Download Journal Master Gardener Fall Flowering Anemones Woodford County

September/October 2011
Vol. 5 No. 6
Woodford County
Master Gardener
Journal
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
EXTENSION
MASTER GARDENER
Fall Flowering Anemones
Just when you think your perennial garden
is starting to fade, fall-blooming anemones
add a splash of color to the garden.
These prolific bloomers will continue
blooming for up to five weeks. As a group,
the genus Anemone consists of 100 species
of plants, including spring-, summer- and
fall-blooming flowers. The fall-flowering
anemone species are the show stoppers of
the group.
Anemone x hybrida in rose color.
Anemone x hybrida in double form.
Fall anemones, also called Japanese
anemones, bloom from late July to early
October. Anemones are not native to Japan,
but some cultivars originated in Japan.
Fall anemones will grow in full sun but
prefer a partial shade location, performing
the best with morning sun and afternoon
shade. Foliage tends to burn in hot, dry,
summer conditions. Soil should be fertile,
moist, well-drained and high in organic
matter. Plants prefer consistently moist soil
so mulching is beneficial. Plants can be
killed by wet winter conditions. Anemones
are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 7.
While slow to establish, fall anemones
will become prolific when grown in a preferred site. Be sure to give the plants room
by spacing them 2 to 3 feet apart in the
garden. If the plant starts to spill out of the
space, just dig out the unwanted intruders
and share them with friends.
These mounded plants will grow 2 to 5
feet tall. The taller plants may need to be
staked. Place plants in the mid-border to
background of the garden.
The dark green foliage is attractive from
spring to fall. Foliage darkens after a hard frost.
It is best to remove the foliage in late fall.
Flowers can be white, pink, rose or lilac.
There are single, semi-double or double cultivars available. The slightly cupped flowers
are 2 to 3 inches in diameter and don’t need
to be deadheaded to prolong bloom.
Some of the fall-blooming anemone
species are Anemone hupehensis, Anemone
x hybrida, and Anemone tomentosa. All of
these species produce similar flowers but
have a few differences.
Hybrid anemones, Anemone x hybrida,
are hybrids of several species and are well
adapted to our gardens. Plants can reach 5
feet in height.
Anemone hupehensis flowers a week or so
earlier and is generally shorter (2 to 3 feet)
than A. x hybrida. A. hupehensis has smaller
flowers and tolerates drier, sunnier sites.
Anemone tomentosa is an earlier-flowering
anemone and more tolerant of temperature
extremes than A. hybrida. It is called the
grapeleaf anemone because its dark green leaves
resemble grape leaves. The foliage has a white
pubescence on the underside of the leaves.
Consider adding fall anemones to your
garden. They add beauty to the perennial
garden just as summer bloomers are fading
away and just before mums begin to bloom.
Anemone tomentosa 'Robustissima'
Jennifer Fishburn, Horticulture Educator
University of Illinois Extension
From University of Illinois Extension and Master Gardeners of Woodford County, for Gardeners in West-Central Illinois
Fall Lawn Care
2011 has been a particularly difficult year
to grow grass in Illinois. Over abundant
spring rains, followed by drought in many
parts of the state caused poor grass growth
and death from disease. Fortunately, fall
is the ideal time to think about lawn care
renovation.
Most Illinois lawns are made up of cool
season grasses that thrive in late fall, early
winter, and spring. Therefore, the cool days
and warm nights of fall make a perfect environment for fall lawn care. This includes
aerating and fertilizing to increase the vigor
of the root system and shoots. Dethatching
may be necessary if too much thatch has
accumulated. Fall is also an ideal time to
consider broadleaf weed control.
If you only fertilize your lawn once a
year, this is the time to do it. September is
a key time for fertilizing lawns in Illinois.
An easy way to remember it is by using
holidays. If you fertilize once a year, do it
at Labor Day; two times a year, Labor Day
and Mother’s Day; three times a year, Labor
Day, Mother’s Day, and Halloween.
Core aerifying, dethatching and power
raking are useful lawn care activities. They
help reduce soil compaction and thatch,
improve surface drainage, and improve
conditions prior to overseeding. These
activities are best done when the grass is
actively growing, and that’s usually in spring
or early to mid-fall. The key right now is
to complete the core aerifying, dethatching
and power raking early enough in the fall
for turf recovery to take place before the
onset of severe cold weather.
