is warmer this year so the grass is growing better.

3) Fluff up mulch and refresh as necessary. Inevitably this must be done. I am always amazed at just how many of the leaves I use for mulch disappear from my gardens.

4) Apply pre-emergent fertilizer/weed killer EARLY in the month if you are going to apply it to your lawn.

5) Begin hand pruning and shaping of shrubs. Pruning stimulates growth. Try to cut near a bud which will grow in the desired direction. I trim my Silverberry, some hollies, boxwoods, photinias, deutzia, and cleyera. Pruning not only stimulates growth, but helps the shrub to grow dense. I like my shrubs dense yet open and airy and rounded so as to maximize the sun's light.

6) Cut back Hydrangea paniculatas if you haven't already done so. I have. These include the PGs, Limelight, Tardiva, and Pink Diamond.

7) Cut back roses, hard. The hybrid teas can be shaped to strong canes, but roses like the Fairy should be cut back hard to keep compact and to encourage new growth.

8) Divide crowded bulbs such as: Daffodils and Muscari now, while you still know where they are. Be sure to add a pinch of bulb booster to the new holes.

9) Take cuttings of Forsythia if you want to make more.

10) Divide hostas as they emerge from dormancy. I think it is better to do this before the plants get too big, the recovery is barely noticeable.

11) Trim out dead areas of your crepe myrtles and Japanese maples. You should be able to see the freeze damaged areas by the end of this month. Most crepes and Japanese maples in this area should have recovered from the late freeze in 2007, but you may still find some damaged areas. Don't fret, just cut it out.

12) Pull any plants out from under your house if you stored them there. Mine came out fine, just a bit dry. I store: a bromeliad, Boston Ferns, and Brugmansias. I also store dahlia and caladium bulbs under the house. You can plant the dahlias and caladiums now, but do not expect growth until the nights stay above 50-60 degrees.

13) Guide your growing vines such as Clematis and Jessamine onto their supports. Clematis in particular need this type of firm hand to situate them correctly.

14) Weedeat.

15) Stay on the weeds! Weeds are especially bad in the spring because water is plentiful, the weather is somewhat moderate, and perennials and ornamentals haven't yet filled out so weed seeds get plenty of sun. This leaves plenty of opportunities for those weeds. Mowing the lawn regularly, usually twice a week, also helps to keep down weeds and weed seeds.

16) Look for emerging perennials and be sure the mulch is pulled back from them.

17) Don't hesitate to fill in gaps with annuals and new perennials, but be patient, some perennials are slow to emerge. Exercise restraint (Tina!)

18) Clean out bird feeders and bird baths. Hang your hummingbird feeders.

19) Tender bulbs can be planted out toward the end of this month. Begin planting warm season transplants such as tomatoes and peppers after the 15th of the month.

20) Transfer houseplants to the outside. Some I move to my porch are: Pothos, philodendrons, spider plants, a huge umbrella plant, amaryllis, and various other tender plants like begonias and so on. To be safe, wait until your average date of last frost. For us here in the Clarksville area this date is 15 April.

21) Begin hardening off seedlings by moving to a coldframe or greenhouse or placing outside for a few hours at a time when the temps stay above 45 degrees all the time. Planting should begin at the end of the month for warm season crops and flowers. Cool season seedlings should have already been planted in the garden.

22) Move around volunteer seedlings. Some I have been moving include: hellebores, columbines, sweet autumn clematis, and cosmos. You may want to pot some up for a plant sale or swap too.

23) Check your perennials for vole damage. I am noticing they are loving my peonies this year. I have had to add soil and stomp the ground several times already. Pulling back all mulch also helps.

24) Uncover bird baths if you covered them for the winter.

in the garden....

As usual, here is my disclaimer. I am simply republishing updated To Do lists each month. If you do not wish for your comment to be posted again next year, please do not comment. I can tell you that with all the research I do on the Internet, when I find a blog post talking of the particular plant or garden item I am researching, I not only read the post BUT all of the comments and what a big help they are!! I believe the comments are the other half of the post with the amount of information and input all readers add when they take the time to write something down. So thanks all!

