It's time in the North East

[cape chef]

Hi Gang,

Nows the time to get out side and take care of your stuff.Get out the bone meal and give your roses,shrubs,climbers ETC a good douse.

Scrape your soil and add about a cup of meal at the base of your plants and scrape it into the soil,Water well and mulch with compost and grass clipings. Cut back any spent and horizantal rose limbs.Dead limbs should be cut back to the base of the plant.

have fun with your hay bails and scare crows
cc

 

[linda smith]

Naturalizing the hill on the back 40 with several hundred daffodils. Oh my aching back... Ripping out slimy frozen tomato plants.... Ah the joys of fall gardening....

 

[athenaeus]

Can you beleive that I harvested some tomatoes today?!!!!

The weather got crazy in Greece for good.

At least I have a good recipe for drying tomatos.
I have to prepare a lot for my friends in the States

 

[layjo]

Well down here on the Gulf Coast Area we had some problems with hurricanes, tropical storms, rain and flooding throughout the summer. Bummer, I wasted alot of money trying to get a good thing going, only for it's plans to be spoiled and foiled. But I am trying to think about the next season and plan ahead to make my garden plans be a success in the making. Now that I have some more knowledege on soils, and careing for my plants.....I am trying save some of the bushes and small trees that weren't harmed that bad. Well I started a compost pile a while back and I think I will have some good organic matter for the time of planting.

 

[w.debord]

I've been working alot in my yard the past few weeks. Thinning my irises (I've taken way more out than I left in) and moving some perenials around. I've asked my neighboors if they want any of my extra plants (none do) so I put them at the end of my driveway in boxes labeled "FREE". My husband was mad at me at first, "no one will take those and it will be a mess". They sat there for 2 long days... Well much to my delight someone snatched them up! Can't wait till spring, I'll be peeking to see who my mysterious taker was, wish I could thank them for helping me win the discusion with my husband.

I have a couple questions....

When you transplant this late in the year (temp. around 55 and frequent rain) how do you feel about fertilizing transplants? I always water in with miracle grow imediately to slow down the shock but my husband says I shouldn't bother with any follow up after the first day at this time of year. Also I wondered if I'd be waking them out of their slowed down cycle with food...any opinions or cautions? I've never done this much transplanting before and of many items....

Tips on cutting back to the base of your limbs. I always get growth back on my trees where I want none. Am I cutting wrong?

Have any tips on fertilizing plants in mulched (wood bark) areas? I can't pull back the mulch, I miracle grow through out the season but it's only a temp. food.

Any plants you should NOT fertilize in the fall? I know my apple trees should not be fertilized now...

 

[cape chef]

fall is actually the best time to transplant and to plant new growth.

I would avoid fertilizing transplants like your husband said,instead add some bonemeal to the bottom of the soil,mix equal parts,compost,peat moss and top soil...water well,tamp out the air pockets and mulch over.

certain plants do not like nitrigen..although it promotes leafy growth,it limits flowering. Wysteria comes to mind.

For cutting back..any dead limbs cut back to the base and any horizantal limbs trim out.Green limbs cut back to three buds and trim the ends on a bias as to let the rain drain off.

I find the best method of feeding your plants is to use bone meal (strong roots) and rack in compost.Be aware that grass clippings are high in nitrigen so I would not use only grass clippings as the base to your compost rather as a %
cc

 

[w.debord]

I do cut my unwanted branches back the the trunk or limb. But that's where I just get new grow... Should it be a straight cut or an angled one? Could that be what I''m doing wrong, or is that just something healthy trees do?

 

[w.debord]

Ever hold over transplants from one year into the next? I can't deside if I want a couple items and I won't know until I do some major work next spring. My spouse thinks I can hold them over the winter in my veg. garden, if I throw some dirt lightly over the exposed roots. What do you think about that?

 

[pastachef]

I want to than CC and Papa for the success of my first little garden ever! I can't believe my flowers are still blooming, in spite of the cold weather. I am already excited about a bigger and better garden next year, since you have convinced me that I can do it. My son put in new brick walkways and stairs in the front and back of my little Cape Cod house, and now he's putting in a picket fence, front and back It's going to be a little dream house. I want to put climbing roses and an arch at the entrance to the back yard next year. What month should I begin work on them? Again, Thank you so much!:bounce: