Five things to do this week in the park.
1. Here's Tom Anderson's formula for repelling raccoons, but I think it can also be effective in repelling thirsty, nocturnal, pipe-chewing creatures, a topic covered in a previous column. “I have a koi pond near the lake forest preserve,” he wrote. “I tried everything, including motion-activated sprinklers, lighting and electric fences, but to no avail. I found a spray that was easy to make and worked for three years straight. Mix one large bottle of Frank's RedHot Xtra hot sauce with one gallon of hot water in a two-gallon spray bottle and two tablespoons of Dial liquid soap. Shake it well and you're good to go. I water the edges of the yard and the entire koi pond every week in the summer and twice a month in the winter. All koi are safe and growing well."
2. Japanese Anemone (Anemone x Hybrida) A fall garden staple is a fall perennial. Imagine salmon-pink flowers that look like porcelain pearls blooming at the end of 3- to 5-foot stems. Perfect replicas of grape leaves surround the base of the stem. Despite their beauty, Japanese anemones are one of the fall garden's best-kept secrets because they don't bloom until maybe two years after planting, so they need time to acclimate to garden conditions . At the same time, the leaves become crisp and brown at the edges and may be thrown away before they have time to pick them. Since Japanese anemones grow from rhizomes, they will spread over time, so be patient until they finally bloom. You can cut them back to the ground when the flowers and leaves have faded, as this will help the rhizomes to grow once the weather warms in spring.
3. Plant strawberries the rest of the fall, as they take advantage of spring to leaf out and develop a strong root system that will serve them well during flowering and fruiting. If you have a strawberry garden, you can take rooted plants and plant them in composted soil to give the plants the best chance of growing in the fall. It should be remembered that the main root growth occurs not only in strawberries, but also in the fall in fruit grapes and fruit trees. In fact, it is recommended to use an autumn fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus; the latter is particularly beneficial for root growth. Do not fertilize with foods containing nitrogen, as nitrogen promotes leaf growth, which is undesirable now that a cold night can kill them.
4. Where would we be without cyclamen? This tuberous perennial plant can live for decades if not watered in summer. It blooms from fall to spring with charming silky flowers in shades of pink, red, purple and white. The leaf is heart-shaped and decorated with elaborate designs. Being from the Middle East, I have seen them growing wild in the gardens of Jerusalem and at the foot of walls where water collects. Note that as with most bulbs, rhizomes, stems and stems planted in the fall, keeping cyclamen soil dry year-round is the only way to ensure longevity in the garden. There are also miniature varieties of cyclamen, whose flowers and leaves are reduced to half the size of popular species.
5. If your plants are sensitive to frost, cover them at night. This can be done using a sheet, blanket or fleece. There are also custom cases available from online retailers. A cloche is an open container placed over a plant to protect it from the cold. The classic bell is made of glass and has the shape of a bell. A homemade cloche can be made from a plastic milk jug or soda bottle with the top cut off. The soil around plants that will be susceptible to frost should be moist during the day, as moist soil during the day absorbs heat which can be transferred to the plant at night. Finally, cold drip irrigation can benefit plants by releasing heat as the water cools. Be sure to remove any protective material or container covering your plants in the morning.
Send your questions and comments to joshua@perfectplants.com.