It is spring break this week and while I have managed to visit most all blogs I usually visit and also Blotanical, I must really take a break. I have decided not to post this week except of course this list on today's date. I don't normally answer comments on this post and since it was prepared already it is not a big deal for me, but I really must turn off the computer this week. Instead of this blog being without a daily post for the next few days, Skeeter has kindly volunteered to fill in for me. Have fun all and Happy Gardening! See ya when I get the chance to get back on track.

in the garden....digging and mulching and weeding and dividing and planting....oh my!

To Do List for March

This month marks the real start of gardening season for us here in Middle Tennessee. Lots of plants blooming now and I couldn't decide which picture to post, so I thought I'd post a bit of sunny flowers, the crocus and 'Diane' witch hazel. I simply love 'Diane', and again wish to thank my daughter in Louisville for taking me to a wonderful nursery where I purchased Diane. Witch hazels are hard to find!

Here are some things that keep me busy this month:

1. Finish cutting back ALL perennials and ornamental grasses. By now most of your perennials have been cut back, but like me, you may have left one or two up (coneflowers). Now is the time to cut them back. Mums need only be snapped off at the stem base to make room for new growth.

2. Finish pruning and shaping deciduous trees and shrubs. Do NOT cut back spring blooming shrubs such as forsythia, quince, deutzia, ninebark, mockoranges and the like, unless you are prepared to sacrifice some of the bloom.

3. Prune out dead areas on Japanese maples and Crepe Myrtles if you notice any. These trees may still be recovering from the deep freeze and drought of 2007.

4. Mow your liriope if you haven't already done so. Check for new growth before mowing so you'll know how low to set your lawn mower or to weedwhack.

5. Finish planting cool season crops in the vegetable garden. Some cool season crops to plant now are: potatoes, onions, peas, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower transplants, radishes, spinach, and beets.

6. Some cool season flowering plants you should get into the ground are: sweet peas, calendulas, and bachelor buttons. You can also plant pansies at this time, keeping in mind they will peter out in the heat of the summer. I prefer to plant pansies in the fall as pansies winter over very well here. Give them a slow release fertilizer to help them reach their full potential now that spring is close.

7. Continue starting seeds. You can stagger your plant dates depending on the type of seeds you grow. Vegetable seeds should also have been started by now. They include: tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. The average last date of frost in my upper Middle Tennessee area is 15 April. I try to plan to plant all seed starts and warm weather crops two weeks after that date. That means 1 May is my target date for planting out plants. I will still be planting starts through June too though.

8. Start mowing your lawn. You should start mowing your lawn once you see it has begun growing, and has reached three inches. I cut my fescue to about two inches this time of year. Some people fertilize cool season grasses in the spring. If you are one of them, now is the time. I DO NOT fertilize mine in the spring. Fall is the best time to fertilize cool season grasses. Warm season grasses may not have begun growing at this time so they need no unusual maintenance. You may want to pull the onions and wild garlic and other weeds as they pop up.

9. Apply pre-emergent weed killer. Normally a good rule of thumb is to apply pre-emergent weedkillers like Crabgrass Preventer when you see the forsythia beginning to bloom. I apply a pre-emergent fertilizer to my lawn in May. The reason is because the majority of my weeds are warm weather weeds like goosegrass. If you have a big problem with cool season weeds like henbit, you may want to apply your pre-emergent this month.

10. After your bulbs have all bloomed, dig, divide and replant as necessary. Be sure to add a bulb fertilizer like bone meal or bulb booster. I prefer the bulb booster to bone meal, but both work. Caution: dogs like to dig up the bone meal.

11. Begin preparing your houseplants for the move outdoors. I always groom mine by removing dead leaves and repotting if necessary. I also begin fertilizing and watering more consistently in preparation for the growing season.

12. Fluff up the mulch you applied last fall. If you have some bare areas in the garden, remulch, make sure to place newspapers under the mulch you apply. While tending to your mulch, make sure emerging perennials are not covered by the mulch and pull back all mulch at least 6 inches from all growing plants, both woody and herbaceaous.

13. Check for vole damage. If you find some, be sure to stomp the ground down and clear the area of all debris by the plant. This will discourage the varmits, though not completely stop them from nibbling. I found two peonies that have been attacked by the voles in my garden. I pulled back the mulch, patted down the ground, and applied vole repellent. I hope it works well.

