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YES, IT’S TIME or virtually time to do some raking, and to dig the dahlias to stash: time to carry out the rounds of the autumn cleanup, and put the backyard to mattress. However Ken Druse and I need to advocate for a kind of “cleanup-plus”—for tending not simply to the apparent chores, but in addition doing a little reflection, and making time for often-overlooked late-season duties like seed-saving.
Or for lastly transplanting a kind of two overcrowded shrubs which have been screaming for extra elbow room, and you retain swearing to rescue them, however by no means fairly get to it.
Sound acquainted?
You all know Ken Druse, creator of 20 spectacular backyard books, an previous good friend and my colleague the previous couple of years in our Digital Backyard Membership on-line programs, which resume in January. (That’s the view of his fall backyard, above.) We’ve been speaking this week collectively on the telephone about how we’re winding down our respective backyard seasons, and we wished to allow you to in on a few of the particulars that we hope will enable you in your personal cleanup-plus.
Learn alongside as you take heed to the Nov. 6, 2023 version of my public-radio present and podcast utilizing the participant under. You may subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
fall ‘cleanup-plus,’ with ken druse
Margaret Roach: Are you prepared for some “plus,” Ken? [Laughter.] How’s it going?
Ken Druse: Doesn’t it appear acquainted? Like yearly, and likewise each spring and each fall? It’s fall, however it doesn’t really feel like… Nicely, the climate’s been very heat. However after we began enthusiastic about speaking about this stuff, it jogged my memory that that’s what we do within the spring too, is look.
Margaret: Yeah. And actually most of all, to advocate for kind of not being on autopilot, not simply robotically doing the literal issues that have to be completed. Such as you had been saying the opposite day, oh, the hoses must be taken in, the water needs to be turned off earlier than massive freezes and stuff. Yeah, after all, that’s proper; that’s on our record, however it’s kind of consciously trying round, rigorously trying round for different issues. So first, earlier than we try this, perhaps we must always kind of take inventory somewhat bit out loud, sort of the highs and lows [laughter] of the season that’s winding down. Obtained any highs or lows?
Ken: Yeah. Nicely, I’ve bought fairly just a few highs and never that many lows. After we speak about issues like this, I all the time begin with flood [laughter] as a result of there’s been so many floods right here that we constructed up the wall; we talked about that final yr. So that is the second yr of the total yr of the built-up wall. And there was one massive storm and a few water got here via the wall as a result of it’s not an ideal wall, however it’s simply made puddles and no particles, no items of wooden. And I most likely informed you this, we all the time get previous sneakers [laughter], beer cans and sneakers.
Margaret: Proper. So for individuals who don’t know, you’re sort of on an island, in a river or stream. And so, one space would overwhelm, overflow its banks, and would convey all this. Not simply water, however the stuff, together with sneakers into your backyard and make an enormous mess. Nicely, that’s good that the wall restore from final yr made an enchancment for you. That’s nice. That’s nice. So what else, plus or minus?
Ken: Plus or minus, bushes didn’t get eaten. I haven’t had, I shouldn’t say this whereas I knock on wooden. We don’t have lanternflies and we don’t have gypsy moths. These are cons. I imply, professionals, I imply cons which can be professionals.
Margaret: Proper. So you are feeling lucky for these elements this season?
Ken: Completely. And there’s some issues I do know I’ve to do to keep away from a few of these issues. And there’s all kinds of issues like cleansing up. We will speak about a few of the issues that one ought to do to organize for the great issues which can be nonetheless going to come back.
Margaret: Yeah. Nicely, first I must complain, although. Is the Criticism Division open? [Laughter.]
Ken: In fact. “Hi there? Criticism Division, might I enable you?”
Margaret: Good. O.Ok., nice. You may have about 10 hours? Nicely, so it was very… Within the Northeast and in lots of areas, clearly the climate was aberrant as it’s nowadays basically. However we had very, very moist, unusually moist climate, and rain got here in a number of inches at a time many weeks. And in order that promoted numerous fungal issues and points.
And so I misplaced for the primary time in 35 or 40 years, I misplaced all my garlic, for instance, to a white mildew, which I didn’t ship it out to a pathology lab, and I don’t know which one it was. However whether or not it was contaminated seed garlic that got here to me that manner, or who is aware of what. So clearly I’ve to maneuver the garlic to a spot far-off from the place I had been rising it, if I’m going to attempt it once more and get new inventory, my new bulbs, which I did. However-
Ken: Did this present up on the leaves? Is that the way you knew it was taking place?