Postemergence broadleaf weed control
is suited to fall, too, especially for weeds
such as dandelions, buckhorn, broadleaf
plantains, and ground ivy. These weeds are
preparing to go into dormancy for the win-
ter. There is a lot of movement of materials
within the plant and that's when herbicides
work best to kill the entire plant. When
using any lawn or garden chemical, be sure
to read, understand, and follow all label
instructions for the safest, most effective
application of herbicides.
A few hours spent on the lawn this fall
will be paid back next year.
Rhonda J. Ferree, Horticulture Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Fall Seeding a New Lawn
The best time to seed a new lawn or overseed an existing lawn is in late summer.
Seeding in early September has a much
higher success rate than seeding in spring.
Warm days and cool nights combined with
more regular rainfall are ideal conditions
for seedling growth. Also, there is less weed
competition at this time of year.
The first step in seeding a lawn is to prepare the seedbed. A well-prepared seedbed
is essential for rapid, successful establishment of a lawn.
Start by removing all debris from the
lawn area, including large rocks, gravel,
building materials, and roofing. Do not
bury debris because it can interfere with
water movement.
If needed, add soil amendments to the
area. These might include organic matter,
topsoil or pH adjusters such as lime or
sulfur (based on soil tests). Spread organic
matter or topsoil to a minimum of 2 to 3
inches over the area and rototill the site. Rake
the area smooth, again removing any debris
that may have surfaced during rototilling.
If you are overseeding an existing lawn,
rake the area by hand or with a vertical
mower to remove old plant debris. You
can then topdress with soil amendments, if
needed.
Broadcast a complete fertilizer with a
1-1-1 ratio such as 10-10-10, or 5-5-5.
You will need to apply one pound of actual
nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Apply uniformly over the entire area. Rake lightly to
incorporate the fertilizer into the soil.
Second, choose a quality seed for your
lawn. This is particularly important if you
had problems with turfgrass disease in the
past. Select a grass seed mixture with resistance to various diseases. This is often more
expensive, but paying more up front will
save you time and money in the future.
Spread the seed in two directions, dividing the seed into equal portions. This
insures uniform seed distribution. Lightly
rake the seed into the soil and firm or roll
the entire area. This is for good seed to soil
contact.
Third, water the new seed with rain,
irrigation, or manual sprinklers. Mulching
with a light layer of straw is not necessary but it does help keep the seed moist.
Seeds absorb and hold moisture reaching a
point where they burst open. Dry periods
can cause reduced germination rates and
seedling growth. Therefore, you must keep
the seed and young seedlings moist. Light
watering two times a day if not supplied by
rainfall should be sufficient, but every spot
is different so check the area often.
Finally, start mowing with a sharp
mower blade when the grass is between 2 to
3 inches high. Mow regularly and often. If
needed, you can lightly rake off the mulch
but do so when the soil is on the dry side
so you don’t pull the young seedlings out of
the soil.
Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Fall Tips for Controlling Weeds in Lawns and Gardens
Some of the weeds you may have seen this
summer in your lawn and garden are starting to strategize now so they’ll be ready to
torment you next year.
Winter annual weeds such as henbit,
deadnettle, and common chickweed germinate from seed in the fall and spend the
winter as seedlings. If you had a problem
with winter annuals this year, fall is the best
time to control them.
A single ragweed, after spreading its
allergy-triggering pollen, produces an average of 3,380 seeds. Many annual weeds create even more. For example, barnyard grass
produces 300,000 seeds per plant. If the
seeds were people, one barnyard grass plant
in one year would make enough seeds to
populate a city about the size of St. Louis or
St. Paul, Minn.– approximately 300,000.
On average, each ragweed seed remains
viable and able to sprout when the conditions are right for up to 39 years.
Imagine 86 new ragweed plants each
year on average for 39 years – all from one
plant that was left alone to deal with later.
Seeds go in and out of dormancy, and ger-
mination rates decrease over time. Many
of them will not end up being viable, but
even a small percentage of them successfully
growing is a high price to pay for ignoring
one weed.
If you prefer chemicals, consider applying a preemergence herbicide in September,
before these plants germinate again.
Choosing the best chemical will vary,
depending on where the weeds are located.
For many flower gardens, Preen works well.
When using any chemical pest control, be
sure to read, understand, and follow the
label directions for proper use.
