Divide And Conquer

For some reason we never stop to consider fall as a busy time in the garden, and yet when I stopped to think through the various jobs and projects getting under way, we’re as busy or busier than in the spring. Much more tired, but just as busy … LOL.One sobering difference, though, is that in the spring the workload geometrically increases, whereas now it is starting to slacken off in a very slow, but perceptible progression. The last of the perennials will soon be planted with plenty of time to settle in before what is prognosticated to be a cold and snowy winter. And if you think my cold thoughts are premature, late in the first week of October in 2014 it was 34 degrees in Westhampton.

We’ll be digging and dividing some of our day lilies any day now. Knowing that the new lily bulbs will arrive from Oregon in about a month, I’ve flagged their planting sites and will prep their holes and soil so the planting can be quick and easy. Now, while you may not have a ton of day lilies, it’s not too late for you to divide your own clumps where they’ve become too large or if you need to increase your stock. During the summer there was a definite shortage of blooms because the deer snatched them each night just before they would open. This has had some interesting physiological effects on the plants, because most of them are now about to bloom as if it were late June. Unfortunately, in order to divide the larger clumps, it becomes necessary to prune off the flower stalks and trim the foliage back to only 6 inches or so. This reduces transplant shock and forces new root growth.

Once the foliage is cut back I simply take a pruning spade that has a blade 6 inches wide and about 15 inches long with a short handle. This tool enables us to dig small, tight pieces right out of the crown of the plant or from the side while not disturbing the “core” of the parent plant that will be left behind to regenerate and fill out.

Some varieties of day lilies are very prolific and can be divided every few years, while others can be divided only every third or fourth year. It’s usually the more desirable and newer introductions that develop dividable clumps more slowly.

When replanting the pieces taken from the mother plant, simply dig a hole as deep as the root system and gently lay the plant into the hole so that the crown sits at the same height as it was before. Planting too deep could result in rotting of the crown, while planting too high could result in winter kill. Plant right into any average to sandy soil without any fertilizers added until early spring. There may be some merit to putting some bone meal, triple super-phosphate or a “brewed” biostimulant in the planting holes to stimulate root growth, but I’ve never tried it with this group of plants and can’t comment on the results, although I doubt the necessity. Water them well and at least weekly unless there’s plenty of rain.

It’s also nearly time to get the tuberous dahlias, caladiums and cannas out of the ground. If you plan on saving these fleshy roots, corms and tubers for replanting next summer there are a number of things to do now.

First off, plan on digging them sooner instead of later. Hard to do with the gorgeous dahlias,as they will bloom for another eight weeks, but if you want to hold them over, compromise will be the rule. Be careful when digging so that you don’t damage the unseen goodies in the ground, and try to dig with foliage attached. This facilitates handling and later identification. Once dug, the soil should be completely shaken or washed off and the remaining plant put in a warm place to dry. Now dry does not mean wither. Mother Nature will wither the roots on her own between now and May. You want to be left with firm, plump tubers and roots, and all bulbs, including bulbs like the caladiums, Alocasias and Colocacias, should be free of mold, soft spots and rot.

As a method of protecting against any deterioration during the storage period, we sometimes drench the material in a fungicide bath, but this means an extra drying step and is generally worth it only if you have a large and valuable collection. Division of the clumps and tubers will take place in the spring, so be ready to pack everything away.

Both dahlia and canna tubers should be packed in dry to ever-so-slightly moist peat or sphagnum moss (with no soil present) and gently packed into dark-colored plastic bags. The bags can be tied at the top, but some small holes should be cut into the bag. No ventilation will cause a heat buildup with all of the organic material present, and you’ll be left with a bag full of mush in March.

The bags should be stored in a cool, dark place. No, an unheated garage will not do, as these tubers will not tolerate freezing, though they can take the cold to 45 degrees. An unheated basement or crawl space or per chance a root cellar is perfect, but set some mouse traps just to discourage visitors.

Caladiums, which may have cost you 10 to 30 dollars in full foliage last June, can be stored, but they require different care. Since they are truly perennials in the tropics, they must go dormant and the bulb must be kept in a dark, but warm place. They can be packed just as described above, but keep them in a closet or some other place where the temperature will remain close to 50 degrees. You can begin to force them again in April or even March, but the soil temperature must be 70 degrees or you’ll end up with naught.

Last chance for some pruning while you can still tell dead limbs from live ones. Remember how hard it was when you waited past leaf drop last year? Start getting the old plants out of the vegetable garden and put some annual rye down before it’s too cold for it to germinate. Still another eight good weeks of bulb planting time, but the earlier they get planted the sooner they set roots. More roots now, better blooms next spring. A general rule of thumb is that tulips get planted sooner and daffs later in the season.

In the lawn, look and feel for signs of grubs. Look and feel you say? Yes, as you’re walking around, soft, hilly spots and tunnels indicate the presence of moles. These insect-eating (as in grubs) pests are actually very helpful in that they are good indicators of potential problems below the soil surface. It’s too late now to treat the lawn for grubs, as they are beginning to migrate down to warmer, deeper soil, but make mental note of where the problem was so that next spring you can take appropriate action as the soil warms and they begin feeding again. DON’T kill the moles … all you accomplish by doing this is to eliminate the indicator and predator … kill the grubs and the moles will move on.

Remember we’re still in a serious drought. Until the ground freezes or your outdoor water is turned off you should continue to water any new or transplanted trees, shrubs and perennials. Continue to water your lawn if you can, especially if you’ve done new lawn work or renovation.

Got weeds? Perennial weeds? This is the best time to control dandelions, creeping ivy, plantains and other perennial weeds. If you get them under control now they can’t flower and produce more seed next spring and summer. If you’ve ordered peony roots they will be arriving any day. Make sure you know how to plant them, as planting them wrong will result in no flowers. Planting them right will result in plants that will flower for generations. Keep growing.