14. Note bare areas in the spring garden by either making a garden plan with gaps noted, or by marking the area with some type of marker so you can come back to it in the fall and add bulbs. In my garden markers always get lost, so I try to plant some kind of marker plant where I want to add materials. For instance: in the fall when I plant tulip bulbs, I plant a monkey grass over the bulbs. This gives me a good idea where the bulbs are located. To find empty areas in the spring. I might divide emerging daylillies and plant them over the bare spots, noting that in the fall I will underplant with spring blooming bulbs.

15. Check on your potted plants you put under the house last fall. They should be moist. If not, add some water. Don't pull them out too early. It will not hurt them to remain in the crawl space another few weeks. But if you see new growth, you may want to bring them out now. I always do. I move these plants to either the coldframe or greenhouse, or even the porch will work for hardening off.

16. If you overwintered cuttings and shrubs in the house or garage. Begin hardening them off in the coldframe, greenhouse or covered porch. Anywhere that is sheltered from strong winds and all day direct sun will work fine.

in the garden....

To Do List for February

The idea of a To Do List came about last February from one of my loyal readers, Nina. At the time this blog was being published through an FTP website, that being the local newspaper. I thought providing a list of to do tasks for these local readers would be a good service. I have continued it despite the fact I no longer publish primarily for local folks because I find the lists helpful to me and perhaps to others within the same general area with the same growing conditions. Some chores will work for all zones, some won't.

Since the list will not normally change from year to year, I have decided to republish the To Do lists each month on the first. These lists are designed as a guide for all gardeners living in the same general area and Zone as I do; which is on the edge of Zone 6/7. I will add new chores in as appropriate when readers make suggestions. I will also adjust them as I see fit during the month in order to provide the most comprehensive list I possibly can. Most things I do in the garden I do by habit or based on observations of what I see in my garden. Depending on weather conditions the timing of certain chores may change. Generally speaking these are chores I do in my garden and I understand that not everyone will do the same things. Again, these are just guidelines, use them as you see fit.

1. Cut back perennials, ornamental grasses, and roses if you haven't already done so. Dispose of perennials in the compost bin, I don't put rose canes in the compost because it takes a long time for them to breakdown. They go to the dump.

2. Pull mulch back from emerging perennials and bulbs. Stomp down ground to make sure your perennials have good ground contact and the voles haven't damaged them too much.

3. Mow or weedwhack monkey grass. This step is not necessarily something you have to do, but for aesthetics it is nice to get the old grass out of your bed so when the new comes in the old doesn't detract from the new.

4. Start seeds. Label the seeds well as you plant. I can't tell you how many times I have not done this and had to guess at the plants. Last year I had to guess between Chinese-Forget-Me-Nots and salvia, fortunately I guessed right.

5. Order perennials and summer bulbs.

6. Finish pruning trees and shrubs-do NOT prune spring and early summer blooming shrubs such as: forsythia, deutzia, oak leaf hydrangeas, mopheads, ninebark, honeysuckle, mock orange, lilacs, quince, azaleas, rhododendrons, etc.

7. Cut back the hydrangea paniculatas if you have not already done so (they can get large and leggy without cutting back and bloom on new wood late in the season so cutting back will not hurt them). I cut back my Tardiva, Pink Diamond, and Grandiflora. I am waiting to see how Limelight grows before I decide if I want to cut it back.

8. Prepare the vegetable bed for planting and begin planting your cool season crops such as: peas, lettuce, onions, and potatoes. Make sure you have a plan for succession planting and for fitting in the summer crops. Plant these cool season crops at the end of February. Planting early does not give the crop a headstart. Be careful of fall crops you planted last year such as garlic.

9. Cut old hellebore foliage back if you haven't already done so. The plants should be blooming soon or already blooming.

10. Transplant and plant new shrubs or trees. Performing this task while the plants are dormant is the best time for the plant. The ground should not be frozen when planting and I allow about one week with rain before a freeze and after planting, or I do not plant. Also, if you plant an evergreen and it is in an area that receives a lot of wind, you may want to stake or tie it up so it does not topple over in the soft winter soil. This I have learned the hard way.