Margaret: No, at harvest time, the precise bulbs.
Ken: The bulbs?
Margaret: Yeah. So I imply, they began to look dangerous mid- to late season. However anyway, so there’s the entire “what’s happening with the climate?” and does that correlate to illnesses we’re seeing in crops? I imply, lots of people had their lilacs defoliate by August or one thing after which bloom.
Ken: Sure. After which ours bloomed.
Margaret: After which bloom in October. I imply nutsy stuff. So there was numerous that. I used to be besieged by spongy moths. You had been saying you had been fortunate to not have them. I had the spongy moths this yr, my first massive expertise with them. However one of many issues I’m doing is I’m attempting to focus, to comply with your recommendation. What do you all the time inform me if I’m overwhelmed, what to do?
Ken: Do one factor. That basically occurs within the spring particularly, the way you stroll out the door and also you see the entire backyard and there’s a thousand issues that must be completed and also you need to simply run again inside. However don’t try this. Simply decide—even if you happen to repot one plant—simply decide one factor after which one factor results in one other. It’s only a manner to assist with the spring and fall overwhelm.
Margaret: Yeah, so for me, I made a decision that within the face of those torrential, persistent rain occasions and the spongy moth harm—and we had a late freeze in late Might that broken numerous issues and on and on and on. I’ve the invasive leaping worms and every kind of stuff. I used to be feeling sort of beat up. However I simply determined with the helper that comes as soon as every week for a part of a day, I stated, “ what? We’re not going to ‘repair all the pieces’ proper now, proper?” As a result of it’s been a tricky season; stuff’s trying beat up. “However you understand what let’s do? Let’s give attention to one thing that might really feel actually good to perform.”
And we recognized one kind of invasive factor that was making itself current within the higher meadow in numerous these kind of outer areas, which is brambles, Rubus, some sort of blackberry or raspberry wild factor. And we determined that that was what we might deal with. And it feels so good. It’s not gussying up the backyard, it’s not fine-tuning, it’s not horticulture precisely, proper?
But it surely feels actually good, the concept I’m going to start out subsequent spring with out that, with these areas that had been like: ooh, you needed to cowl your eyes. You didn’t need to look over there since you knew the Rubus was taking on. So only one factor, and again and again and over. In order that’s been sort of what I’ve been attempting to do to offset my disappointment in a few of the losses on this very unusual yr.
Ken: I take into consideration perhaps seven or eight years in the past after I was going to surrender gardening due to Japanese stiltgrass in August, I went, that’s what I selected. I’m going to only pull as a result of it comes proper out and mow, if it’s within the garden. I’m going to drag the Japanese stiltgrass and it knocked it again I’d say 80 p.c. [Tackling Japanese stiltgrass.]
Margaret: Proper. So typically simply that focusing feels actually good. Now I’m as a result of this was a really moist, and as I stated, like fungusy-
Ken: Aside from one month of no rain in Might.
Margaret: To start with, proper.
Ken: Has that ever occurred earlier than?
Margaret: Yeah, I feel it has. However you had good tomatoes; normally these will simply go down the tubes. Didn’t you could have good tomatoes?
Ken: You had been saying professional and I couldn’t consider a factor.
Margaret: Nicely, I keep in mind you telling me on the telephone the opposite day that you just had good tomatoes.
Ken: I do know. By no means have been in a position to develop tomatoes properly, and even hardly in any respect. And I did develop some on the driveway, on the sunniest spot in pots, however I’d get two or three fruits. Nicely, this yr I paid consideration to you, too, and I bought a few varieties that you just stated had been so nice, particularly ‘Juliet’ [above]. And I bought two of these corrugated metallic raised beds and put one within the sunniest place, which is virtually on the mailbox, proper subsequent to the mailbox.
I most likely have all this terrible stuff from vehicles going by as a result of it’s proper on the street. However I crammed it and I planted ‘Juliet.’ And I began them too early, which turned out to be O.Ok., and gave lots away as a result of I had too many crops, however I planted them. And simply this week I nonetheless bought just a few tomatoes. So I’ve been, I don’t know, a whole bunch of ‘Juliet’ tomatoes. And also you’re proper, they’re scrumptious.
Margaret: It’s an amazing one. Yeah, Johnny’s Chosen Seeds catalog sells it.
