September 2006

Edible

• Kale and collards are very hardy greens, and will actually improve in eating quality into the late fall and after frost.  They can be harvested through most of the winter, even under snow, but if the winter is very severe should be protected with row covers.

• Harvest pumpkins before frost .Clip stems close to the vine, but not too close; leave at least two inches of stem on each. Be careful to avoid gouging or bruising the pumpkins.

• Leaf lettuce, spinach, radishes and chard can still be planted for a fall harvest. Mix a green and red leaf lettuce variety and plant in patches in open areas of your veggie and flower garden. These colorful plantings will survive several frosts.

• September is a good time to take a break from fall gardening chores and take the family out for a visit to a local apple orchard. For a listing of local orchards check out the U of I Extension website, 'Apples and More'.

Ornamental

Watch for fall webworms on birches, maples and crabapples. Fall webworms spin a silk web around branches and eat the leaves. The worm is pale green to whitish in color and has two prominent black spots on each segment along with long white hairs. The caterpillars stay inside the web to feed. The numerous webs may not look good, but are really not harmful to the tree. The easiest and most effective control is to prune out the webs that cover the larvae.

Transplant and divide perennials now. If you are planning to transplant established plants, cut them back by half and move to a prepared spot. Keep watered until the plant is established. Divide perennials when flowers get smaller, when the center of the plant dies out or when the plant just gets too big. All transplanting and dividing should be completed by October 1 to allow good root development before cold weather sets in. Check out the University of Illinois Extension website “Gardening with Perennials” at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/perennials.

Fertilize your lawn between September 1 and 15 in northern Illinois. Apply a controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer. Make a last application of a fast-release nitrogen fertilizer in early November.

Grass seed, pesticides and fertilizer can be stored for use next year. Seal the fertilizer bags with tape to keep out moisture. Keep the grass seed someplace cool and dry. Store liquid pesticides in an area where they will not freeze.

Start to bring houseplants indoors before cool weather arrives. Spray the plants with a stream of water to wash off insects. Remove any dead leaves. Isolate the plants from your houseplant collection for two weeks to be sure they have no insect and disease problems.

Plant spring bulbs. Planting bulbs in warm soil temperatures will allow for good root development. Bulbs can be planted into November. Roots will grow and develop as long as soil temperatures are above 45 F, although at a slower rate than early fall planted bulbs. Now is also the time to replace tulips that were planted two to three years ago, because tulip flowering declines year-to-year. Plant daffodils and tulips in groups of at least 12 or more bulbs. Plant small bulbs like crocus in groups of 50 or more.

Autumn is a good time to control Creeping Charlie with a broadleaf weed killer. During the cooler fall weather plants are moving food reserves to the roots. An herbicide applied in the fall is quickly moved to the roots resulting in better control. Make two applications a couple of weeks apart for effective control. Apply the herbicide when no rain is expected for 24 hours.