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This Month in Your Garden
OCTOBER |
Roses |
This month there isn’t too much to
do in the rose garden, other than
dead heading and enjoying the
burst of blooms that many roses
have this time of year. And since you will have all
this extra time on your hands, I thought I would
include a little about propagating roses.
The fall months in California are a great time
to propagate Old Garden Roses by taking cuttings.
First, make sure that your rose isn’t patented. A
rose patent is good for 20 years after the rose was
introduced, so Old Garden Roses (any rose propagated
before 1857) are definitely okay and usually
hardier on their own rootstock than some of the
newer hybrids anyway. Prepare the cuttings by
removing a section of a stem that has a spent
bloom (one with petals that have faded or fallen
off). It should be a young but firm stem. Remove
the bloom and cut the stem from the main stem at
the heel (the place the stem attaches to the main
stem). The heel will provide a good place bottom
for the cutting. The cutting should be about 6-9
inches long, except for miniatures, which can be 2-
4 inches. Make sure the cutting has four bud eyes
where a 5-leaflet leaf is attached. Remove the
leaves from the two bottom bud eyes leaving the
top two leaves on. Use a rooting compound
(following its instructions) and place the cutting in
sterile potting soil in a clean one-gallon container,
with the two bottom bud eyes under the soil and
the two with the leaves still attached above the soil.
Cut off the bottom of a 2-liter soda pop bottle
and place the bottle, with cap on, over the cutting,
slightly burying the edge into the soil. This will act
as a little greenhouse. Place the pot out of direct
sun, and keep the soil damp, but not soaking wet.
After the cutting shows some new growth, which
should be in the next 2 months, remove the cap,
and then after a few days remove the bottle. Let
the new rose harden before you put it in direct light
though, as the new leaves will be very sensitive.
Keep the rose in the 1-gallon container for a
year before transplanting it in your garden. Good
luck! |
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Perennials and Shrubs |
Southern California people who
have those gardens we all sigh
over know that October is one of the keys to gardening
success.
This should be the busiest month for cutting
back, transplanting, cleaning out, dividing and
planting perennials. The only exception would be
tropical plants that need warmer weather to acclimate.
Divide any clumping perennial this month such
as daylilies, ginger, or Shasta daisies. Keep in mind
that some, such as clivia and agapanthus, bloom
better when they are root-bound. These should
only be divided if you want to make more plants or
if they are pushing out of their pots.
Cut back to the lowest growth and fertilize
Santa Barbara daisies, scabiosa and verbena and
they will come back for a nice show in the early
spring.
Shrubs that have been growing all summer
should be cut back and shaped up and this is also
the best time of year to plant new ones.
If you’ve been considering putting in a hedge,
screening out a view with tall shrubs or putting in
an accent bush, planting them now when the soil is
still warm and the air is cooler will reward you
with the fastest growth possible next spring and
summer. You won’t see much growth at first because
all the activity will be underground as the
plants develop a healthy root system first. Then
when the warm weather comes they will be ready
to take off and reward you with the upper development
for which you have been waiting.
This is also the best time of year to put in
vines. Often the inspiration to plant a flower covered
arbor comes in spring, but now is the time to
put in the vines that will be ready to take off and
bloom next spring for that classic look.
When ornamental grasses start to show new
growth at the base pushing up through the last
years growth it is time to cut them back. Cut back
to the point where the top of the new growth is
showing, fertilize, and you won’t be left with unsightly
clumps for too long. |
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Fruits and Vegetables |
| No Update this Month. |
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