Officially Autumn- fall garden chores

; ^)
Hey Judy, get with Gita and tell her what time you'd like to show up.

Most of my fall garden chores were (hurriedly) completed prior to Sandys arrival. My usual mulching of plants will have to wait for leaf fall as most remarkably are still on my big oaks.

Am debating whether to feed the birds all winter this year. My usual practice is to do supplemental or emergency feeding as I don't want to attract birds because I care for a small colony of feral (well-fed) cats. Any thoughts? What do you all still have to do or are you declaring DONE?

I still have to dig up all my cannas.
About 6 different ones--PLUS the big Orange ones in my neighbor's bed.
She does not garden. I dug up these and saved them over the winter in my Shop
then planted them back in her bed.
Cannas can take a first frost. The roots like that nip.

I also still have to situate some overwintering pots of Cardinal flower and do something
to protect my 3 Black and Blue Salvias that are planted in beds.
I have saved a bag-full of leaves to do this. Last night was freezing temps here--
but then it will return to the 40's and 50's. One quick frost will not hurt these plants.

OH! A BIG job! I have to try to dig up, totally, my raised bed, which now is already full of Maple roots,
That really p----es me off....I knew it would happen--but not so soon.
Carolyn (DG Tomato expert) said I should turn the whole bed totally over, one shovel-full at a time,
to bury the Blight spores from this past summer. THAT is not going to be possible!!!
My neighbor offered me his Mantis Tiller to till up this bed.
I will give this bed one more try to plant some Tomatoes in, spray them weekly with Daconil
and see if it helps. That was another suggestion.

THEN---if the blight is still there--it will become a bed for more nice tall and hanging (over the edge) annuals.
I can always grow a couple tomato plants in pots.

Hmmm--then I still have to, generally, clean up the beds and mulch this and that....
Also--have to put away all mt patio chairs and bench and all the cushions.
Won't have time for any of this until after Thanksgiving....

Judy--I have been feeding my birds since early fall. My feeder hangs under my Patio roof
and no rain or animals can get to it. Very protected.
Gita

Gita: Are you able to overwinter your Black and Blue Salvias outside?

Gita, here's a question about Cannas: Do they HAVE to be dug up, bulbs dried etc... or can they be left in the soil, cut back, and then be kept in the greenhouse and not watered over-winter? This is what BossMan has directed with our potted Cannas, to be left in the pots, in the greenhouse cut back, and a sign hung on them "DO NOT WATER". Should that be ok for them for over-winter?

Meanwhile, I've got just about every darned thing to do outside. =( I pulled up into the driveway after work today and realized my yard looks awful. If it doesn't snow tomorrow like I hear it's supposed to, I'm gonna be outside at least for a little while in the morning doing SOMETHING. I don't think I wanna work on leaves yet 'cause more are just gonna keep falling.... then again, I've got a blower now, maybe I could go outside and play with that!?!? < =D Yeah, probably a good idea. Anything out there would be better than nothing out there, it looks just plain ol' sad sad sad everywhere.

Susan--

Yes--that will be Ok. They will still dry up and go dormant--but may grow faster and better
in the next year because the roots were not messed with.

Your boss should know...

From what O have learned over the years, and from other gardening Gurus is this:
Allow the tops to be frozen off by a frost.
Cut them back to about 6" or so. Gives you a "handle" to hold on to when you dig them up.
Wait 2 more weeks after the frost--and then dig up the roots. Gently bump off the extra soil, but not all of it.
Allow to air-dry and store in a box in a cool place. DO NOT use plastic!!! Do not water.
Covering the roots by some crumpled up newspaper of dry peat moss is OK.
In the spring--you will see the red pips start to grow. The old soil will be hard as a rock--
but be careful--as the long roots will break easily. You want at least 3 "eyes" to every division for a nice plant.

Plant in spring--about 3" deep from the top of the pips.

Hope this helps...Gita

Well, knowing BossMan, there will be no digging up or transplanting of any sort, his plans will probably go a little something like this: (by the way, they are in 2-quart sized pots)

1: Cut the plants back to about 6" tall (that's done already)
2: Leave them in the current pots (that's done already)
3: Leave them in the greenhouse UN-WATERED all winter long
4: Come spring, when they start showing signs of growth, start watering again, then put them back outside to sell.

PERIOD. That's just a guess, but I'd bet my boots that's his idea. So, I guess only time will tell if that will work. =/

Speedie
that's how The Boss Couples I have worked for did things with cannas, bananas, elephant ears, brugs and other tropicals and tender perennials. We didn't wait for frost/freeze to kill off tops, but did cut cannas back to 3 inches or so.