If you prefer to use manual control
options, watch for the winter annual weeds
to germinate in late September or early
October. All plants are easiest to control
when they are small. Simply hand pull, hoe,
or rake the weeds out.
Try not to disturb bare soil surfaces too
much because that will bring up additional
weed seeds to the soil surface.
Difficult weeds such as creeping Charlie,
dandelion, white clover, and many thistles
are easier to control with chemical appli-
cations in the fall. These are herbaceous
perennial plants, meaning that they live
from year to year from the same root structures, but above-ground growth dies back
each fall. As the plant moves its food and
energy to its roots to overwinter, it will
move systemic chemicals with it to kill the
entire plant.
Remove debris and weed growth from
among your landscape beds and in spent
vegetable gardens, taking note of which
weeds are most prevalent. If you have a lot
of crabgrass, you should consider using a
preemergence herbicide in the spring that
will control kill the crabgrass seed before it
germinates in your garden.
Bare soil areas often produce more
weeds. Consider planting more perennial
flowers or shrubs to cover the area and outcompete the weeds. Add 2 to 4 inches of
mulch to reduce weed growth in bare soil
areas by keeping weed seeds in the dark and
smothering small-seeded annuals as they
germinate.
Rhonda Ferree and Nancy Pollard, Horticulture Educators
University of Illinois Extension
Don’t Move Firewood!
A pest, the emerald ash borer (EAB), is a
real threat to our urban ash forests. Now
these trees are seriously threatened. The
EAB has killed tens of millions of trees,
destroying our forests, fishing spots, campgrounds and neighborhoods.
Discovered in Michigan in 2002, the
beetle is suspected to have come in cargo
through the ports in Detroit, Mich. From
Detroit it moved west and eventually
entered Illinois.
First found in 2006 in the far west
suburbs of Chicago, it is strongly believed
to have hitchhiked on infested firewood
brought from Michigan.
On its own — flying an annual average of only 1 to 3 miles — it should have
taken about 95 years to reach Chicago from
Detroit. Speeding up EAB’s destructive path
is the artificial spread by people unknowingly
transporting the beetles through infested
firewood and various wood-end products.
Watching where EAB has been discovered
has made predicting where it will show
up very obvious — along major routes of
transportation and near campgrounds.
In Illinois this was very apparent when
in 2008 it was found near the crossroads of
Interstates 39 and 80 in LaSalle-Peru. The
following season it was found along I-55 in
McLean County and in 2010 along I-57 in
Iroquois and Champaign counties. All discoveries were along major transportation routes
often with rest areas nearby where EAB was
found on a purple sticky trap. EAB also has
been found in remote locations in Missouri
and Tennessee. Both findings were near campgrounds where people brought in firewood
and left behind what they didn’t burn.
The most effective way to stop EAB is
to not move firewood. The beetle’s eggs
and larvae tunnel into the trees they infest.
Cutting a tree into firewood does not kill
EAB developing inside of it. Adult beetles
can still emerge, infesting healthy trees
when they do. Often, when discovered,
EAB has been there for several years and
ash trees are dying. Humans can unknowingly transport EAB hundreds of miles in
firewood. That’s why it is so important to
make sure your wood is from local sources
and to burn it where you buy it.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture
recommends you do not carry any unused
firewood with you to your next destination.
Don’t carry it across county or state lines.
The best approach is to not move firewood
from your property, and definitely don’t
move wood out of quarantine areas. At
many parks and campgrounds, firewood is
sold on site. In fact, some state parks will
not even allow people to supply their own
firewood. As an extra precaution, crews are
regularly sent out to collect any remaining
firewood and burn it.
When purchasing any firewood, always
ask about its origins. Ask if it is from a local
source. Once cut, it is difficult to tell what
kind of wood it is; therefore movement of
all hardwood firewood, including ash, oak,
maple and hickory, is regulated. Try not to
keep firewood stored at home.
Before the onset of spring, be sure to
burn your remaining supply of firewood
to eliminate the chance of spreading any
larvae. Take the oath and promise not to
move firewood.
Martha Smith, Horticulture Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Illinois State University’s
Horticulture Center
The Horticulture Center, a recent addition to ISU’s Agriculture Department, was the location
of the last Woodford County Master Gardener meeting. Jessica Chambers, director of the
Horticulture Center, provided an excellent tour and introduced us to the assets of the gardens
as well as the intended future of this community resource.
