Good morning! Can you believe it? Another summer is quickly moving on to fall and, in another week or two, those yellow buses will wind through the streets and apple picking won’t be far behind. Gardens have appreciated the constant supply of water mixed with warmth and sun, seeminly unaware that their season is passing. The weeds, as always, are also flourishing. I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy weeding in the rain.

Today, I thought we might talk about what you can do now to make the fall transition a happier, tastier and prettier one at your house. I have been receiving fall bulb and flower catalogs almost as frequently as I do every spring. Remember the rule for fall planting: six weeks before the first hard frost. At my house, the first hard frost is usually Halloween; but for those of you who live in valleys, it is normally a bit sooner, sometimes by as much as two weeks.

Here are a few ways to plan ahead:

*Walk through your gardens and really look at them. Did you notice holes this spring where you wished there were blossoms instead? Do you want to add some eye-catching drama or a patch of color in one particular spot when spring flowers pass? You can accomplish all this and, in some cases, for little money. Those catalogs offer many options, but you need to decide and order now so you have bulbs in time to plant. Bulbs can go in as late as October, but new perennials such as peonies need six weeks to set roots and get comfy before the cold comes. Local nurseries will have the peonies, new shrubs and perennials you want — and you will be happier picking them yourself. Bulb choices, however, always seem to be somewhat limited in color, kind and new introductions at local stores.

Looking through catalogs will give you a good idea of what to do with those problem areas in your gardens, and then you’ll know what to look for at nurseries. They’ll also give you a good chance to see all of the amazing flowers that come from bulbs.

Daffodils underplanted with crocus could look beautiful in that hole in your garden, and giant allium might be just the ticket for adding some drama in the background. They get 4 feet high and put up a 10-inch wide flower head of white, purple or lavender pink. If you want a lovely splash of color when spring flowers fade, lilies come in so many colors and heights that you will have a hard time choosing. And here’s a bonus — deer don’t like any of the bulbs I’ve mentioned. Think carefully about tulips, though; deer love them.

There are so many bulbs to choose from including iris, bluebells and some of the exotic fritillaria like checkered lilies and ivory bells. And, it is always fun to try something different. Also, don’t forget the bulbs you already have. If your tulips and daffodils didn’t bloom as well as usual this spring, it could be because they are crowded and need to be dug up, separated and replanted. New bulbs for zero dollars – bonus. Check with gardening friends because they might have too many irises and want to trade some for your daffodils. Can’t hurt to ask.

Before you put down that catalog, check out the amaryllis bulbs. These wonderful plants will brighten up your house with gorgeous blooms for the holidays without much fuss. I have at least a dozen at my house and keep them as houseplants year after year. I do not force them for the holidays, but rather let them return to their regular calendar. This means I will have about two dozen blooms starting in March and continuing through April just when I need flowers the most.

If you have an amaryllis and want it in bloom for the holidays, here’s what to do:

At the end of this month or in early September stop watering it and put it in a dark dry place that is cool, but not cold. Bring it out at about Halloween, cut off the wilted leaves, water it well and put it in a sunny place in the house. When you see signs of growth, begin watering regularly and it will bloom for Christmas. When the bloom is gone, cut it off, water and fertilize it like a regular houseplant until the cycle begins again. These bulbs will frequently grow new side bulbs that produce flowers as well, but it takes a couple of years.

*For those of you who grow herbs among your flowers, it is time to harvest if you haven’t already started. Cut some stems, tie them together and hang them in a dark dry place for four days to a week. When dry, strip the leaves, crush and place in labeled jars. Voila! — fresh herbs for the pantry.

If you had a yen for garlic but didn’t grow any, now is the time. Buy some locally grown garlic at a farm or farm stand, split the cloves apart and plant each clove about six weeks before the first frost. Make sure you plant in a sunny spot that is well-drained.

Some of those herbs you grew this summer can be potted up and brought inside for winter cooking. Rosemary and thyme do quite well inside and, if you are careful, basil as well. All of them require what is called “sharp soil,” meaning it drains and dries out quickly. I use a cactus potting soil for inside herbs. If you were lucky or smart enough to grow ornamental oregano this summer, it winters over really well in a sunny window and goes right back outside next spring.

You can take cuttings from some favorite annuals like mosaic geraniums or bright orange coleus and use them as houseplants and take them back outside in the spring as well. I bring several large pots of geraniums in each fall and let them fill my house with blooms all winter. Most begonias, including angel wing, tirella and Rex begonias, will overwinter as well, but some will die back in the pot for several months and re-emerge in March or April to start again.

Beyond spaghetti sauce

Probably many of you remember my stories about growing container tomatoes for my grandchildren. Well, I have a friend who gave me an idea beyond the usual spaghetti sauce or canned tomatoes for the bounty that is beginning. I’m sure you have all seen sun-dried tomatoes in stores. This drying method involves the oven. If I tried to dry tomatoes outside in the sun at my house, every raccoon, chipmunk and a host of other furry creatures would show up for lunch.

My friend said to cut the tomatoes into fairly thick slices and, if you have little ones, just cut them in half. Place them on cookie sheets with baking mats (if you have them) and put them in a 250-degree oven. You can sprinkle them with herbs if you like, but don’t need to. Little ones may be done in about an hour, but big beefsteak slices may take up to three or four hours. The juice will stop running and they will shrink. The more you dry them, the stronger they are. Let them cool and put them in the freezer. You can use them sliced on salads, rehydrate for casseroles or put them on sandwiches.

I hope your dahlias are blooming and your hydrangeas are big and fluffy, and try to keep up with the weeds.

Until next time, watch those tomato plants for green tomato horn worms, walk through your garden and pick a bouquet of brown-eyed Susans and coneflowers, and check for spaces you can fill with bulbs and flowers. But most of all, enjoy the sunshine.

Happy gardening.

Jody Goodwin has been gardening for more than 25 years. She lives in Turner with her husband, Ike, her dog and two cats. She may be reached by writing to her in care of the Sun Journal, 104 Park St., Lewiston, Maine, 04243-4400 or by e-mail at jodyike@megalink.net.

Copy the Story Link