Before the ground freezes and it gets too cold for comfort, pull out or dig (root and all) all annuals. It is better to get them out of the ground to eliminate eggs and harmful larvae that overwinter on plant remains. Start the program for improving the soil for next year’s garden. Removing Frost Blackened … Read more
October’s bright blue weather sees the end of the garden show over our Northern Plains. Numerous things need to be done before freeze-up. Dig dahlias after the first killing frost. Cut tops back to near ground level and lift clumps carefully to avoid mechanical injury to the fleshy roots. Either store or divide clumps, allowing … Read more
October in the North closes the gardening season with a grand finale of golden chrysanthemums and the brilliant autumn colors of deciduous trees and shrubs. This lavish display of color tends to take some of the strings out of winter’s arrival. Take note of mum varieties that flower early enough to be enjoyed before frosts, … Read more
And so it is autumn; the fruitful soil has yielded another harvest, and barns are full. Fields have a clean-swept took-over hill, and dale nature indulges in one last magnificent pageant. So intense are the fall colors that at night the pure yellows give off a golden glow. In the garden, gaps appear in the … Read more
The first damaging frost sometimes arrives during September, in and around New York City it may occur as early as the second or third week of the month, and those of us who live in valleys may be surprised by a frost even earlier than that. My neighbor whose place is on the hill above … Read more