The photos show some of the features of the current facility. There are plans to expand the
gardens significantly and to add classroom and meeting buildings. The goal of this project is
to provide learning, research and facilities to students, faculty and the community.
 One of the many prairie plants used in the
gardens. This is cup plant.
The entrance to the Children’s garden where
plants are chosen for their colors, textures,
scents and uses. Some are decorative, others
edible. All are chosen to engage a child’s imagination in gardening.
A decorative bed planted with annuals chosen
for their strong colors and architectural interest.
Many beds are used to show the uses
and variety of plants for homeowner
gardens.
 A food plot of amaranth, a grain used in many parts of the world.
 A vegetable garden, with many edible
plants, different types of trellis and raised
beds. Also included is another feature of all the
gardens: art created by students. This is a giant
fork, appropriate for the edible garden.
Views of the prairie
established at the
Horticulture Center.
Both native grasses
and wildflowers are
included in this installation. It is focused on
the public's interest
in native plants and
energy-conserving
landscapes.
Jane Flanders Osborn, Woodford County Master Gardener, University of Illinois Extension
Anticipating frost: what to do
with frost sensitive plants
October 14th should be circled, underlined,
highlighted, starred, and asterisked on your
calendar as it is generally considered to be
the average date of first frost in our area.
First frost has occurred as early as September
22 and as late as November 7 in our area so
nature, as usual, keeps us guessing and playing the odds.
What does all this mean? Well it means
that if you don’t want your basil to turn to
mush, you better harvest it soon.
A few of the plants that are frost sensitive include ageratum, begonias, impatiens,
annual vinca, celosia, coleus, geranium,
salvia, zinnia, tomato, pumpkin plants,
okra, cucumber, sweet potatoes, as well as
tropical plants such as bananas, hibiscus, and
elephant ear, and other house plants.
We have several options when dealing
with frost sensitive plants. We could wait
until 10:15 some night. The weather person
announces the chance of frost. With flashlight in hand we make a quick round-up
of all our houseplants, cover all the tender
plants with bed sheets, and harvest all the
green tomatoes using our pajamas as the
basket. Or we could just shed a tear to
another passing summer and let nature take
her plants to the happy compost pile in the
yard. However, gardeners being gardeners we
like to stretch the boundaries and we hate to
watch any plant die.
We can pot a few of those tender flowers
for winter enjoyment. It’s best to get them
ready for the trip indoors by potting them
early and placing them in a shady spot for a
week. Think of it as a halfway house or Ellis
Island for plants. Annual flowers such as
vinca, begonia, geranium and impatiens will
continue to flower indoors. Not all annuals will flower but can certainly be saved for
next year’s garden. Coleus also makes an
attractive houseplant. Rosemary can take
freezing temperatures, but have her potted
and ready to go inside once temperatures dip
below freezing.
Before bringing plants indoors, check for
insects. Some common plant pests include:
aphids; scale; whitefly; and spider mites. If
insect pests are suspected, plants can then be
treated with insecticidal soap such as Safer’s
or Ortho. Insecticidal soaps are specially
formulated soaps to be used on plants and
have low toxicity. Read and follow all label
directions.
Whether or not you notice pests, it’s
generally a good idea to wash the leaves and
stems of any plants with a steady stream of
water before bringing them indoors. With
potted plants the constant drenching of the
soil will also help to drive out soil critters like
pill bugs and ants. Plants can also be repotted
with new soil to make sure there are no
unwanted guests.
If tender plants such as geraniums and
coleus are particularly large, take 4 inch to
6 inch long stem tip cuttings. These can be
rooted in small pots with soiless mix. A plastic bag over the top will keep in moisture.
The plants generally root in about two weeks.
Seeds of marigolds, celosia, zinnia, and
others can be collected. Make sure the seeds
have ripened adequately before harvesting
which usually means a color change from
green to brown. Keep in mind seeds from
hybrid varieties generally will not produce
plants that look exactly like their parents.
Store seeds in refrigerator or other cool,
dry place.
Tender vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and sweet potatoes should be
harvested before a frost. Wrap green tomatoes individually in paper and store at 60 to
65 degrees F. They will continue to ripen
slowly over the next several weeks. They do
not need sunlight to ripen.
The roots of tender perennials such as
dahlia, caladium, canna, and elephant ear
should be dug before a hard freeze and stored
in a cool, dry place. Enjoy the remnants of
summer with this beautiful weather.
