FINALLY, THE MISSISsippi cool down is back. The cool down is the signal to prepare the yard fall and winter. There are so many things happening in our yards that can be tended to. The hummingbirds are here now and about to move on to warmer areas. There are ways to ensure more hummingbirds next season by adding plants that provide them their natural diet. Since hummingbirds, like most birds, have no sense of smell, the flowers that attract them tend to have little or no fragrance, apparently directing their resources instead towards high visibility and nectar production. A list of some of the best plants to consider for hummingbird gardens are coral honeysuckle, cypress vine, bee balm, red buckeye, mimosa and butterfly bush. In hummingbird gardens, pesticides are a no-no. Ingestion of pesticides might well kill the hummers, plus the pesticides also kill the tiny bugs and spiders which make up part of the hummers diet supplying needed protein.
As Mother Nature loves to challenge us, this hot, dry time of the year is conducive to spider mite outbreaks. Spraying certain insecticides can actually flare or trigger mite outbreaks because the insecticides are more toxic to the naturally occurring predators of the mites. Some insecticides stimulate increased reproduction in the mites. One path towards spider mite control is proper fertilization of the plants. Plants suffering from a potassium deficiency or plants with too much nitrogen are more prone to spider mite infestation. When treating for spider mites with a miticide, it is important to make at least two applications four to five days apart. This is because the miticides are not effective against eggs, thus the second application is necessary in order to kill young, recently hatched mites before they are old enough to lay eggs themselves.
Thank goodness this has not been a chinch bug year, so I will save that information for when they come back through for a visit, hopefully no time soon.
Azalea lace bug is a common pest on azaleas with heavy infestations occurring this time of the year. They can cause extensive damage that can lead to a difficult and lengthy recovery. It is a good idea to check periodically and initiate treatment when they are detected. You will be looking for leaves that have a bleached, mottled appearance. The undersides of the leaves will have dark colored, lacy winged adults and cast skins. If in doubt, break off a branch to bring by your favorite garden center that you trust to identify and guide you to properly control these pests.
The time is upon us to winterize our lawns and beds. Winterizer can be applied with a fertilizer spreader. Winterizers offered at local garden centers are formulized for southern soil and climate. The big box stores that call themselves garden centers are selling chemicals and plants that aren’t necessarily for southern roots. By applying winterizer, you will be increasing the strength of the roots, better preparing the plant for dormancy. Recovery time from winter into spring can be shortened so plants can come out of the springtime gate with a vengeance. There will be weeds that appear in the winter and new ones that will show up in the summer. If we get into a regular regime of using a pre-emergence, there will be fewer to use herbicides on. I would rather not have to use herbicides on my lawn. I’ve said it before and I say it again, the trick to fewer herbicides on your lawn is cultivating a healthy lawn through proper watering and fertilization. By not leaving any elbow room for the uninvited weed seeds to germinate, there will be fewer weeds. You have to decide for yourself what your acceptable pest and weed presence is. There will be insects and weeds in Mississippi; our climate is a petri dish for the natural world. Use this nearly tropical climate we’ve been blessed with to your advantage, love it, garden in it, but don’t let it get away from you. Once you’ve reached your threshold of an acceptable level of pests, bring your examples of issues occurring in your Eden to us so we can help you correctly identify and guide you correctly in controlling them back to a level that you are satisfied with. All of Mississippi’s garden centers are loaded with people who have studied officially, toiled all their lives, experimented, tried, failed and persevered with the issues that you will encounter in your Eden. We consult for free, we want you to be successful in your garden, we love to garden and we love to help fellow gardeners. Remember gardening is perseverance.
It is officially time to plant your winter annuals in your pots and beds. The hard part is pulling up the summer annuals that now are just looking their best. Winter tolerant annuals such as pansies, dianthus, snap dragons and ornamental cabbage will do better if you will plant them before the soil cools down too much. This time of year is the easy, relaxing time to have some fun with pansies’ bold colors when planted in mass. The heat is less intense, it rains enough throughout the winter that watering is barely needed and this planting will last deep into march or April when it will be time to transition back to summer planting. Getting it right from the start of this planting season will get you closer to a great show with little effort. Getting it right means making sure you’ve used this opportunity to freshen up your soil and making sure you have a planting space that is well drained. None of these plants mind getting rained on, it’s just important that the water goes away as quickly as possible. Winter annuals cannot abide low light or poorly drained soil. Next to soil preparation, planting depth may be the most important step to pay attention to. Planting even a tad too deep can suffocate the roots and can cause rotting of the stems near the soil. Once you’re finished planting and have watered everything go back and check to make sure none of the new plants didn’t settle in too deeply. The trick to great winter annual color is to allow your beds to dry out completely between waterings as much as Mother Nature will allow.
I have to limit my space in this gardeners’ article. There are so many things that I will continue to offer advice in the weeks to come. Right now Garden Works has 18 greenhouses smack full of winter hardy annuals, perennials and herbs. You should come see the show we put on this time of year with our giant home grown mums, muhly grass, ornamental pumpkins and hanging baskets with the new wave pansies cascading over. The front of our gardeners haven on highway 51 is worth driving over for. We do our experimenting with plants right out front where everyone can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Right now we have Cuban gold duranta, golden marigolds, grasses pluming, eight feet tall swamp sunflower and bright pink petunias in giant hanging baskets that people stop their cars to photograph. We’ve had a few fender benders out there because of the psychedelic color show. Feel free to come by with your family for some great photo opportunities. It really looks like you’re somewhere else, like taking a trip but never leaving the farm.
It’s in the air. Football, pumpkins, mums and Mississippi heat have relented, allowing us to enjoy the greatest weather in the nation. Get out to your favorite garden center and join the fun.