I additionally managed to do one thing that neither certainly one of us ever does, which is to surrender on sure crops, particularly houseplants this fall. As a substitute of bringing all of them in, together with just a few that had been sort of well beyond prime, I tossed just a few, I lastly composted a few them. I do know. And I assumed, oh, I may simply take that tiny little piece and I may put it in one other pot. However you understand what? I may begin over, too. And I bought some new houseplants, a few new houseplants, and it simply feels good typically to lighten the load. You may actually spend numerous time being slowed down by a few of the exhausting issues.
Ken: You most likely neglect, too. , you suppose you’re going to overlook this factor and then you definitely get distracted by one thing else.
Margaret: Yeah. I’ve some ideas about seeds and I guess you do, too, since you’re all the time like Mr. Propagation over there. Any kind of seeds stuff at the moment of yr for you?
Ken: Nicely, I all the time look as a result of as you stated, I would like extra, for some purpose. I feel I identical to the method. So I’ll go get the nicotiana [above] and another issues which can be usually making seed which can be straightforward to get this time of yr. Some issues that self-sow, like hellebores, I’d plan to maneuver them. Japanese painted fern from spores self “spored” [laughter] and I’ll transfer a few of these.
Margaret: Self-spored [laughter].
Ken: Yeah, I’ve to make notes about that. However one thing that I actually haven’t checked out very a lot, you know the way these terrible lilies make somewhat tiny beads alongside the stems? They’re bulbils, and I don’t need these as a result of that’s sort of a weedy plant, however I do know-
Margaret: Which lilies are we speaking about which can be terrible? I’m sorry.
Ken: It’s Lilium bulbiferum.
Margaret: Bulbiferum? Oh, I don’t suppose I’ve that, O.Ok. All proper.
Ken: Good. And if you happen to see one thing that has a reputation like bulbiferus or bulbiferum, it’s as a result of it makes another sort of vegetative reproductive organism alongside the stems and so they’re known as bulbils. And I observed this yr, properly, you’ve seen it on the Allium. You understand how typically the Allium, it seems like a flower, however on the high it’s bought all these little onions in a cluster?
Margaret: Proper, so these bulbils, proper? O.Ok.
Ken: Proper. And people will… They’re genetically clones. They’re similar to the mum or dad plant. So you might really get these and develop them on. However the factor that basically turned me on, I’ve a few hardy begonias, and I feel that Issima has been enjoying round with them as a result of we now have one which has white flower. I like those with white flower. White flowers, silver splashes on the leaves. And there’s a pink one with silver splashes on the leaves, too. However I observed within the axles the place the leaf meets the stem, there’s these little, they’re actually tiny, virtually like seeds, however they’re really little crops, or they may very well be.
Margaret: So that you stated Issima, and so that you imply the kind of rare-plant nursery in Rhode Island, Issima?
Ken: Ed Bowen’s.
Margaret: Yeah. So you bought these hardy begonias; it’s a perennial begonia even for you in zone, what are you 6?
Ken: 6A.
Margaret: Yeah, begonia, what’s the species? I don’t know which one it’s. We’ll must look it up. [Update: It’s Begonia grandis, above.] So you could have this perennial displaying a few varieties, and it’s making these little bulbils additionally, huh?
Ken: Yeah. So now I’ll develop them on, most likely they might fall when the plant falls to the bottom. They most likely, some will root in, however I’m going to assist them alongside.
Margaret: Now I’ve observed I’ve some voodoo lilies. I’ve each Sauromatum and Amorphophallus. And a few the Amorphophallus, and people are those that typically the botanical gardens have the actually, actually massive one, the Titan Arum, as they name it, the place it’s going to flower and it’s going to be actually smelly like lifeless rotten meat scent or one thing, they’ll have a particular occasion as a result of it’s so dramatic-looking and smelly. However anyway, these are smaller than that. However I’ve one which’s Amorphophallus bulbifer, the species bulbifer.
Ken: Bulbifer?
Margaret: Proper. So like what you simply stated, and don’t you understand I’ve had a variety of years, and so now a few of my crops, they go dormant within the winter and I retailer them within the cellar, the bulbs, have bulbils on high of the leaves. So there’s bulbils in varied little kind of joints in these very complex-looking leaves. And it’s hilarious. It seems like some little spherical pebbles bought glued onto the leaves or one thing [laughter]. It’s actually humorous. So that you just’re making me suppose that I ought to go seize these.