Sandra Mason, Horticulture Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Home Vegetable Gardening in the Fall
Home vegetable gardeners may be busy
harvesting this time of year, but it’s also a
time to plant and prepare for next year’s
garden. For instance, it is the ideal time to
plant garlic (see article below).
You can also extend the harvesting
period by using frost-protection techniques
such as covering plants with blankets or
plastic films during the nights when freezing temperatures are predicted.
However, there are very hardy vegetables such as beets and carrots that can
survive freezing night temperatures and
can be harvested into the winter months.
Cover them with about a 6-inch layer of an
organic mulch such as straw or hay after
the first hard frost.
Harvesting of carrots and beets can
continue in winter through early spring
before carrot shoots appear.
Brussel sprouts, kale, and parsnips can
also be harvested after freezing weather,
and the quality of the harvestable parts is
very high after being exposed to freezing
temperatures.
Spinach can also be harvested after the
first frost, and some may overwinter and
start growing in early spring as the ground
warms up.
After harvesting other vegetables from
the garden home, gardeners should clean
up all the debris, weeds, stalks, and plant
parts that remain. It is advisable to discard
any diseased plant material and weeds
loaded with seeds. The other plant materials can be composted or rototilled into the
soil. You can apply compost or manure
and till it in at this time.
You may need to give your garden a winter cover by planting winter cover crops in
early September to mid-October. The commonly planted winter cover crops in northern
Illinois are winter rye and spring oats.
Plant your cover crop by scattering
seeds over tilled soil at the rates of 3 to
5 pounds of winter rye or 2.5 pounds of
spring oats per 1,000 square feet and rake
the seeds in gently.
Plow in the cover crops the following
spring to improve fertility and organic
matter content of your garden.
Remember to clean up your garden
tools, oil them and store them in late fall.
Store leftover pesticides in their original
containers and follow label directions
before disposing of any leftover pesticides.
Maurice Ogutu, Horticulture Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Time to Plant Garlic
Probably no other legal herb has had as many
faithful followers. Throughout history garlic
has been reported to have magical, mystical,
and medicinal properties. Garlic has been
prescribed medicinally since pre-biblical
times. And even today there is great interest
in the pungent properties of garlic.
Although garlic is easy to grow it does
take a little forethought for an abundant
crop next summer. Mid-September through
mid-October is garlic planting time. Garlic
needs to be planted at least six weeks before
the soil freezes. In fall when it’s cool and day
length is short, garlic forms roots and begins
sprouting. Garlic actually needs a cold period
for proper shoot and bulb development.
In spring, leaf growth resumes. In June,
as days become warmer and day lengths are
long, leaf growth ceases and bulb formation
begins. Spring planting of garlic is fine, but
it will not produce the large bulbs as with fall
planting. In spring cloves could be planted
thickly in a row then harvested and eaten in
the same manner as green onions.
Garlic grows best in full sun in welldrained loam soils that are fertile and high
in organic matter. Raised beds may be
needed in poorly drained areas. Apply
3 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per
100 square feet at planting time or use
organic fertilizers such as blood meal or
soybean meal. Also incorporate compost or
other organic matter. Spade or till amendments into the soil.
Once soil is prepared, separate individual
cloves from the main garlic bulb and plant
cloves 3-5 inches apart with points up and
cover to a depth of 1-2 inches. Allow 15 to
18 inches between rows or plant 5 inches
apart in all directions if using raised beds.
Do not divide the bulb into cloves until
immediately before planting. Generally a
larger clove at planting time equals a larger
sized bulb at harvest.
Mulch with 4-6 inches of seed-free straw
after planting to moderate soil temperatures
in winter and early spring, and to control
weeds. If properly planted, cold temperatures will not hurt garlic.
Garlic bulbs should be dug when the
tops start to yellow, usually in July. Do not
wait until all leaves are brown. Harvest when
about five green leaves remain.
Place bulbs on screen trays to dry in a
cool, well-ventilated and dark place. Bulbs
may be braided or bunched with twine and
hung to complete drying. Mature bulbs
will generally keep for months if stored in a
cool, dry and dark area. The beauty of
planting your own garlic is it will reward
you tenfold with plenty of garlic to share.