11. Label and mark early spring bloomers or make a map of the bed showing where they are located. Make note of empty spots and divide daffodils as you see fit. I divide mine each spring and it does not seem to hurt the bulb at all. Some say to wait until after bloom and that is fine too. Just don't divide while they are in full bloom or you may sacrifice the flower. Be sure to add some bulb booster or bone meal when you divide. Ashes in moderate quantities are also good additives to the soil for bulbs.

12. Cut back beautyberries and buddleia to about knee height. This can be done next month if not completed this month. I like to be an early bird with cutting back dead foliage and shrubs that need to be trimmed. It is a personal choice only.

13. Apply a good quality time released acid fertilizer to your camellias, hydrangeas, azaleas, and rhododendrons. I always do this prior to a good rain.

14. Add Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Care granular fertilizer to trees and shrubs that have been or are likely to be bothered by chewing insects. Some trees I treat are: birch (sawflies) and oak trees (oak galls). I also treat azaleas due to spider mites, lacebugs, and scale. I have seen a big improvement in the health of those treated trees and shrubs from last year.

15. I like to cut back all of last year's dead foliage. Plants to cut back now are: mums, shastas, brown eyes, coneflowers, eupatoriums, anemones, sedums, oregano, and gladioli.

16. Apply a pre-emergent/fertilizer treatment to your lawn. A general rule of thumb is when you see the forsythias bloom here it is a good time to treat your lawn. I prefer to skip this treatment and treat in early May instead. Most of the weeds in my lawn are of the summer growing variety and treating them now will not prevent their growth.

17. Keep bird feeders filled and water dishes clean.

in the garden....

I will not be responding to comments on this post. A bit different for me, but this post is more informational and doesn't need input from me. Probably most of my posts don't need input but I do so like talking with everyone on this blog and on theirs as well. Never fear, I will still talk with you on your blog or an individual basis here!

I will add and adjust this list according to how the month goes and also based on commenters' suggestions so that each year it will get better and better. Hope you understand and if you object to a comment you make this year being published next year, please don't comment. I like the history all of the comments provide me, but normally they are not republished so this might throw off quite a few commenters. If it does I am sorry and totally understand you not commenting on the To Do Lists, but I do not want to delete the old comments when I republish the To Do lists each month and it is silly to prepare a different To Do list each month when I have them already in the archives. I do hope you understand, I am going outside of the blogging box here now my fellow bloggers and commenters, but this makes the most sense to me and how I'd like to do it on the blog. Thanks. I will respond to any direct questions. And never fear, I do read and appreciate all comments.

I want to thank Karrita at My Mother's Garden. for the very lovely handmade soap/trinket dish pictured above. I simply love the blue color and fine detailing of it. The Jimster was quite impressed too and tried to figure out how the tree was made. It is just lovely, and thanks Karrita! It has a place of honor near my computer on my desk.

in the garden....again.

Happy New Years!

Happy New Year to all of you from all of us here at In the Garden. May the sun shine brightly upon you all.
Make it the best ever!

Lest I forget, your "To Do List" is to relax in the garden this month. Do crafts and complete chores from last month if you haven't already. General housekeeping such as keeping up on winter weeds, finishing the mulch, and preparing for seed starting in February would all be good things to do as well.

Speaking of seeds, Monica at Garden Faerie's Musings is hosting a seed swap. If interested do visit her post for details.

in the garden....

To Do List for December

December, it is so hard to believe the end of the year is nearly upon us. Where has the time gone?

December is a very slow month in the garden. Basically I use December as a month to tie up loose ends, and complete crafts for the garden and Christmas gifts. Here are a few things I do in my Zone 6/7 garden here in Tennessee.

1. Finish planting bulbs. It is not too late contrary to popular belief. The bulbs will be okay if planted now. So go buy those markdown bulbs and plant away. Good luck if the ground is frozen!

2. Do a final clean up of the leaves if you did not get them all in November.

3. Heat your birdbaths. I have noticed the birds are still patronizing the birdbaths not to bathe, but to drink.

4. Feed the birds. Sunflower seeds are very expensive this year, so I have stuck with suet cakes here in my garden. They are much cheaper and provide the birds much needed protein to stay warm.

5. Trim trees. This is a labor intensive job, but one that is necessary to the health of the tree, and enjoyment of the garden. I generally limb my trees up, but also spend time correcting crossing branches and doing a bit of thinning.