Ken: And go into enterprise, lastly make some cash, proper?
Margaret: Yeah, that’s a good suggestion. So are you additionally, you had been saying different sure seed. So that you’re amassing a few of your favourite nicotianas? Is that what you do, those that you just preferred what they appeared like, or…?
Ken: Proper. Let’s say I would like perfume, after all. And so I’ll make be aware in my head of those which can be extra-fragrant within the night or earlier, as a result of a few of them are aromatic round 4 o’clock. So I’ll say, “Oh, I’d like that.” And the higher colours, perhaps a darkish purple one. Nicely, not perhaps; I’ve completed that, a darkish purple one. And the seed pods on nicotiana, whereas the plant’s flowering, these little pods are ripening. So it’s really easy. So now I’ve like 10,000 of these.
Margaret: Yeah, I’ve had nicotiana in just a few areas, kind of self-sown populations for the later a part of the season for a lot of, many, a few years. And so the species that I began with, very distinctive-looking explicit ones like mutabilis, Nicotiana mutabilis, which may be very tall and so forth. I don’t know what occurs, if they only sort of don’t come true. Nicely, I do know they don’t come true; there’s variation inside every inhabitants.
However after this a few years, most likely 20 years, I used to be feeling like I didn’t have as a lot oomph as I wished, by way of such as you’re saying, a few of the darker-flowered ones or a few of the notably statuesque ones. So I really simply ordered some seed, and I additionally did this with Verbena bonariensis, the tall verbena that the butterflies love a lot and so forth, as a result of I had an amazing inhabitants of it in a single space, a self-sown inhabitants, which was very dramatic, however it’s sort of, as self-sowns do, it determined the place it wished to sow, over there and over there and over there, however not within the concentrated manner that I like [laughter]. So to get kind of the opposite colours of the nicotiana again in my populations, and to heavy up on the Verbena bonariensis, I really ordered some packets of seeds.
And each fall I neglect to do that as a result of these are like these self-sown issues. Each fall I neglect to do that. And so I both don’t unfold it round now, or I don’t have it early sufficient to try this in very late winter, which I feel is a perfect time for sowing it as properly. I’ll simply neglect, I get caught up with ordering tomatoes and stuff like that.
Ken: However now you’ll keep in mind, as a result of it’s completed.
Margaret: Nicely, I’ve it. There it’s. I’ve bought it proper in entrance of me. And so I’m going to sort of, like I stated, heavy up and redirect these clusters of verbena and nicotiana the place I would like them somewhat extra.
Ken: Yeah, I used to be going to say a few of these issues that you understand self-sow, it may be an concept to clear somewhat area and make it sort of ready. Particularly because you’re enthusiastic about you need them and also you’re going to maneuver some, that simply make it 1 foot by 1 foot or 2 foot by 2 foot cleared area with floor prepared to simply accept the seeds that fall.
Margaret: Proper, like a touchdown pad, so to talk. Yeah, as a result of in any other case, if there’s thick leaf litter or no matter from the autumn and winter—I imply, you’re proper, there’s not that open floor that’s welcoming to self-sowing, or for me sowing both. Yeah. So I feel that’s true: to make some room below a few of our favourite biennials and self-sowing annuals and so forth.
Have you ever had any pests that you just’re going to… The pest factor is sufficient to drive an individual loopy typically.
Ken: Nicely, this yr it’s voles once more.
Margaret: Oh, the yr of the vole.
Ken: And first I began seeing the paths throughout the paths, the place you may see the path. And properly, we’ve been trapping some. We hate speaking about it.
Margaret: Proper, so that you see the floor tunnels, yeah. And people are trapped, like mice are trapped. Yeah, no, and typically you don’t know you could have voles, you don’t see the floor tunnels reduce into the garden or no matter, however you go and also you attempt to harvest your candy potatoes and so they’ve all been chewed up underground. what I imply?
Ken: Otherwise you’re questioning what occurred to the Siberian iris. As a result of they’re simply gone.
Margaret: At half-mast, proper, proper, proper. Going underground.
Ken: And the voles adore it as a result of the foliage falls over and it’s a spot for them to cover after which they eat the rhizomes. However years in the past—and perhaps I ought to do that once more—after I first had voles, it will sound so bizarre, I unfold used cat litter, the clay form, over the Siberian iris as a result of that was the factor they cherished. And it repelled them.