The many flavorful varieties of garlic
are fun to try. Varieties fall into two main
types: hardnecks and softnecks. Hardnecks,
as their name implies, form a hard central
scape with small bulbils at the ends. Tops
of scapes are often harvested in summer for
eating just like green onions. Hardnecks
are known for their robust flavor. Softnecks
do not form a central hard scape and are
commonly the ones found in grocery stores.
They are known for their long keeping
qualities of up to one year.
Elephant garlic is not true garlic, but a
type of leek that forms a pungent bulb that
tastes similar and resembles a garlic bulb.
A few good varieties for Illinois include
hardneck types: Spanish Roja, Carpathian,
Georgian Crystal, Music, Metechi, and
Persian Star. Softnecks include Inchelium
Red, Idaho Silverskin, and Persian Star.
Garlic flavors are enhanced during storage.
Check out farmers markets, local garden
centers and internet specialty companies for
garlic to plant. Once you start a tradition of
growing garlic each year, be sure to save the
best and the biggest bulbs to replant.
Sandra Mason, Horticulture Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Gardening Tips for Autumn
Early
Cut or pull weeds to keep them from dropping seeds.
Sow seed for winter onions and late planting of radishes.
Harvest the last peaches of the season. Start harvesting
apples.
Stop fertilizing roses. Any new growth will not have time to
harden off before frost.
Do fertilize lawn areas. This is the most important fertilizing
for turf of any during the year.
If you are saving heirloom flower and vegetable seeds,
collect them now before they disperse.
Check your wildflower seed heads. Some can be invasive so
deadhead the flowers. Dig out any excess plants.
Dig and divide crowded daylilies. Trim off any dead tissue
and replant. Start a new bed with the extras. Transplant
other perennials which need dividing.
Mulch transplants to conserve moisture.
Collect dropped fruit and add it to your compost pile. Left
on the ground, it can be messy and attract mice.
Keep your tomatoes and peppers watered and picked. They
can have weeks of production left.
Pick herbs for drying or freezing.
Plant a tree.
Drain and store garden hoses before freezing temperatures.
Continue to deep-water needled and broadleaf evergreens.
Remove plant debris from diseased or insect-infested perennials. Dispose of material and don’t compost.
Before bringing houseplants indoors, inspect the plant and
soil for pests.
Empty, clean and store decorative containers.
Remove annuals from the garden.
Start a compost pile with leaves and annuals removed from
the garden.
Continue mowing turf grass until growth stops.
Cut back perennials known to reseed, such as purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, northern sea oats and blackberry
lily.
Transplant and divide perennials.
Harvest herbs for drying or freezing. Hang sage and oregano clean stems upside down in a dark space.
Pick bagworms from evergreens. Pesticide sprays are not
effective at this time. Spray with Bt products such as Dipel
or Thuricide next year in mid to late June.
Late
Amarylis bulbs will be beginning their dormant period. Do
not water them. Place pots in a cool dark place. Dormancy
begins once the leaves turn yellow.
Replant containers with frost resistant plants such as mums,
pansies and flowering kale. Place old plants in the compost.
No need to replace soil unless diseases were a problem.
After the first frost, dig up tender bulbs such as dahlias,
caladiums, cannas and gladiolus. Cure in a warm room and
then store at approximately 55 degrees F.
Plant spring flowering bulbs for early October planting.
Keep picking broccoli florets so they produce until frost.
Keep picking sweet peppers, but leave a few to ripen.
Yellow and green sweet peppers will turn red and develop
a new and delicious flavor.
When cutting late cabbages, cut just above the lowest leaves
on the stem. Small and very flavorful heads will form in the
leaf axils for later harvest.
Keep pulling weeds in the vegetable garden and flowerbeds.
They are developing seed heads and will come back to
haunt you in the spring if allowed to stay.
Leave the flower heads on purple coneflowers and sunflowers
to mature and provide food for wild birds over the winter.
Brussels sprouts will continue to develop. The more you
pick, the more they will produce. But leave some to sweeten
after frost.
Plant winter rye or spring oats to cover bare ground in the
vegetable garden. Turn under in spring as green manure.
The average date of the first killing frost is October 14.
Earlier light frosts are possible so be ready to cover tender
plants you may want to save. Also, remember the plants in
pots. They may need to be moved to a protected spot.
Pull all the plants that have finished bearing and add them
to the compost pile.
Your pine trees maybe dropping their inner needles. This is
normal and will provide “pine straw” for use as mulch.
Leave ornamental grasses in the garden for winter interest.
Continue to deep water needled and broad-leaf evergreens.