6. Decorate for the holidays.

7. Check gourds frequently for drying. Mine have always been dried by December of each year. Once dried, I get to decide on the scheme for the next year-then paint them. The fun part.

8. Make Christmas gifts such as: marker stones, hypertufa pots, plant markers, etc.

9. Prepare seedling trays for use in the spring. Set up your location after the holidays so you'll be all set. Seed starting time comes pretty quickly.

10. Weed the lawn. Someone asked me just what kind of gardening to I do in the winter. I realized weeding the lawn takes the most amount of time. I hate plantains, sorrel, dandelions and wild garlic. I spend a good amount of time, fishhook in hand, pulling these pesky weeds.

11. Aerate your lawn. After the lawn is cleaned of leaves, aeration is a good thing. I also use winterizer and weed kill on my lawn about every other year. You can do this in November and January as well.

12. Enjoy the holidays this month.

Okay, the last to do chore is not really for doing in the garden....but do it anyhow.

Thanks Frances for my sheffies. They did quite well and I am looking forward to them spreading themselves around. I especially like them because even though the beautyberry kind of over grew them (an understatement I am sure), they still did well! Gotta love those kinds of plants in the garden....

To Do List for November 08

Hi Everyone! Happy November to you all! I am posting a picture of my bountiful gourds in honor of Thanksgiving this month. I recently harvested them. Do you see in the picture the one big gourd has begun turning brown on the bottom? I noticed this while it was still growing on the vine so thought it best I harvest them now. It is nothing to worry about, it is simply part of the process the gourds go through to dry. I had never left my gourds on the vine for so long and was not used to this process starting now. I was very startled to find all of the light colored gourds had already begun drying, as they were very light.

If you haven't already harvested your summer crops (tomatoes, gourds, peppers, eggplants, beans, cukes, squash, and melons) then you may be too late, as summer is over and these crops are most likely gone by now. All gardens are in a state of change but once November is over the gardening season really slows down. Here are some things I am doing or planning to do in my garden this month.


1) Aerate my fescue lawn (after a good rain)

2) Apply a low nitrogen winterizer to the lawn once aeration is complete

3) Weed the lawn and garden beds

4) Plant spring blooming bulbs

5) Rake the lawn

6) Mulch all the beds with raked leaves from the lawn. If you have leaves that naturally fall into garden beds-leave them there. The best mulch is a natural Mother Nature mulch. For the beds that lack natural leaf litter, I try to place 3-5 layers of newspapers under the leaves before I apply the leaves. Sometimes I chop the leaves with the lawnmower and sweep them up, sometimes I just rake whole leaves into the garden. I have used this same method for the last 5+ years with great results.

7) Compost extra leaves.

8) Clean out veggie garden and apply a good layer of compost (at least 1" is best but apply whatever you can!).

9) Determine now where you will plant your summer crop next spring. This is very important. Sometimes you forget where you grew tomatoes by the time next spring rolls around. If you go ahead and mark it for a crop like cucumbers now you'll be sure to get it right next year and practice good crop rotation. There is also another good reason for planning next summer's vegetable garden now. If you plant a fall/winter crop like garlic, garlic will still be in the ground when planting time comes around in the spring for your summer garden. I try to interplant my beds. To do this I have to plan for both garlic and perhaps tomatoes to grow in the same bed. It is important to effectively plan the use of your vegetable garden space if, like me, you have a small vegetable garden.

10) I will, as time permits, begin pruning my hardwoods late in the month all the way to February. I prefer to limb up my trees and do a bit of lateral pruning to shape them the way that is pleasing to me. This task is an immense task because it involves chain saws, ladders, and trucks to haul away the debris. Fortunately this is not a normal yearly recurring event in my garden. Once I have it the way I like it, other than trimming dead or crossing branches very minor trimming will be required. Unfortunately I am noticing that due to last year's freeze and subsequent drought, many of the trees have put out numerous suckers which detract from the overall shape and openness of many of my trees. This also needs to be rectified with prudent pruning. Too many prus here huh?

11) Now is a good time to begin making crafts for the garden. I plan on making a bunch of hypertufa pots, and flower boxes for my porch. I also have in mind to make a few rain barrels, and wooden flat boxes for seedling trays. Of course, much of this has been on my To Do list for a few years so we shall see what I accomplish. Getting started is the hardest part.