Margaret: I guess it did. It might repel me, too [laughter].
Ken: Nicely, the clay, it doesn’t matter. It goes away.
Margaret: However so pest stuff, I imply, fall is a vital time, and numerous instances we neglect to do that as a result of once more, we don’t have a crop within the floor that we’re hoping to get a harvest from, as a result of that’s completed already. So we sort of neglect to do the pest management.
And it’s a very important time after we’re pulling aside our vegetable gardens. I imply with, once more, tomatoes, that are so inclined to varied illnesses, particularly fungal ones. And with brassicas with the cabbage and cauliflower and broccoli and kale and so forth, family and the squashes, the cucurbits that get squash bugs and so forth. Numerous these pests of these teams of crops or these illnesses of the tomatoes, the fungal issues, they like nothing higher than to overwinter the place you’ve left behind the foundation system and the pale foliage of their favourite yummy crop, proper [laughter]? So good hygiene, good fall hygiene within the vegetable backyard.
Ken: And also you’re making me consider certainly one of our newest pests, the leaping worms. I feel the adults don’t make it via the winter in our chilly gardens.
Margaret: Right. They’re annuals, right.
Ken: However the-
Margaret: …Cocoons do.
Ken: Yeah. Little cocoons.
Margaret: Stuffed with eggs.
Ken: Are you attempting one thing? Stuffed with eggs. Are you attempting one thing for that?
Margaret: It’s a reasonably dropping battle up to now. I imply, the scientists don’t know what to inform us to do actually to counteract it. However what I’m doing, simply in self-defense somewhat bit, the place the worms are the worst in sure areas the place they began out in my backyard, I’m every fall topping up, I’m including bagged topsoil or bulk topsoil. Simply in sure areas the place sure crops appear like the soil’s been degraded an excessive amount of, and the crops aren’t going to be pleased, I’m simply sort of topdressing and so forth with soil.
Now that’s basically feeding the worms, as a result of the subsequent yr’s technology goes to course of that soil. But it surely’s both that, or the crops are going to fall out of the bottom in sure spots. In order that’s what I’m doing.
I’m going to, there’s a few merchandise that, there’s a tea seed meal pure fertilizer that’s again available on the market once more. After which there’s one other product which will assist to convey the worms to the floor throughout their lively season, so to do away with them—you may destroy them, drown them, no matter—or which will really kill them. [More on those products and tactics.]
Once more, it’s not going to unravel the entire drawback, however it could enable you cut back the inhabitants in order that the variety of cocoons which can be left behind on the finish of the yr should not as many. However when you’ve got a pair acres, neglect it; it’s not going to be the reply. However I’ll do a few small experiments subsequent spring and summer season throughout lively season.
However earlier than we run out of time, I simply need to ask you: Are you going to search out time to maneuver any woody crops or something? As a result of I do know I’ve a few issues crammed in I must take care of.
Ken: I’ve been doing it, as a result of you understand it’s shady right here. And that’s a technique you may inform you’re in hassle with a woody plant is it doesn’t look good and issues are taking place. So we moved a Cornus kousa ‘Elizabeth Lustgarten’ weeping kousa dogwood. I assumed that may by no means make it. It made it. Moved it to extra solar. A kind of twig dogwoods, we moved that to extra solar, and we’re going to maneuver some Salix which have colourful stems within the winter there, too.
Margaret: Oh, some willows, huh? Twig willows.
Ken: Yeah. Within the shade they don’t appear like something, and so they don’t push that new progress. So I’ve already moved a few of these, however whenever you transfer… We don’t have solar, however we’re shoehorning them in and a few issues that, properly, there’s some issues like hellebores that may go to the shade, and a few ferns too, so.
Margaret: However with woody crops, deciduous woody issues, even into the late fall remains to be time to try this. And subsequent spring it’s going to be too busy, proper, so…
Ken: Proper. In order that’s taking place.
Margaret: All proper. Nicely hold making the record. I’ll name you later [laughter]. We’ll speak about, we’ll commiserate extra, however yeah, so cleanup plus with some aware effort, some trying round extra carefully. So thanks for making time. I’ll speak to you quickly, O.Ok.?
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MY WEEKLY public-radio present, rated a “top-5 backyard podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper within the UK, started its 14th yr in March 2023. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station within the nation. Hear domestically within the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Jap, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the Nov. 6, 2023 present utilizing the participant close to the highest of this transcript. You may subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
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