IN THE GARDEN

By Doreen Trudel

September begins a busy time in the garden. Fall is my main planting season. I try to do only supplemental planting in spring, checking the nurseries for unusual plants to add to the flower beds.

Planting in fall allows time for roots to develop before the new shoots appear in spring and fall rains insure plenty of free water made available to those growing roots. Trees, shrubs, perennials and spring bulbs benefit from being planted once the fall rains begin. Anything you find in local nurseries now can be planted in fall. I usually spend September cleaning-up, planning and preparing for October planting.

There is a bit of controversy brewing about the addition of bone meal to the planting hole. Most gardeners have added bone meal to the bottom of the hole when planting or transplanting shrubs, perennials and particularly bulbs.

Recently I have read a number of articles claiming that the beneficial nutrients in bone meal are lost if the bones are processed by other methods rather than the traditional method of steaming. The main nutrient that bone meal provides as a boost to root growth is phosphorus, which is the middle letter P in the N-P-K designation on plant food containers. As a reminder, the N represents the nitrogen which encourages lush foliage. The P stands for phosphorus which aides in root development and the K is the symbol for potassium which enhances bloom development.

I am not a scientist. I just feel you should be aware of the conflicting information circulating about the use of bone meal. I have had success adding bone meal when planting so I will continue to use it. This year I will also try a different organic source of phosphorus available on nursery shelves by looking for the larger P number on the packaging. Gaia Green is one brand of organic fertilizers at Harris Nursery and offers both a steamed bone meal and a high phosphorus fish bone meal.
Other fall garden activities which begin once the weather cools in September include dividing and taking cuttings of perennials, taking hardwood cuttings of roses and pruning lavender, rosemary and Wisteria. When pruning lavender never shear it back to old woody stems. Lavender needs some leafy material from which to produce new growth.

Gladioli can be left in the ground until the foliage yellows. They can then be dug out, cleaned, dried and then stored in a cool, dry place in a paper bag.

If you have not already ordered spring bulbs then buy them now for planting when the weather cools. Buy extra bulbs to force indoors for color during the winter. Start them now for Christmas blooms.

If squirrels or other critters usually feast on your bulbs try protecting them by planting them in wire baskets in the ground. Dig a large hole big enough to hold a cluster of several bulbs. Use an easily bent wire mesh such as chicken wire to form a basket on the bottom of the hole and up the sides. Fill the hole with soil, arrange the bulbs and cover with some soil. Place a piece of the wire mesh over the top of the bulbs making sure it meets the edges of the basket of wire just formed.

Continue to cover with soil and mulch. If your wire mesh is as large as chicken wire the bulbs will grow right through it next spring.

To keep your pond clear of falling leaves temporarily cover it with small mesh netting anchored into the bank of the pond. If you have an old patio umbrella the bare frame can be placed over the pond and the netting can be supported over the spokes.

Plastic and metal plant supports are passé in English gardens. Instead posh gardens are using pruned branches staked among the flower stalks to provide needed supports in tall plants such as Peonies, Chrysanthemums and Asters.

If you have a cold frame, cloches or a greenhouse you can plant winter salad greens which should be ready for harvesting in January.

There are many more reasons to be out in the garden in September but this list should keep you busy until next month.

Here are a few unusual perennials that look their best in fall are Solidago (goldenrod) with its taxi-yellow plumes, Chelone (turtlehead) which has clusters of shocking pink blooms, Caryopteris with arching branches dotted with deep purple flowers, Nerine with its globe of flowers crowning long stems, the various colored flowers of Anemone japonica swaying in the autumn breeze and the orange lanterns of Physalis alkenkengi (Chinese lantern).

Don’t miss this month’s meeting of the Point Roberts Garden Club, Thursday September 13 at 7 p.m. at the community center on Gulf Road. The speaker will be Patricia Fleming, executive director, DRS Earthwise Society, Delta, B.C. She will speak on Earthwise Gardens - An Ecosystems Approach to Beautiful Landscapes including an overview of ecological landscape design, choosing site-appropriate plants to eliminate the need for pesticides creating healthy backyard ecosystems to attract wildlife and conserve water.