Milder Heat for More Gardening

Blooming begonia

Blooming begonia

Propagating begonias

Plumeria

Amarcrinum

Shrimp flower

Day-old bulb bloom starts losing its color

Amaryllis seed pod developing. Wait till pod has thoroughly dried and cracked open to reveal black paper-thin seeds ready to sow.

Last red alstroemeria amongst sunflowers.

Grapes ripening

Euphorbia blooming

Another euphorbia blooming

Epidendrum in three colors

Hoya carnosa compacta Hindu Rope Plant blossom

       Now that the daytime temperatures are forecast to be in “only” the upper 80s, we gardeners can begin to resume our seeding and transplanting of new plants and watering of established plants – and even some light fertilizing for those established plants that are continuing to pump out their flowers and fruits for our visual and edible delight.  During the previous weeks of more severe heat, we didn’t want to stress plants with too much food and water.  The upcoming couple of months through Thanksgiving are transition times, enjoying revitalized summer bounty and also fostering new growth and flowers and fruits to carry us through the cool weather and into the spring.   
 
Go Both Ways
     Because we don’t know which kind of weather we’ll have during the next three months – whether it’ll heat up again into the highish 90s or stay down in the low 80s or even get cooler still – we can take advantage of whatever results by sowing both the last seeds of summer crops like beans and squash that will mature in about 60 days and also sowing seeds of cool season crops like lettuce and chard and broccoli and peas. That way, one or the other group – or both -- will be happy and you’ll get something to eat.
     Some seeds may not germinate quickly, either because the soil or air is too warm, the seed is too old, or the seeds were sown too deeply or too shallowly or have been allowed to dry out.  The easy, several-step solution is to water the soil at least to the depth of 2 inches, scratch the soil to a depth of half an inch, sow seed thickly, sprinkle water lightly to settle the seed into the shallow scratchings, sprinkle very lightly with sand or fine compost to help retain moisture next to the seeds, and then sprinkle with water to barely set the seed in moist soil.
     You may even want to transplant a couple of tomato plants, varieties like “Siberia” and “Glacier” that are touted to grow and fruit during cold weather.  However, I tried this years ago and the fruits weren’t any better than what I could purchase at the grocery store, so I determined to not waste my garden space doing this again.  Instead, I devote my labor and space to edibles that thrive in our cool weather.
     See my archived blog on the subject --
Now’s the Perfect Time for Seeding and Transplanting - 10/9/18
 
Propagating Succulents and Others
     This comfortably mild weather is excellent for taking trimmings of lots of plants that you want to propagate, like succulents and salvias and begonias, fuchsias, geraniums, hydrangeas, ivies, and marguerite daisies. 
     See my step-by-step instructions and techniques that are applicable to most plants -- Propagating Begonias From Cuttings - 10/29/16
 
Planting Bearded Irises, Daylilies, and “Real” Lilies
     If bearded irises haven’t bloomed well and look crowded, dig up clumps and separate rhizomes. Trim foliage to about eight inches from the rhizome.  Discard the old, leafless center sections (even if they’re still firm, since they probably won’t develop new shoots), and trim roots to two inches in length.  Replant in well-drained soil so the tops of their rhizomes are open to the air, with only their roots buried and growing straight down, in full sun.  Don’t fertilize, but water in well.
       Daylilies like to be one inch below the soil surface in either full sun or partial shade.
     Lilies need their bases shaded but foliage in the sun, so keep their soil always slightly moist as the bulbs don’t ever go fully dormant even after losing all their top foliage.
 
Arrange Your Own Dried Flowers
     Dry flowers for arrangements that you've grown yourself. The easiest to dry are baby's breath, bachelor's button, bells of Ireland, lavender, scabiosa, statice, strawflower, and yarrow. All but the bells of Ireland are best air-dried.  Tie a few stems into a loose bunch, and hang it up, flower heads down, in a cool, dark, dry place for several weeks. The exception is bells of Ireland--stand these upright in a container with a half-inch of water; flowers will dry as the water evaporates.

​For more garden tasks, see September

For more Fall season techniques and discussion, see these archived blogs:

• Fall Bulb Planting for Spring Color - 8/21/21
• Holiday Decor From Your Garden - 11/19/19
• Cool-Season Plant Problems and Solutions - 3/14/21
• Collecting “Dry” Non-Hybrid Seeds for Sowing and Sharing - 8/25/19
• Repotting Shady Ferns and Begonias, and Sunny Succulents - 8/1/19
• Now’s the Perfect Time for Seeding and Transplanting - 10/9/18
• Collecting Seeds From Your Garden - 9/11/17
• Starting Lettuce and Other Seeds - 9/12/19

• Propagating Begonias From Cuttings - 10/29/16