The flowers of fall are doing well

It looks like summer is about over, whether we like it or not. The first day of fall is almost here, arriving on Sept. 22. You’ve probably noticed how quickly the days have grown cooler. In the spring, our average daily temperature seems to take forever to just get up to 70, but in the fall the high temps drop rapidly. Drat.

The good news is that our late summer/fall flowers are getting with the program. I have lots of primroses, in different colors. These are in full bloom now. Others making an appearance include Autumn Joy sedum, Japanese anemones, asters and mums. My hardy hibiscus, called Kopper King, is now in full bloom. Gorgeous.

Many annuals are busy producing seed heads now. If you hurry, you should be able to gather most of them before they shatter and spread on their own. That’s OK if you want them to only grow in the same area, but it’s nice to have seeds that you can plant next spring wherever you choose and not just where Mother Nature has put them.

Some of the annuals I save seeds from are: cosmos, annual poppies, dahlberg daisies, larkspur, snapdragons, nasturtiums, cleomes, zinnias and two very old-fashioned flowers: loves lies bleeding and love in a mist.

Biennials seeds to save include hollyhocks and foxgloves. These don’t bloom until the second year. But, they’re worth the wait.

Gather the seed heads and dry on a flat plate or lid, preferably one with edges. Then pour them into small Ziploc bags. A small funnel works well. Write the name on each little bag and store in the refrigerator over winter. Seeds have become very expensive and some are nearly impossible to find.

If you haven’t already done so, cut the tops off your tomato plants. Also pluck off any new blossoms and tiny fruits. Your plants will now concentrate on ripening the tomatoes it has and not try to form more. You can also stress your plants by cutting back on the water. That will give them the message that if they want to produce “children” next year, they had better get those fruits ripe as they carry the seeds.

Fall care for roses is easy. Just continue to water them. For varieties that produce hips, don’t cut any more flowers. Letting the hips develop helps the plant to prepare for winter. Don’t prune any leaves as that tells the plant to produce new ones, which won’t get a chance to “harden off.” Wait until the ground is frozen before hilling up soil or covering the plant for winter protection. That’s about it.

September is a good time to start new lawn grass seed. Just rake up the area, throw out a generous amount of seeds and cover them lightly. Keep watered and they should sprout before long. Next spring you’ll be so happy you did.

Food for thought: Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.

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Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently serving as secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls. Her column appears in The Press every other Sunday from early March until late October.