To Be OCD or Not to Be in the Perennial Garden...

That is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the garden to suffer the slings and arrows of a million outrageous Echinacea seedlings next spring, or to wield pruners in the autumn against a sea of slug-infested Hosta foliage and by cutting, end their miserable looks for the year.*

I'm not embarrasssed to say that I'm an obesessive-compulsive gardener. Some people proclaim fall their favorite season. Not me, thanks. Bushels of leaves that drop the minute you finish mowing the lawn, peonies that have succumbed to measles and powdery mildew, daylilies that continue to produce brown leaves as soon as you groom them. Wow- what's not to love about the fall garden?





There's something soothing about the aesthetics of a clean fall garden. It's a little like getting the kids tucked in and asleep before Santa arrives. Smug satisfaction, for sure. How nice not to have Calamagrostis refuse rolling like so much tumbleweed over the winter lawn. We don't want our Arborvitae splayed open. Why should ornamental grasses be different? Certainly if you desire "tidy" and cut your perennials back in the fall try to wait as long as you can. If the plants are in full color they're only getting stronger with each additional day they make and store food. In a perfect world, we'd wait for at least one hard freeze before reaching for the pruners and machete.

Consider your schedule. Isn't fall really a slower gardening time for you than spring? What happens when snow sticks around and soil stays frozen? Or, it rains and/or gets warm early and new growth starts emerging through last year's detritus. It's hard to name another gardening chore that's as tedious as pruning dead litter without damaging fresh new growth in the spring. Just my perspective.

Aphids, slugs, leaf spots, blights, pestilence in general, linger around those plants sticking out of yonder snow bank. Removing the debris in the fall, leaving stems 1-2" tall, theoretically reduces the overwintering populations of livestock and disease. Good fall garden hygiene should translate into fewer "pest" issues next year.

In the interest of balance and full disclosure, certainly there are things I leave standing. Of course, evergreen perennials (Iberis, Hellebores, many ferns, some true Geraniums and Bergenia, to name a few) must stay. Why not compromise? If you like the looks of a plant over the winter leave it. Weigh whether its winter long beauty is worth  having to cut back in the cold, driving rains of March.


While I'll admit the sight of rabbits and deer (in my garden) raises my testosterone and blood pressure, there is something to be said for the cover and potential fodder that perennials afford wildlife.  I do believe in doing whatever I can to create a healthy diet for our feathered friends- rabbits and deer, not so much. Admittedly, many perennials provide delicious life-sustaining seeds. That's a huge reason not to deadhead or cut back certain plants (Echinacea, Heliopsis, Rudbeckia, for starters).

Mother Nature always does things for a reason. Leaf and stem debris surely provide necessary insulation, probably increasing winter hardiness. Come to think of it, isn't that why we mulch? Still, if you're obsessive, maybe the compromise is not cutting back marginally hardy perennials in the fall. Leaving the foliage to keep the ground frozen may lessen the effects of the vicious freeze/thaw cycles that can wreck havoc on Midwest perennial gardens.

Another advantage in leaving perennials standing through winter is to mark the specific location of late-emerging species (Hibiscus is a perfect example, often not emerging from hibernation until June). That may prevent you from slicing through the crown with a well-intended, but misplaced, spade.

As I reread this it comes down to the old maxim, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Your call.

*My apologies to William Shakespeare and my 9th grade Humanities teacher, Mrs. Ogden.

A Pumpkin Primer

Knucklehead, Orange Warty Thing, Wolf

This is not a joke or a riddle, honestly. Do you know how beets and turnips relate to our present day pumpkin carving tradition? I sure didn't. It seems the Irish used them during the festival of Samhain, meaning summer's end (October 31-November 1). Beets and turnips were the commodity vegetables of the day. They were hollowed out and then (usually) a diabolical face was carved on the front to emit light. Initially, burning lumps of coal were placed inside to create light. Later candles were substituted.

Green Warty Thing

There are a wide range of other-worldly theories on why the need existed in the first place. October 31st was believed to be very magical. The atmosphere was at its "weakest" point of the year on that night. So, the barrier between the living and dead was more easily breached, allowing people to honor the departed. Many felt this light would protect them as they walked about outside that night. Or, one's home might be protected from the spirits by setting the turnip or beet in a window by the door. See a tradition starting here?
  

