If your new plants didn’t get any of the spotty rain showers that passed through the Miami Valley last weekend, they would benefit from a good soaking.
This includes any plants that you put in the ground in the last three to five years. These plants are not completely established, and the roots would benefit from irrigation.
For some reason, gardeners tend to forget to water plants in the fall. The weather has cooled down and plant growth slowed down, therefore, they don’t need as much water, right?
For the most part, this is true, but we have had excessively warm weather this fall and plants have continued to grow well past their normal time frame. They need extra water.
Perennials tend to die down this time of the year and start to look bad. However, I have seen some perennials such as hosta showing signs of leaf scorch due to dry soils. The leaves were not dying because it was time; they were dying prematurely because they were dry.
This means that the roots (the most important part of the perennial next to the crown of the plant) will possibly die out as well. Water to help prevent root damage.
However, roots continue to grow and require moisture before going dormant into the winter months. This moisture sustains the plants during the winter months.
Going into the winter with dry roots is a problem for plants. Therefore, soak the plants. Hopefully, one final soaking in the next week will take them into the winter.
If it stays dry and the rain goes around you, continue to keep these plants in mind until the ground freezes. Never let plants go into the winter dry.
I talked about grubs last week and the fall grub control that can be used at this time. In order for the fall grub control product to do its job, it has to be watered in thoroughly.
We did not get any of the rain that some of you received this past weekend, therefore, my husband has been moving the sprinkler around the landscape in order to get the inch of water needed to activate the product and kill the grubs.
And finally, the yellow jacket wasps are in full swing in the Miami Valley, seeking sugary substances like your picnic food, drinks, perfumes and more.
If you can locate their nests, hornet and wasp sprays are very effective. Spray at dusk for best effectiveness.
If you have food and drink around, they will find it. Try to use hornet and wasp traps placed away from the picnic areas to reduce the populations.
Unfortunately, they are part of the fall season.
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