This week in your Massachusetts garden & landscape
Week of September 17, 2018
Flavor broccoli with basil, dill, garlic, lemon balm, oregano, or thyme for wonderful flavor!
- An annual to keep in mind when planning your containers or gardens is scaevola aemula (Fan Flower). The plants are native to Australia and are tolerant of heat, however they also perform very well in temperate climates as well. They thrive in full sun. If rabbits are a problem in your garden, steer clear of fan flower. Rabbits love them.
- Consider ‘Jimmy Nardelio’ peppers for your vegetable garden. Sweet, abundant peppers growing 10”-12” long ripen a deep red. Easy to germinate and quick to establish, the plants themselves remain short.
- As the season nears to an end, pinch off the tops of tomato plants and the new flower buds to hasten the ripening of existing fruit.
- Pinch off the tops of Brussel sprout plants for larger sprouts. Harvest them from the bottom up as they mature.
- Plant mums in flowers beds for a fresh look of autumn color. They will look taller if you leave them in their pots and just “plant” them in the ground pot and all!
- Syneilesis aconitifolia (Shredded Umbrella Plant) resembles Mayapple. The shredded umbrella plant actually is in the aster family. In the spring, new leaves push through the soil unfurling on top of 18” stems. The shredded umbrella is extremely hardy in zones 3-8 and thrives in the shade.
- We all know, and love, the knock our roses The new coral flower color (Rosa ‘Radral’) intensifies in hot and humid weather. Growing to 4’ x 4’, this rose is a stand out on its own or beautiful as a hedge. Blooms from spring to fall and is hardy in zones 5-10. Full sun
- Give strawberry plants a light application of a high-nitrogen fertilizer at this time of year. This application of fertilizer will help in the development of next year’s fruit buds. An application of one pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet is adequate.
- Fall is the perfect time to divide and transplant herbs. Plants are much less stressed when the soil is moist and the weather is cooler. Oregano and mint are two herbs that can begin to overtake their space if they are not routinely divided. Dividing them every other year is advised.