We left the pseudo stem of bananas as tall as possible because we had the room to store them upright or horizontally on the lower benches

Yep, no watering as the dry plus cold sends them into semi dormancy til we and warmth wake them up in spring. They do not need light but do need temps between 40 to 50 degrees at night to maintain dormancy til they can safely be returned to active growth.

We called it "running a cool greenhouse". If temps are kept 50 or above they will start to grow again. and they will need moisture and food! While semi dormant is a good time to divide and repot just prior to waking up.

I think that cannas regrow or resume growth from tubers and will grow new roots. Taking care not to injure the roots and tubers is best practices for minimizing disease and rot. Some who dry their tubers pre storage sprinkle them with cinnamon!

We had 8 greenhouses. 2 were not heated thru winter, but then could be heated in spring to break deep dormancy of those plants (crepe myrtles) stored within. 2 held potting soil, pots etc, a backup generato and garden tractor and wagons, 4 were filled with semidormant stock plants and were primarily only heated at nite to hold temps at 40 or just above freezing. 1 small house was kept at 50 at night and housed the water plants and bananas and some mother stock coleus.

The main greenhouse was maintained at 50 degrees and was outfitted with benches where bottom heat could be provided as well or several benches could be set up as mini greenhouses within the larger to provide warmer/moister micro climates.

Will your Boss Man run a cool house or a hot house for the winter?

Judy

Hmmmm, that's a good question. It should be relatively "warm" just for a week or two while we have Poinsettias, but then it'll be cool for the remainder of the winter. Around 40 degrees sounds about right, after all the Poinsettias are gone.

Ooooh Pointsetias! A Plant Merchandizer's dream (me)!!! I love the minis and the pale colors and the real reds. What fun you will have!

Just a hint...since pointsettias are easily damaged by cold shocks and dry heat, I tried to save any of their shipping sleeves (paper or spun fiber) for customers to use for the transport home and the possibly long wait in the shopping frenzy parking lots. Watch out for those ubiquitous foil covers and watering!

Wow, I feel like I just took the express train into The Season!

I am at work---

Guess what i just saw in the houseplant section?
That beautiful, dark-leaved Calathea.with the amazing mrkings that Sally has.
The one we all wanted cuttings/divisions from.

Well--there are 2-- 8" pots in our GH--of the very same. $20---a bit steep...
Nice and full and healthy.
Maybe those of you that really, really wanted this one--can high-tail it to
your HD and see if they got some as well.

Gita

Good eye Gita- it is this one
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/128778/
if anyone wants a look.
It's been a very easy happy plant for me, not finicky the way I thought prayer plants ( a cousin) would be.
I wanted to say it is slow growing but then again, mine got big enough to take a division this spring and fill back in over summer so actually, its growing well. It just doesn't hang all over the place like a well growing viny thing would. Stays tidy, leaves get larger. Mine is n eight-9 inch pot, I guess some of those leaves are now a foot long.

THat was interesting insight into greenhouse operations.

Ooooh it's very pretty!! I've never seen those before, and now of course I want one. ;) (thank you for that link, Sally!)

Judy, oh yes Ma'am, we always save the sleeves the Poinsetias come in for transport. And I know only too well the peskiness of making sure all the pot-covers are off all the pots, then put a dish under all the pots, and only then can I water them all... wait about an hour, dump the dishes, wait about another hour, dump them all again, and THEN I can put the pot-covers back on. Heeheeheeeee And for goodness sake, BE CAREFUL WATERING!!! LOL!!!! < =D Oh the joy, I really do love it!!!!!! I don't think we're going to have the greenhouse full this year like we've had in previous years, which is a shame, 'cause I do love to spend hours out there watering the hundreds of Poinsetias. I will miss that.

Sally--YES! it is that plant....How pretty!

I asked the Bell person if most HD's get in the same stuff--and she said "Yes"...
She also said that IT IS, ACTUALLY, AN AGLEONEMA. Do you agree, Sally?
So--Get Thee to the nearest HD. We only got in two. Must be in scarce supply.
I never buy new plants--but I may just have to dish out the $20.

Re watering Poinsettias--Geesh! I could write a book here.....(looks like I did....)

Now--picture the gadzillion racks of Poinsettias a HD receives--every week......
Of course, our store being a very low-volume store--I can just imagine what the bigger ones get!

Before the Bell Nursery days--I was, usually, in charge of all the Poinsettias--as well as lots else.
I used to slip off the sleeves and stack them over my arm. Then slip this fat tube of sleeves somewhere
between the plants on the cart, "inviting" customers to take one as they bought a plant. NAH!

