There are three main factors that work to create the beautiful fall color we all enjoy-leaf pigment, decrease in day length and weather over the growing season. As night length increases in fall, chlorophyll production slows down and then stops. As a result, the green in the leaf disappears leaving only carotenoids and anthocyanins
to show their colors. (Carotenoids produce yellow, orange and brown color like those found in corn, carrots and bananas.
Anthocyanins produce red, blue and plum colors.) Some autumns are more colorful than others because of weather. A succession
of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights seems to bring
about the best colors.
Yard and Garden Clean Up
With winter just around the corner, it’s time to clean up the garden. Annual plants and vegetables should be removed and composted (except if they were diseased). Don’t put vegetables containing seeds in the compost or you may be surprised at what might sprout in odd places next year. In the perennial garden you can cut everything back or choose to leave the stems and leaves until spring. Both systems work. Cutting back in the fall when the soil is dry cleans up the garden and allows plants to sprout earlier in spring because heat from the sun warms the bed sooner. But an early start could be a problem in years with late frosts. Letting perennials stand over the winter allows blowing snow to drift onto the perennials adding more insulation to the garden bed. If you do a combination of the two–cutting back some perennials in the fall and the rest in the spring, you can save time in the garden when you want to get out there and plant.
Bittersweet
American bittersweet is native to
North America and a wonderful vine that produces berries for fall decoration. It’s large and rangy, growing on trellises, fences and other structures. In the wild bittersweet grows on the edge of the woods. It tolerates a wide range of soils but won’t tolerate wet feet. Once established bittersweet needs
very little attention. It blooms in late May/ early June; however the
flowers are very small and are a light green in color so you may
not see them. Berries are produced on the female plant. For best fruiting, plant the male and female plants close to each other.
A full sun exposure will also produce more berries.
Summer Flowering Tubers and Rhizomes
After frost has nipped the tops of the dahlias and cannas, it’s time to get them ready for winter storage. Using a garden fork, carefully lift the plants out of the ground. Shake off any excess dirt and set them aside to dry in a sunny spot. If it’s cool and rainy, move the roots to a dry protected place. Once the tops have dried down, cut them off about 2” above the root zone. Remove any remaining dirt and let the cut stems dry before packing them for winter.
When the roots are ready to be packed away, get a cardboard box and some dry peat moss. Put a 2” layer of peat moss in the bottom of the box, add a layer of roots and spread them out so they aren’t touching. Cover that layer of roots with dry peat moss. Repeat the process until all roots are covered. Then place the box in a cool dry place for the winter. Check the box monthly for rot, removing
any spoiled roots.
Planting Bulbs
A good rule of thumb when planting any bulb is to plant so there is soil over the bulb three times the height of the bulb. For example, if a bulb is 1” tall, the hole should be 4” deep—1” for the bulb and 3” of soil over the bulb. Bulb food should be used in the fall at planting time. Place the bulb in the hole and cover it; then apply bulb food at the recommended rate. Once that is done fill in the rest of the hole. All bulbs should be watered after planting and the soil should be moist as it starts to freeze. If you find that you have to wait until late November to plant tulip bulbs, plant them an inch or two
deeper than normal.
The Benefits of Trees
One mature tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, equaling 11,00 miles of car emissions. Landscape plants, such as shrubs and turf, remove smoke, dust, and other pollutions from the air. One study showed that one acre of trees has the ability to remove 13 tons of particles and gases annually.
Did You Know?
Around the town of Mount Vernon, Washington, farmers
grow more tulip
than
the
entire
county of Holland. But no American grown tulip bulbs can
be
shipped
to Holland
because
of
their strict regulations.
Flowers and gifts from Bachman’s make any day a special one. When you order your flowers or gifts online, you know you’ll be getting a beautiful fresh floral arrangement from a trusted florist known for outstanding floral design, plus quality and service.
If you’re sending flowers or gifts out of town, you can rely on us to choose the best florist from either the FTD or Teleflora nationwide flower network. Florists who can be counted on to deliver the best fresh floral arrangements and gifts, even when doing a same day delivery.
