Summer has relax its grip here in the Mid - Atlantic . As we breathe a suspiration of ease from this tenacious hot time of year , we can now ill-use back and enjoy the garden a moment . It is also a gravid sentence to readjust and concenter on some tasks to prepare for what ’s next .
works fountain bulb . Your bulb gild should have arrived by now and it is a thoroughgoing time toplant them . Do not look too prospicient to imbed and when plant , verify they are not planted too deeply . A oecumenical rule of thumb for medulla planting is to constitute twice as mysterious as the bulb size of it . So , dig out a hole for a crocus ( Crocusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3 - 8) light bulb will be importantly shallow than one for a Narcissus pseudonarcissus or tulip bulb .
works trees and shrub . The arrival of coolheaded weather mean less tearing and less strain on plants . This is an idealistic time toplant trees and shrubs . However , in the Mid - Atlantic , livid taildeer pressureramps up as the temperature drop and there is less food usable for them . After establish , be sure to add deer fence to the new plants . This will reduce cervid browsing on the foliage . Also , around this fourth dimension of yr , bucks will scratch their antlers on young trees . So , fencing or caging is authoritative for protect the bark of newly planted trees .
sportsmanlike up fallen leaves – but not all of them . As the leaves are changing colour and blow to the solid ground , they no doubt will begin to organize a level on the garden and lawn . Cleaning up the garden is necessary but guess about using these leaves as mulch . Of of course , you ’ll want to remove them from the lawn to avoid smother the grass , but a straightaway mow of the lawn will chop the leave up . If the mower chops them exquisitely enough where the next rain will make them settle , just leave them . However , if they are still thickheaded , blow them back into the beds . It will make wonderful mulch . As for the garden , you’re able to let the leaves lie until a late winter or early spring cleanup or blow them out , chop them up , and blow them back in .
Design for fall interest group . Do you have enough fall interest in the garden ? If not , now is the clip to decide what you’re able to plant to make your fall garden refulgency . perennial such as aboriginal smutty - eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia fulgidavar.fulgida , Zones 3 - 9 ) and ‘ Matrona ’ upright sedum ( Hylotelephium telephium‘Matrona ’ , Zones 3 - 9 ) are wonderful , time-tested and true addition for a fall garden when everything else is quick for bed . For more estimation about designing for fall interest , check these articles out :
Harvest cool weather crops , unripe Lycopersicon esculentum , and herbs . By now , some of those cool weather crop can be clean . Fall vegetable such as greens and radish should be ready . And do n’t block about the rest of your tomatoes . Frost does not normally reach the Mid - Atlantic until mid- to later October , so get those green tomatoes at bottom for relish and pickling . Also , any one-year herbs such as St. Basil the Great , Petroselinum crispum , and Anethum graveolens can be picked anddried .
Michele Christiano is a gardening assistant at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square , Pennsylvania .
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Autumn is when garden and natural meadows really shine, with waves of grasses, asters (Symphyotrichumspp. and cvs., Zones 4-8), and goldenrod (Solidagospp. and cvs., Zones 3-9) swaying in the wind.Photo: Michele Christiano
These tiny crocus bulbs should be planted quite shallowly compared to tulip or daffodil bulbs.Photo: Michele Christiano
As native food sources go dormant, deer are more likely to turn to your trees, shrubs, and perennials in fall.Photo: Carol Collins
Shredded leaves make an excellent mulch.Photo: Kristin Green
Green tomatoes can be preserved for future use, used fresh, or urged to ripen.Photo: Michele Christiano
