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All good things eventually
come to an end and so summer is waning, even as autumn
gives most of us a fresh start. I'll bet your summer
container plantings aren't really benefiting, though, from
the "back to school-oh I love a clean notebook"
boost and aren't dying as gracefully as summer itself is.
You're going to have to help them through this!
Saving Summer
I understand if you just
can't bear the thought of waving good-bye to your wave
petunias just yet. That's okay - you can bring some of
your tropical annuals indoors for the winter, to ease the
pain of parting with them.
If you have the space, a
sunny window and enough moisture, you can save palms,
ferns and other tropicals. Likely though, you'll have more
success with taking cuttings and helping your plants clone
themselves. (It's kind of like Day of the Triffids without
the evil.)
Pick a healthy plant with
no nasty bugs or blights. With a sharp knife, cut off
non-flowering stems 3-4 inches (8-11 cm) long, and strip
the leaves off the lower two-thirds of the stem. Dip the
cut edges in rooting hormone, available at your local
nursery, and stick them in dampened sand or peat moss, or
a glass of tap water. Place the pot, tray or glass in a
sunny spot and wait 3-4 weeks. If the cuttings are in sand
or peat, don't forget to water to keep them damp
throughout that time.
When the roots are at least
1 inch (2.5 cm) long, you can plant them in potting soil
in attractive containers and winter them on a sunny
windowsill or table. This method works well with annuals
such as geraniums (pelargonium), coleus, and some ivies.
You can also try propagating impatiens this way.
Cleaning Up
Now that you've rescued
what you can, get ruthless and empty all of your other
outdoor containers. If you have a compost heap, chop up
the remains and toss them there. Soil too! This is
particularly important if you've been using terracotta or
ceramic containers, as the moisture in the soil will
expand when it freezes and you'll end up with cracked
pots. (If there are any crackpots around my house, I want
them to be of the human variety!)
Next, wash out the empty
containers to remove any disease and fungal spores. If
your terracotta pots have a white build-up from water,
potting soil and fertilizer chemicals, soak them for 24
hours in white vinegar and water with some baking soda
added. Then scrub them with a stiff brush in warm soapy
water. Rinse thoroughly.
Air or sun dry the
containers and then stack them with layers of newspaper
between each. If you have a spot to store them where they
won't freeze over the winter months, all the better. If
not, as long as you've made certain the pots are dry and
well layered with paper, they should be fine until the
spring.
Now you're ready to put on
a show of fall color. I can tell you EVERYTHING you need
to know. Check under “Fall Planting Tips” on the fre*e
articles page of my webs-site.
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About
The Author
Debbie
Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and
operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated
to helping people create outdoor living
spaces that nurture and enrich them. Her
latest how-to guide “Attracting
Butterflies to Your Home and Garden” is
now available on her web site. Visit her
at http://www.paradiseporch.com
and get a free report on “Eight easy
ways to create privacy in your outdoor
space”.
debbie@paradiseporch.com |
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