Of course--theat made the racks look all messy and the "powers that be" said to get rid of them all.
I fussed and fumed--and almost had verbal fights with my superiors--after all--
what did THEY know about plant care???

We also used to have a 3-tier, monster stand (1/2 way up the racking) built out of plywood in
front of the main entrance--and poinsettias were displayed on it--hundreds of them!
I still had to water them all--and all we had was the smaller watering cart with the tank that held
20 some gallons of water. We still have it.......Sometimes I was up there teetering among the red....
Anyway--I spent DAYS taking care of this display--refilling it, culling it, sweeping up all the leaves that fell, etc...
I was still full time then....so--all week long. Besides--caring also the GH!
They did not build this for too many years. It was too unkempt and not all that inviting...
Eventually--there were only all the carts.
Management bitched and moaned when I tried to position some of the Poinsettia carts throughout the store.
I mean--I had a serious, ongoing disagreement..but they said "NO!--Cant block this or that!"
So all the carts went into the GH--in the heat....or scattered in the Inside Garden aisles.
We are only one of 4 HD's here that have a GH. A BONUS! The plants thank us...
They no longer build them. Our store is the second oldest in this area. 21 years--and going.

Fast forward about 6-7 years--to bell Nursery days--(Judy? How long have they been in charge???)
ALL Poinsettias now stay on their carts, sleeves ON, and seldom watered. An impossible job!

My previous manager was always bitching--"Go water the Plants!" He was so scared
HIS superiors would come in and see a dry or dead plant.. This is |"my" Donn I am talking about!
He managed out of fear of his neck...Very paranoid...
I used to take one cart at a time into the GH (hose available) and remove each pot from the cart
to the floor to water it. It is impossible to water them on the carts--as I would have to get all the 'blooms" wet.
A big NO-NO!!!

To be honest--It is much better that the Bell people are in charge.
In this respect--I am happy to be sitting in my boring "cage" and answering the hone.

BTW--Have you noticed lately that ALL HD are tearing down the Service desk, the front area, and the walled in
Phone centers and re-doing the whole look?
Service Desks will be moved as will returns--and I may end up sitting at one of the stations
in Kitchens and answering the phones. Hate that thought!
I have gotten so used to all the hubbub at the front--people and managers coming in, sitting down and working
on the other computers. Someone to chat with a little bit. See and hear what is going on....

Who knows WHERE I will be sent.......not happy at all.........Gita

I had to laugh at Speedie's report of what needs to be done in her yarden. I have the same report as yourself speedie. We really haven't done much in terms of cleaning up from the summer and so there is lots to do, or what often happens here....doesn't get done. Yeah, the threat of Sandy put the motivation in most of us to do some things that we might have waited a bit on, but since then not a whole lot of thought has been given to things outside.....what do they say....out of sight, out of mind. With the lower temperatures and me not feeling quite on top of the world, I have stayed inside for a while and only ventured out on Tuesday afternoon to vote.

I am reminded each time I look out of living room window that the Elephant Ears from Coleup need to be dug up and over wintered somewhere. Hopefully I can talk the official digger upper in to doing that this weekend. I put away another EE that I received from Ric and Holly yesterday along with some Calla from Donnerville. I believe there are still several Canna in the back garden that need to be dug up too. With the temperatures lowering by the minute it seems that sooner for digging up will be better than later, due to my motto of wanting to be safe rather than sorry.

To those of you who have already straightened and taken care of most of your yarden maintence, my hat is off to you. Have fun all.

Ruby

After the frost has done its work we just lift our cannas place them in flats and store them in Josh's basement, it has a dirt floor and stone walls so low temps and stable humidity do a really good job of keeping them. Ric

We have a crawl space under our house Ric. It has been a good place to store some things and not so good for others. I believe I have heard John say that some of the things we have lost were mainly due to being too close to the heating system. Sounds like Josh's basement is ideal for you needs. Thanks for the input.

Ruby

Gita- I am sure you know what you are looking at. Either that person is misinformed (very possible) or your eyes deceive you (I do not believe this) It grows many shoots from the surface, like a Calathea or Maranta, all those rhizomey things, etc, ; the Ags as you know tend to just the sticks that are planted in there, with leaves up the stalk. . If I can get to my HD I will check it out. I am happy that my closest HD does still have a greenhouse. And Lowes is newer but has a tiny space.

Although- LariAnn did write about new Ag hybrids coming to production. Here is a link, but none look like Rattlesnake to me
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14676023@N06/sets/72157602296385921/

My yarden task today
is just enjoy the sun some way!

