When we were children, our parents’ influence extended to all facets of our lives. From the basics, such as the foods that we ate, to the essentials, like core values we now embrace as our own, and the influential, such as the music that we listened to. In my childhood home, my mom listened to Harry Chapin and Steve Goodman. Saturdays were spent with each of us singing the lyrics to ‘Cats in the Cradle’ while cleaning the house. I was very fortunate to see Steve Goodman perform several times at the Woodstock Opera House. During Steve’s performance in 1983, my mom leaned over to me and said “Remember this night, you will never see him perform again.” He died of Leukemia several months later. Steve’s prolific song writing career included the anthem of the 2016 Champion Chicago Cubs ‘Go Cubs Go’ and ‘A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request.’ The success this season can be seen as a tribute to all of the Cubs fans that are no longer with us, especially since the anthem they play so proudly in Wrigley Field was written and sung by someone who left us at such an early age.
While it has been wonderful to be able to spend so much time in our living rooms watching the World Series, there is quite a bit that should be done outside this time of the year.
Continue to water newly planted plants until the ground freezes. If you have an irrigation system, just because it has been turned off, it doesn’t mean that it is time to stop watering your plants. It is especially important that evergreen shrubs and trees go into the winter months with adequate moisture. A few thorough, deep soakings can make the difference between life and death for your plants.
A common gardener’s dilemma in the fall is “What should I cut down?” It is often hard to look at a plant and know whether it is best to simply leave it alone or cut it back.
Here are some general guidelines.
If after a few hard frosts, the foliage on perennial flowers still looks pretty decent, I would recommend that you leave the plant alone. If the leaves have really started to deteriorate, then you may want to cut the plants back. A general rule is that perennial flowers can be cut back to about 3-4 inches above the ground. If you are hesitant, then you can simply rake and remove any debris and evaluate the plants in the spring. Examples of plants that are usually best left alone in the fall would be perennial geraniums, coral bells and most groundcover. Examples of plants that are usually cutback in the fall include hostas, daylilies and iris. Vines can usually just be left alone in the fall and then evaluated as they start to bud out in the spring. Hydrangeas and Roses are examples of two shrubs that gardeners often question whether or not they should be cut back. Annabelle Hydrangeas, often called Snowball Bush, can be cut back to about 10 inches above the ground in the fall. Some of newer varieties of Hydrangea such as Endless Summer may actually flower more if they are not pruned this fall. These would be the varieties that have the round, ball type flowers, not the varieties that have the cone shaped flowers. The hydrangeas with the cone shaped flowers can be cut back this fall.
With most Rose varieties, I recommend that you do not cut them back in the fall. What you may want to do is to put a little extra mulch around the base of each of the plants in early to mid November. Be sure to rake the extra mulch away in mid March, though.
All of this being said, if there is something that you have been doing in your yard and your plants look great each spring, I would not change what you are doing. It is working for you, so don’t change it just because someone suggests you do it differently.
Pruning is another common fall chore. Summer blooming plants can be cut back in the fall. Try to avoid pruning spring blooming plants now. The flower buds have already been set on plants such as lilacs, crab trees and magnolias. If they are pruned now, the flower buds could be cut off and therefore the amount of flowers would be reduced in the spring.
There were a tremendous amount of fungal diseases present this year on the leaves of all types of plants. Ideally, those leaves would be raked up and disposed of this fall.
With regards to container gardening, most containers should be emptied out this fall and moved into the garage for the winter. If you cannot move the planters, then empty them out. You may want to cover them to prevent water or ice from sitting in them throughout the winter. Some annual flowers can be brought inside your home or garage this winter and then brought out again next spring. If you have perennial flowers in containers, you may want to plant them in the ground so that they will have the best chance of making it through the winter.
On a personal note, thank you to all of the readers of this column that have asked about my daughter Mary. As you are reading this we are enjoying a long weekend together as a family on the campus of Kansas State University. Our weekend plans include taking a few of her new girlfriends out for dinner and attending basketball and football games. I am sure we will spend much more time apart, but these first 74 days apart have been difficult. Your thoughts and well wishes are deeply appreciated.
