The Whistling Gardener

by Steve Smith

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, located at 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., and a respected local expert on all things horticultural. You can reach Steve at 425-334-2002 or by e-mail at [email protected].

With all the wind and rain we have had recently it is all I can do to keep myself motivated. I suspect many of you are feeling the same way. But the gardening season is far from over and much of what we accomplish this month will return to us a healthier and happier garden come next spring. There is still time to plant new shrubs and trees, dig and divide perennials, overhaul the lawn, plant some fall veggies, redo the pots on the patio and plant some bulbs for spring blooms. Don't waste this opportunity to do some last minute tweaking before winter comes to stay.

WATERING: Now, this might seem like an odd topic this time of year but I need to remind you that, despite the scattered rains we have received recently, the ground is still very dry and it would be prudent to help Mother Nature by getting out the hose and soaking the beds and lawn at least one time this month. Just trust me on this one, it's worth the effort and expense.

LAWNS: Last chance to plant a new lawn or overseed an established one. It's best if you can finish up these chores by the middle of the month, before the soils cool down too much. Aerating, dethatching, and controlling moss can all be accomplished now. Cooler weather can bring on diseases such as rust and red thread. Both can be treated by improving drainage, fertilizing and/or applying a fungicide. If you haven't applied a fall fertilizer yet then October is a great time to do it. Use an organic fertilizer that won't leach out of the soil with the first rains.

ROSES: Stop fertilizing and let your roses slow down and mature. Leave a few finished blooms on to form hips. Continue to clean underneath the plants and remove diseased leaves. Don't do any hard pruning now, just a little snipping to tidy them up. Once the nights get into the 30's then we can do some serious mulching and pruning, but that usually doesn't happen until November. Normally we have until Thanksgiving to prepare for the winter, but after last year's early November freeze, I think we would be well served to be ready a few weeks earlier this year.

PERENNIALS: There are still some late bloomers that look great: asters, mums, Japanese anemones, cone flowers, Russian sage, sedum and toad lilies to name just a few. Ornamental grasses are just spectacular now. Enjoy the last blooms of the season and don't rush to tidy things up. There are lots of seeds in those old flower heads that the birds will enjoy. Wait until the first frost to really start cleaning up the perennial beds. In fact, you can even wait until mid to late February to do it.

ANNUALS: I just finished pulling out my impatiens and petunias and the Missus has already filled back in with pansies. She also tucked some bulbs underneath them for a nice spring surprise. While we think of pansies as annuals, they are actually extremely hardy perennials that will bloom all fall, winter and early spring. Dollar for dollar they are every bit as good of a deal as summer annuals so don't be afraid to plant them anywhere you had annuals this last summer. Add some to your containers along with some hardy perennials and ornamental grasses for fall and winter interest.

BULBS: this is high season for planting bulbs. By next month the selection will not be nearly as good although you can still plant clear into December. Whether planting in the ground or containers, always add some bone meal or bulb food to the planting hole for superior performance and more vibrant colors. With some careful planning you can have blooming bulbs from January until June, sometimes all in the same pot.

VEGETABLES: Plant fall crops now and control winter weeds by either laying-on a 2-3 inch layer of compost or planting a cover crop. Building a cloche (a temporary greenhouse-type structure) will also help to produce a successful winter crop. Root and leaf crops can both be planted this month.

FALL COLOR: This is the month to experience the best of the fall color the northwest has to offer. Traditional plants like maples, mountain ashes, sumacs and burning bushes are coming into their glory as we speak. I'll talk more about fall color in my next "Boring Yard Buster" column.

If you have questions you can reach me at Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville at 425-334-2002 or online at [email protected]