I finally got some pansies planted , and got them at a slight discount by being so late. Bright yellow for front pots, marooon for by the driveway. THe driveway ones will bloom all winter as long as it is mild. I'm sure there is pruning to do somewhere. I have a hedge to tidy up.

Sally, the plants that I have seen at my greenhouse equiped HD are the same as yours, :"Rattlesnake Calathea" not as the Bell rep told Gita an Ag.

Here are two links. Says can divide in spring!
http://marcolange.me/calathea-lancifolia-rattlesnake-plant/
http://www.logees.com/Rattlesnake-Plant-Calathea-lancifolia/productinfo/R2305-4/

Sorry, didn't check price.

Yes that is exactly it! Like I said, I was positive Gita knew and the Bell person could have been wrong. Hmph!
Thanks for the care link to remind me on proper care. I DO plan to divide in spring! Whether wrestling or cutting. It had some tough roots. Mine will be 'priced right' (free) for my Swap buddies!! As the one site said, it does not get brown edges at all in the house. Looked good all winter.
My Canna has not frosted yet but Coleus have melted.
It is nice out! We're going to take the mutt to a park.

lol Sally. Believe me, plant merchandizers are not hired for their knowledge of plants and their care or growing details or even names, let alone prices...

Yup !
Cuz if they were, there'd be almost nobody to hire!
I am tickled to have found ONE guy at my Lowes who knows plants.

Thanks for the links---coleup!

I copied out 2 copies--and will pass one off to the bell girl. She is my favorite! her name is Sue.
Had suspicious, possibly per-cancerous nodules in her breasts last year--so she just had both
her breasts removed rather than look forward to all the stuff to come if they were to turn cancerous.
She is fairly young and very vigorous. A great asset to have her working the plants at our store.

Was out for the summer and then came back hard working as ever. She is one good. hard worker.
She is the one that said it was an Ag. Will give her one of the print-outs.

If I can tear myself away from this computer--my plan is to go outside and dig up all the Cannas.
Tomorrow--i will take part in a Craft Fair with a couple of old buddies...(A he and he).
They invited me to share their spot. it will be tight! I did not realize all that I had laying around
until i started organizing and boxing things up. It is ALL Christmas stuff--ALL hand-made....
NOT lately--but over the past years.

Gita

I did get some outside work done today. Got the mowing and some mulching done, and started cleaning the beds out front, I'm hoping to add a couple inches of compost to them before bad weather, that's the only downside of using a lot of organic material, as it breaks down you lose volume.
I started cutting foam panels for the north side of the GH, the cold radiating from the glazing was causing the heater to cycle too much making temps go higher than I want (50*F at night), and burning excessive amounts of fuel.
I was going to tell Holly, "Ain't no sunshine while she's gone" but today was a beauty, and the weatherman says more good stuff is in the forecast. Doing a happy dance. Ric

Well--
Did not get to digging up the Cannas----saw too many other things to do--so it becomes
a matter of priorities. Cold hardiness--if you wish. The Cannas can wait. More balmy days coming....

Pulled up a bunch more annuals. Did not realize they were still there....raked some leaves...
"Buried" in some pots of tender perennials...piles of dried leaves on top.
Cut back a couple Mums, and tagged all the stems of the cannas to be pulled up so I know what color they are.
By then, the sun was sliding downhill and it got chilly.

Loaded up my car for the Craft Show tomorrow and came in...
And--that's what i did today! Not even worth posting.........G.

HA! That stuff in the sky is just the silly superficial stuff, that doesn't count, but of course you already know that. We know where your REAL Sunshine is... is she home yet?? < =D

Ruby, and I have YET to do any of those things, tooooo! < =/ **hang my head in shame**. It's either rained, or I've been working. I'm just about at the point where I'm gonna say "The heck with it" to mowing the lawn... just about. We'll see what the weather is like on Monday. I worked my dupa off the last 2 days at work, clearing off all the outdoor tables at work... first cleaning up/cutting back the perennials (or as some of our customers call them, "pre-annuals", heeheeheee), then hauling them inside into the greenhouse and organizing them by genus and watering need. My back is gonna fall off. Last night had to do the grocery shopping after work, so once again, NO time to get anything done in the afternoon, got home at dark:thirty PM. Working this weekend, today 8-5, and the way my back is feeling, my FRONT may fall off after the back does. =/ The upside is, I have no in-store backup on the weekends, so I'll HAVE to stay inside to man the register all weekend. =)

Our lawn got cut last weekend. I don't think Mark is keen on doing it again this year. It sure makes quick work of the leaves though

Gita has a lovely morning for the craft fair. Ric has a lovely morning for being distracted from the absence of Lil Miss Sunshine tee hee

Suze- holy smokes!