Wolf

Then there are the conflicting stories of "Stingy Jack" tricking the devil on different occasions with the same end result. As a punishment for his devious ways the devil gave Jack a burning ember to go forth into the night. It is said that Jack carved out a turnip, put the devil's coal in it and wandered the earth ever since. Jack-of-the-lantern became  "jack o'lantern".

One Too Many

When the Irish began immigrating to America they discovered pumpkins. I say "discovered" as pumpkins are natives to our side of the world. As you might well imagine, it must be a lot easier to carve a pumpkin than a turnip or beet. I didn't try it, but I'm pretty sure that must be the case.
 

Cinderella

Today's beautiful orange pumpkins are fruit, not vegetables. They are closely related to squash, cucumbers and melons. If you're tempted to grow them next year find a site with lots of sun, well-drained soil and be prepared to give the vine lots of elbow room. I mean that literally or they will clamber over their garden neighbors. If you're serious about larger pumpkins, select seed varieties that have been bred for that characteristic. Still, be prepared to fertilize and water regularly. Producing big pumpkins requires both the right genetics and continuous care.
 

Pie Pumpkins

Pumpkins are harvested when they have full color. Jack o'lantern-sized pumpkins (5-10 lbs. or larger) can be used for carving or baking. Hybridizers have done amazing things through selection and breeding to give us today's beautiful "gourds" with colors we never saw as kids.

Happy Samhain to all!

Let's Get Off Our Ashes

Bald Cypress foliage



As Emerald Ash Borer steamrolls through our shade tree population we need to consider replacement choices. As one of my professors once said, "Nature abhors a monoculture." So, maybe our takeaway from the ash carnage should be about creating diversity and not overplanting any one species. A mixed forest, urban or otherwise, carries far less potential for total destruction from any insect or disease.

Let's not get caught with our plants down (literally) again. A few top-of-mind options to consider adding to your neighborhood canopy:

Autumn Blaze Maple (Acer x freemanii 'Autumn Blaze') is a great choice for those who want a fast growing tree. AB is a hybrid, resulting from a planned mating of Silver and Scarlet Maples. It was selected for possessing the best qualities of both parents. While the green leaves resemble Silver Maple, the long-lasting fall color is strong orange-red. It has a central leader, but still makes a predictable oval silhouette as it matures. The bark is gray and smooth. Matures to 50' tall, 40' wide.

Autumn Blaze Maple

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a personal favorite. Particularly if you have a site that floods periodically, or even if you don't, this is a specimen to consider. Bald Cypress has a strong central leader like the mast of a historic "tall ship". The overall outline is a majestic pyramid. The soft green, fernlike foliage looks like it would be evergreen, but it amazingly turns rust-orange before dropping in the fall. It's a piece of cake to rake since the leaves are so lightweight. But don't let that fool you, Bald Cypress comes through gale force winds with no breakage.  No insect or disease pests. My experience with them is that they are rapid growers in about any soil, but with additional moisture stand back! Matures to 60' tall, 25-30' wide. There are now dwarf, weeping and columnar varieties to fit different situations.

Bald Cypress



Elm (Ulmus) Thanks to the hard work of hybridizers, especially at Morton Arboretum, there's a whole new world of disease resistant elms awaiting you. To highlight a couple, take a look at 'Triumph' with its broad oval/vase-shape. 'Triumph'  wears glossy, Dutch Elm disease-resistant dark green foliage. The fall color is yellow, and the arching habit desired by so many seems to develop as the tree matures to 50-60' tall, 45' wide. 'Emerald Sunshine' is more dwarf, topping out at 35', spreading to 25'. It's also DED-resistant, but is reported to have Elm leaf beetle resistance, too. Nice bonus!

Emerald Sunshine Elm foliage

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), like a teenager, can sometimes be lanky until it grows and fills out. What a shame so many people overlook this amazing tree because it isn't a "perfect" shape when they first see it in the nursery. The gorgeous, fan-shaped dark green leaves are completely unique in the entire plant kingdom. In fall, they acquire a knockout bright gold fall color. While the growth rate is moderate, a Ginkgo's total indifference to insects and disease is a huge asset. But beware- buy only grafted male varieties ('Autumn Gold', 'Magyar' and 'Princeton Sentry', for example) that don't gift you with the female Ginkgo's ill-smelling fruit. A Ginkgo is a real trooper under even the most adverse conditions.

Purple Fountain Beech

Don't overlook the many regal European Beech cultivars (I obviously don't with 19 of them in my garden), our sturdy, dependable native Oaks and the beautiful Lindens. As with all portfolios, it's  smart to diversify!