12) You can continue to plant trees and shrubs this month with no adverse effects to the tree or shrub. Fall planting is best. The roots will continue to grow as long as the soil is a bit above freezing (say 40 degrees). Make sure your newly planted treasures have plenty of moisture if the weather is dry.

13) Some gardeners apply an anti-desiccant to their evergreens. I am not one of them. If you are, start thinking about applying it at this time.

14) Apply systemic tree and shrub insecticides/pesticides at this time. I am a big fan of Bayer's Advanced Tree and Shrub Care. This has helped my azaleas tremendously. I hope it will also help my little birch to fight off the million caterpillar Army next summer. We'll see. Follow instructions closely. Always use protective gear.

15) Collect seeds.

16) This is the time German chamomile is germinating. Also Love in a Mist and some other spring bloomers such as hollyhocks and foxgloves are showing growth. Do not pull these at this time by mistakenly thinking they are weeds.

17) If you prune roses in the fall, now is the time. I do not normally prune mine until February.

18) Prune camellias after bloom if you have the fall bloomer.

19) Weed your lawn. Someone asked me at a recent talk I gave just what can be done in the garden in the winter. I had to think about that as it seems I am always busy in the garden in the winter but not sure of what it was I was doing all the time. Certainly not deadheading, or pulling weeds, but busy nonetheless. After much contemplation I realized my two biggest chores in the winter time are digging weeds (by hand with a handy fishhook) from the lawn, and pruning my trees. I will also do some hardscaping and maintenance issues too.

20) Remove and dispose of peony foliage.

Hope this helps. It is only a guide and I will adjust it as I go along. If anyone has some suggestions to add to it, by all means let me know. And let's say goodbye to summer and the flying flowers for good now. Okay, not for good, just until the next good picture to post comes along:)

in the garden....

To Do List for October

It is October! Hard to believe this year and gardening season are pretty much over. In Tennessee October is statistically the driest month of the year. All of us here are already suffering from a prolonged drought, let us hope that statistically this does not come true. Did you ever hear the saying about statisticians? It goes something like this, "Statistics don't lie, but liars use statistics." I am not saying the statistics are not true, but in 2007 we had a very wet October. I hope this happens again! By the way, I LOVE statistics and got an A in my statistics class so this is all tongue in cheek.

For now I have been watering like crazy every week. It takes me a few days to water too so it is an ongoing and slow process. I am sure the water company just loves me. I will be talking of that soon since they are about to majorly upset my world.

Here are some things I am doing or planning to do in my garden:

1) Continue to cut cool season grasses, overseed and aerate. (when rain is imminent)

2) Rake leaves. I use mine for mulch and compost many as well. Keep leaves off from grass if at all possible.

3) Divide perennials and move as necessary (When isn't it necessary?) Some perennials I am dividing and moving: hostas, daylilies, sedums, ornamental grasses. Peonies are also best divided in the fall if you want more plants, if not leave them alone so they get real big.

4) Fall is a great time to plant shrubs and some perennials. If you buy potted mums they need to be in the ground by mid month at the latest if they will stand a chance of coming back next year. They need time to establish their roots prior to freezing weather. This is the same with most perennials before they go dormant. Shrubs are more hardy and can usually be planted anytime the ground is not frozen. I have been known to dig up and move shrubs in January, with no adverse effects on the shrub.

5) Bring in your houseplants before the temperatures drop below 50 degrees. Dip or treat with insecticide if so desired.

6) I have taken many cuttings but am continuing even now. Some fall cuttings to take are: lantana, 'Powis Castle', Angel Trumpets, Iberis, Night blooming jasmine, PG hydrangeas, heliotrope, and coleus among others.

7) Don't trim trees or shrubs at this time as it will encourage new growth which will not harden off prior to the cold settling in. This includes roses. I usually trim my very few roses in early spring, trees in January or February, and depending on the type of shrub, usually in January or February to late spring, or after bloom (if it is a spring blooming shrub).

8) If you use Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Care (which I just started using last year), you might want to apply it now or anytime this winter. Always apply when good rains are expected. Its effects generally last one year. I use it on azaleas, oaks, and this year my little birch due to the double sawfly invasion this past summer.

