What can be planted now for fall color?
The cottage garden in Fall, what plants?
There are lots of nice mum and aster selections to choose from for fall color, but it will probably be a month or so before you start seeing them at the nurseries and garden centers. Japanese anemones and Toad lilies are also nice fall bloomers, but typically are sold in spring. In your zone there are lots of options that wouldn't necessarily do well here too. Sounds like you've got a great excuse to do some fun browsing at local garden shops :-)
Yes! I love mums they are definitely on the list.
Regardless of zones what is anyone planting now? Or will plant for next year?
Hard pressed to find a time of year I'm not planting anything, lol, but I try to avoid planting when hot weather is here or when its dry. So far we're having a pretty mild, wet summer, so I'm still at it- mainly because I'm behind on planting wintersown seedlings. This is also a good time to find clearance items at the garden centers of many box stores. They may require some extra babying- close attention to watering or sometimes shading them a bit, but I've had good luck planting things throughout the summer. Spring and fall are the most ideal times for planting though. How is your weather now?
I've been doing plant rescues all summer from the bargain table at Walmart and Home Depot and planting them for my mom, who was compaining that the front of her house was bare and looked like no one lived there. I'm sticking to various shades of pink and white. She loves pink.
I'm going for a cottage-y look, which I guess is good thing since the available markdowns are random, lol
So far I've planted blushing bride hydrangea, compt de chambord rose, deep pink geraniums, light and hot pink petunias, white vinca, white and pale green caladiums and recently some pale rose and cream zinnias.
Not planted yet: white victoria salvia and cream colored scutillaria.
The Houston area is notorious for being hot and humid and usually wet, but we haven't had any good rains this season so it's hot, humid and. . . dry. What a combo. This is the first time I've had to hand water very much.
I am still planting winter sown babies and some perennials I purchased as plugs this spring. Then there are the ''have to save '' ones on the clearance racks. Just put in a bloonflower,gaillardia, and salvia . all rescue cases.
Ooo - I am still so disappointed that I missed winter sowing this year; but I'm still doing coffee filter/ baggie methods on some perennial seeds that I hope will do okay - at least in the shade....
As for the orignial topic (oh, yeah...) I used to live in a similar zone, Prickle (almost called you pickle, ha!) If you have room inside to start some seeds, I'd set up some nasturtiums in a couple of weeks. Sunflowers are start-able about any time of the year for you, if you have no seeds, Thompson-Morgan has a great selection. Some of them barely look like sunflowers, with different colors and heights. Zinnias are another one you can direct sow and will do fine. Salvias... your garden centers should start gearing up here, soon...
Neal, you do petunias, don't you? When do you put those in?
I do a few petunias, and usually try to get them in the ground in late April or early May. These days I'm just growing the species type that self seed readily.
I'm going to have to try winter sowing this year. I've been following several forums on it for years but have never tried it.
Pagancat: I got some sunflower seeds today. If I start them now will they bloom this year still or am I starting them for next year?
I think you should still be able to get some blooms in before the end of December, easily - they sprout quickly. I don't think they'll take a frost unless you put them against a concrete wall or provide some other microclimate. Be sure to put them somewhere the birds can get to the heads (after you've saved the seeds *you* want, lol....). They'll strip it clean.
I planted mums last fall, probably in September as I don't plant in the hot months of July and August. They bloomed until almost Christmas and then came back and have been blooming off and on all summer. I usually plant pansies/johnny jump ups in the fall too. They will bloom until next summer when the heat will do them in. My spring larkspurs reseed themselves and some will come up and bloom this fall. Most of them will come up next spring.
Tammy, what's this "coffee filter" method you mentioned? Sounds interesting!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/747166/
Hi, PrimroseSue, You may know the 'coffee filter method' under the name "Deno method" of seed starting. The above link is to a thread that gives a lot of info on it. I have used it in the past and find it quite do-able~~even for a seed starting klutz like me!
As for late summer blooms here in Ohio, Zone 6, in recent years I have had really good luck with a late re-blooming (September/October) short/median purple iris (of course, I can't find the pic when I need it.), a few late blooming daylilies and right right now we have our perennial hibiscus 'Plum Crazy' in bloom.
FYI for more ideas on late bloomers for midwest gardens, I made some more notes in my DG Diary...
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/tabasco/4269/ (but now that I look at it, i see I have to update it!)
Tabasco, do you own the Deno manual?
No, I don't own it, but I think it's available from Amazon in used condition...
I just use the info I find online about Dr. Deno and the Deno method. That info serves me well enough for right now since I am such a beginner on seed starting...
Hmmm... haven't had much luck on Amazon. I, too, am pretty much a beginner.