I didn't get anything done yesterday yarden wise. I read something from DG writer Sharran who said she was going to cut back in the garden but the flowers said "Not, yet, no!" I think mine are always saying that. Or they're always saying "Just come sit with us, enjoy us, let's party and not work!"

Heehee. I have been procrastinating something horrible. Mustmustmust get out there and actually do something.

Now, I will be singing that song all day. Lol.

Holly Sunshine is due in Philly around 9something, coach to Lancaster, and drive home. I would guess she'll be in just http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szRNqPBmqDw LOL Ric

There ya go Jan, another song for you!
Cool 'Ric', 'E' ric C is a fave since he and I had that thing ya know and he wrote about me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EivR78mrRFE

Man did I work today. Cleaned a lot of the shed, stacked pots, organized, threw out a little bit of stuff, not enough LOL. Trimmed the hedge and raked one side up. Arranged pine needles around some plants. Bit of potted plant "work" (play!) . Told Mark he will be quite pleased to see the shed but not the dinner table. Certain tradeoffs are to be expected in life!

Hmmmm, Pillow talk with Slowhand*, intriguing. Must be a little Walter Mitty in all of us. LOL
I spent the day putting the corral back together after having to tear it apart the other week for our gas tank delivery. We had to remove a section of fence and the coal bin to build the pad and facilitate placement of a 100 gallon cylinder. I also got a little more of the greenhouse insulated along with the regular chores. Now, I've got to get in the house and clean up the bachelor pad before Holly gets home. :>} Ric




*Eric Patrick Clapton was born March 30, 1945, in Ripley, Surrey, England.

Oh noes, you're not gonna be serving pelletized lime for dinner, are you Sally!?!? Eeep! ;) "Here Mark, a "Pot" of soup!!" LOL!! (never mind the drainage hole at the bottom...)

I got to play with LOTS of customers at work today, does that count!? < =D

Thank you Ric, now I'll have that song stuck in my head for a few days.... guess it's better than "I'm a little teapot"... don't ask. < =x An early WELCOME HOME HOLLY SUNSHINE!! < =D Lots of prayers for a safe ride home!!

Odd, the computer ate the rest of my (intended) post. :( Now I don't remember what all else I'd typed! Double :(

This message was edited Nov 10, 2012 6:13 PM

One down, a million to go. Got the lawn mowed/leaves mulched (all at the same time) this morning and it kicked my dupa, so now I'm all done. (this getting old stuff is for the birds!). Wondering... the bag is off the mower, so the lawn got mowed/mulched and is all scattered about -- thinking (lazily) I should just leave it all there to decompose for over-winter to feed the lawn's soil. Good idea, right!? (she asks pointedly). ;)

LOL, The Golden Years are here at last....The Golden Years can kiss my @ss.
Quote heard from my dive buddy last week. I agree with my dive buddy. LOL

When we planted the new shade beds around the Evergreen Grouping I forgot to plant the Oak Leaf Hydrangea. I also have a few plants to get out of the ground. Ones that could take some cold weather but can stay there. Canna, Dahlia and I have a few bulbs that still need to get into the ground. Firewood Ric and I need to split and some more clean up around the beds. Ric got a good bit done last week. We are slowly getting there.

Sounds like that would make a dandy Burma Shave sign!

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/burma1.htm

You can search by year here:
http://burma-shave.org/jingles/

One I remember:


Spring
Has sprung
The grass has riz
Where last year's
Careless drivers is
Burma-Shave

speedie- I say yes those shredded leaves are good for the lawn, as long as they are not clumping and matting down.

I always liked looking for the Burma shave signs. Love that one, coleup

I say yes, too, on leaving the chopped up leaves on the grass. had a couple of helpers today in the yarden. 8 and 6 yr old. Didn't get as much done as I would have liked, but we found some cool worms.

Would you believe I actually remember the 1963 if our road signs.. and...a shave. From a while ago in the west !lol

Great link Judy, I actually remember a FEW of those from aeons ago.. driving across country from CA to PA to visit the grandparents... well, Dad was driving, I was just a little tyke back then. :)

I'm happy to report that I left no matting or clumping of leaves n' stuff after mowing yesterday; I went over the yard twice so everything is very finely chopped and scattered about quite evenly. Good thing too, 'cause I woke up to rain this morning! I was actually contemplating just waiting until today or tomorrow to mow, but that "that little voice" told me yesterday morning "Nooo, go out and do it now!", so I did. Thank you Lord! =)

Jan, your little helpers sound like great little helpers to me! Who can pass up a chance to find cool worms in the yard? < =D