9) Mulch garden beds. Conventional wisdom says to wait until the ground freezes. Problem is, the ground rarely freezes and stays frozen here in Tennessee. I mulch whenever I have the leaves. Take care to keep mulch at least 6 inches from the trunks of shrubs and trees.

10) I don't normally cut back my perennials until early spring, (Peonies are the exception and should be cut down and the foliage thrown in the trash-always) but if you like a tidy garden, here are a few you may like to cut back: hostas, daylilies, gaura, and irises . I generally do not cut back the following: mums, asters, Joe Pye weed, coneflowers, salvia, ornamental grasses, bee balm, and lantana. I believe the foliage, though dried and black, to be somewhat attractive in the winter garden plus I think it helps to protect the crown of the perennial.

11) Feed the birds that do not migrate. This is especially important if we have a harsh winter. Most hummingbirds should be gone by the end of the month, however, leaving the feeders up will not harm the hummingbirds-as they migrate when they are ready. I still notice hummingbirds humming around here.

12) Keep birdbaths clean and free of debris and full as long as the water is not frozen. Bring in concrete birdbaths or cover with a plastic wrap if you are not going to use them this winter. Prepare your water heaters for use now so you won't be left short when the weather gets really cold. I have both a pond heater and birdbath heater. They come in handy at certain times and I can tell you the birds appreciate water that is not frozen on the coldest days in winter.

13) Cover your pond with screening material if you can. If not, clean the debris out of the pond in a timely manner.

14) Store patio furniture.

15) Dig up tender bulbs such as: dahlias and caladiums. Store in peat moss. I place mine in my crawl space but any place where they will not freeze is acceptable. I have begun digging mine now. I found that if I waited until the first frost, I could not locate my caladiums, they simply vanished. Dahlia stems were still visible though.

16) Store your Boston ferns in your crawl space too. Make sure they are well watered prior to closing them up for the winter.

17) Begin planting spring bulbs late this month. You don't want to plant them too early.

18) Plant garlic and onions. Also, go ahead and give some fall crops a chance to grow by planting starts from: cauliflower, broccoli, peas, and cabbage. I am also going to be trying some fall crops from seeds such as: lettuce and mesclun.

19) Continue to weed as necessary.

20) Dig tender perennials if you so desire. Some I plan to dig are: Angel Trumpets (small ones only), and a holly fern. There are probably more you can dig, but this is it for my garden digging and storing. I like to save most from cuttings as they take up less room. These plants will go under the house with the Boston ferns. A post will be forthcoming on the process and what the results were this past spring.

21) If a hard freeze is predicted and you still have tomatoes in the garden, pick all of the green tomatoes and place in a double paper bag in an unheated area such as a garage. The tomatoes will slowly ripen over the next few months. I have actually eaten tomatoes ripened this was in January. You do want to check them every few days for rotten ones, as sometimes there is a bad one or two.

22) Plant pansies!

in the garden....

The camelias have begun their yearly bloom, as shown in the picture above. This camelia pictured above is blooming a few months earlier this year than last. Not sure why but I am enjoying the start of the winter roses.

Rose asked me to post a picture of Racquel's marker stone once I made it. I hope Racquel does not mind. Once it cures I will package it up and send it to you Racquel.

I made several stones in this batch and still have more to make for Master Gardener door prizes (one of these days!). The little "Hi" stone is just a stone I made with the leftover concrete. There was not enough to do anything else with it so I wind up with a bunch of these little ones around the garden.

To Do List for September

The angels have arrived! The above picture is of the first bloom of the Angel Trumpet plant, aka Brugmansia candida. I just love these plants even though they have not been hardy for me. I will always garden with them. My dear friend Geri dug this one from her garden last year and delivered it to me. It is an outstanding plant standing over six feet tall and full of blooms. I thought I'd share it here with you. I did post on the one I grew last year, but sadly it did not return. This one will be dug this year only because I have to move it anyhow. But I am going to try to overwinter the other two outside by placing a heavy bag of compost on the roots, and circling the plant with a cage of leaves stuffed really tightly. Wish me luck!

