Even as we are still enjoying the harvests from our gardens, the start of another busy planting year is already upon us.
One need only leaf through the pages of spring catalogs to see that.
Your Fall Planning Program For Successful Gardening
Your fall planning should include a program for soil building since gardening success depends upon the soil.
Cover crops are the best soil conditioners and, of these, rye is supreme.
It possesses a thick mass of deeply growing roots and when turned under, it adds valuable organic material to the soil.
This addition changes the characteristics of the soil: it retains water better, has a better structure and is, therefore, easier to till, and contains more nutrients that are necessary for plant growth, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Sow the rye at the rate of 2 to 3 pounds per 1000 square feet. If the seed is sown after rain or is artificially watered, it will sprout in a few days.
Another fast-growing crop that will supply organic matter in bulk is crimson clover (not red clover).
It is annual but if sown in September, no later, it will persist through the winter and then resume growth in very early spring.
Hardiness is a factor that might govern your choice. Crimson clover is not hardy north of Long Island, but rye is hardy anywhere and makes a good winter cover.
Caring for Your Lawn
September is also the ideal time for seeding grass and top-dressing lawns.
For tips on late-summer care for lawns see the article by Dr. Fred Grau in last month’s issue of FLOWER GROWER.
The practice of inserting plugs, usually Meyer Z-52 zoysia, into prepared ground or into an old lawn that needs filling in, was also discussed in detail in this article.
Turn to page 60 of this issue for a discussion of fall-planted lawns by James Shiels.
Fall Care For Evergreens
Even if rhododendrons and allied plants look dry now it is advisable not to water them. This advice runs counter to what others will say, but it is born from experience.
This practice of withholding water will prepare the bushes for winter.
The more these plants harden tissue and buds, the greater their chance of avoiding injury.
If their growth is kept soft by watering and fertilizing, as is so often practiced, injury is inevitable.
Later, in October, when the tissues have ripened, the plants can be given lots of water.
Transplanting Evergreens
Both broad-leaved and coniferous trees can be transplanted now. It’s best to use nursery-grown plants, for it is difficult to dig plants from the wild and get a good ball of soil with the roots.
However, it is fairly safe to dig small-sized rhododendrons, mountain laurel, and native azaleas.
But before you get out the spade be sure to check with the state department of conservation to see if it’s permissible to remove these plants from the wild in your area.
Large plants often do not transplant successfully, even the nursery-grown ones.
With wrong handling, any plant will fail. Plants whisked along in an automobile or truck, with their leaves whipping in the breeze, plants sitting around without protection over their roots, or plants set in a dry garage for several days will suffer a severe setback. and may not recover.
A securely balled root mass may seem safe, but if the plant is yanked up by the stem or trunk, dropped on the ground, or rolled around in handling so that the soil ball splits, failure is certain.
44659 by P. J. Mckenna