Add compost to garden beds.
Wait until the ground freezes before mulching plants.
Avoid severe pruning of trees or shrubs now. Wait until
February or March for most trees or shrubs. Spring bloomers should be pruned immediately after blooming time.
University of Illinois * U.S. Department of Agriculture * Local Extension Councils Cooperating
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
Master Gardener Staff
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are easy to grow perennials whose beautiful full flowers are used in
bouquets, corsages and centerpieces. Home
gardeners can choose a wide range of colors
and heights for autumn color. Find the
right mums for your garden to encourage
maximum growth and a full range of these
unique blossoms.
Start by designing the chrysanthemum bed.
Chrysanthemums like well-drained soil in
full sun. They need regular water until their
roots are established. Use a water-soluble
fertilizer occasionally for rich foliage and
brilliant flowers. They grow 1 to 4 feet
tall depending on the variety. Leave room
to stake the mums if they bend under the
weight of flower heads.
Grow chrysanthemums from seeds, cuttings or bedding plants. Gallon-size mums
give the gardener a good start for shortseason or cold weather climates. Garden
centers carry chrysanthemums in summer
that often have blooms beginning to show
color. They are ready to plant for an instant
garden pick-me-up.
Select their garden neighbors well. Plant
tall mums as a background behind annual
flowers or groundcovers. They also grow
well tucked as single plants between other
perennials. Shorter chrysanthemums are
excellent as border or container plants.
Mums flower from mid-summer to early
winter. For a full season garden, plant the
mums among spring-flowering plants. Their
dark green foliage is a lovely contrast for
early-blooming bulbs and spring-flowering
perennials. When the other flowers are done,
mums begin their long season flower display.
Pick mums for color and flower size.
Colors range from white and yellow to pink
to deep burgundy. Flowers vary from buttonsize blooms to 8-inch full globe-shaped
flowers. Chrysanthemums have flat daisylike flowers, crested flowers and pompom
ball-shaped flowers.
Seek out new chrysanthemum varieties.
Try spreading groundcover mums with
their low height and small flowers. Look for
miniature mums. The minis are primarily
indoor plants but can be set outdoors in
mild weather and used as border or container plants.
Give the gift of chrysanthemums. When
autumn is near, supermarkets and garden
centers offer beautiful blooming mums in
pots. They come in every color and style.
University of Illinois
Woodford County Master Gardeners
Susan Baker
Cathy Bandeko
Bruce Brown
Roger Burdette
Keith Cable
Karen Kauffman Dickson
Lisa Garber
Paul Gottshall
Ann Heisler
Lisa Hill
Ed Hoekstra
Betty Holmes
Eunice Kaisner
Kenneth Katch
Karel Kauffman
Cheryl King
Mike Kirwan
Shelby Knoll
Mary Niemi
Jane Flanders Osborn
Jack Pfaffmann
Bunny Randall
Vicki Ridle
Susan Rowen
Karen Ruckle
Linda Simpson
Kenneth Smith
Gretchen Strauch
Pam Terry
Kathleen Wilke
Joni Wolffe
Master Gardener
Presentations
Tuesday, October 11 - 6:30 p.m.
Eureka Public Library
Karen Ruckle, Woodford County
Master Gardener will present on
"Hummingbirds"
Telenet Class Schedule
There is a $5 suggested donation for each
telenet presentation. Black and white handouts will be made available only to those
who pre-register. You can register by calling
the Extension office at 467-3789 at least one
day prior to the telenet. Master Gardeners
(active and interns) are exempt from the
suggested donation.
Invasive Weeds
October 4 at 1:00 p.m., Extension office
October 6 at 7:00 p.m., Eureka Library
Sustainable Landscapes
October 18 at 1:00 p.m., Extension office
October 20 at 7:00 p.m., Eureka Library
Community Gardens
November 1 at 1:00 p.m., Extension office
November 3 at 7:00 p.m., Eureka Library
Dendranthema (den-DRAN-theh-muh)
Common Name: Garden mum, chrysanthemum
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Average to rich, well-drained
Moisture: Average in summer, dry in winter
Blooms: Fall
Zones: 5 - 9 for the hardy types, florist mums are
often treated as annuals
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
EXTENSION
MASTER GARDENER
Woodford County Extension
117 West Center
P.O. Box 162
Eureka, IL 61530
309-467-3789
http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/mg