This month sees the returns of rains for us in September and moderation of temperatures. Fall is the ideal time to plant and work in the garden. Fall is also my favorite season of the year. I would much rather rake in the fall garden than plant in the spring garden anyday.

This is a few of the tasks I expect to do this month. If anyone would like to add to it-please do. I have added the previous suggestions made through the comment section to the applicable month and will continue the tradition. My goal is to have a comprehensive, tried and proven list of to do chores for gardeners in my area to complete or expect to complete each month. Now if I could just work on that list of blooming plants. But that is another story.

1) Continue to harvest vegetables. All vegetables should be going strong well into October here in my Zone 6/7 garden. I generally do not harvest gourds until the first light frost or until the vines have died back. I would not expect to remove any vegetables from my garden until October when our first hard freeze is expected. Don't be afraid to pull non-producing plants and replace with some fall crops. I have pulled zucchini, but also cukes might be giving up the fight, and other squashes.

2) Continue to plant your fall crop. Some crops you may wish to plant include: lettuce, radishes, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula, and beets. I plant onions and garlic in October, but it would probably not harm anything to plant them late this month.

3) Plant any potted mums you have growing. Mums and all perennials need a bit of moderate temperatures in order to start growing in the fall prior to winter arriving. They should have some new growth, however, just because the top is killed back by frost does not mean the roots will not continue to grow in the soil. Soil temperatures must be quite cold in order to stop action for the plant. That is why it is okay to plant shrubs in the winter-as long as the ground is not frozen or below 40-45 degrees.

4) Continue to mow your lawn. I mow mine at the summer height until late mid month or until the rains return regularly.

5) Overseed cool season grasses mid month. Fescue often needs overseeding each year to remain thick and healthy. Fescue should never be seeded in the spring, fall is the ideal time to seed. Always aerate before seeding.

6) Begin planting winter annuals like pansies, and hardy kale for fall/winter interest. The pansies will awaken in the spring and put on a great show.

7) I am beginning to prepare to bring in my houseplants. I prefer to do this slowly all through September so that I don't have a big rush all at once. It will not hurt plants to come in early. Be sure you don't bring any unwanted guests in by watering very well and allowing the water to drain out of the pot. Check for frogs and toads.

8) Like PGL, you should order bulbs, seeds and starts early. In other words-plan now for your spring garden and order early.

9) Stop pruning plants. Any pruning done now will stimulate more growth. You do not want this as the new growth might not have a chance to harden off before a freeze comes in. This is what happened last spring when tender new growth was zapped by the late freeze. The late freeze was not the problem! It was the early and warm spring that caused plants to break dormancy early, thus resulting in tender new growth that got hit hard. So don't prune and cause the same thing to happen in the fall.

10) Start removing spent foliage and cleaning beds. Tidy up all beds and add compost. My vegetable garden gets about 1 inch or so of fresh compost on it in the fall each year. I firmly believe this is why the ph and nutrients are ideal in the vegetable bed. I just wish I could make enough to cover all garden beds.

11) Soil test. I cannot stress this enough! It is vitally important! How can you garden without knowing what you have to grow your plants in? It is like cooking with brown sugar instead of white sugar. Both are sugar and could work, but would it be the same and provide the right taste or nutrients as in the case with soil? So soil test. You will not regret it.

12) Collect seeds for use in the garden next year. Some seeds I collect are: dill, cosmos, and cleome.

13) Prune back rampant annuals like sweet potato vine. (Thanks Les!)

14) Divide and replant your perennials. Some favorites I like to move and divide are: hostas, daylillies, irises, brown eyes, coneflowers, and sedum. You should have all cuttings planted that you have been growing since the spring and early summer. Some I have planted are: mums, sedum, and veronica. These will do well if planted now over the winter. My cutting mums should even bloom this year. (Thanks PGL!)

15) Take cuttings of plants you want starts of next year. I do the following: lantana, brugmansia, artemisia, coleus, hydrangeas, pineapple sage, amsonia, and that is all I can think of for now!

16) Collect heirloom vegetable seeds such as tomatoes. (See comments below for the method of collecting these seeds-thanks TC!)

If anyone else has some to do things they do in their garden in September, please let me know and I will add it in. We are in Zone 6/7 here in Middle Tennessee. Thanks!

Happy Labor Day to everyone!

in the garden....