Fall clean-up

If you haven't cleaned up the perennial garden yet this fall, looks like you might have one nice weekend left. Cutting your perennials back in the fall is a good idea. Get all that disease, leaf spot, mildew and rotting foliage out of the garden and in the trash. Sanitation is vital to a healthy garden. If you want to cover your plants, use something that drains quickly; straw, hay or pine needles. Some leaves are okay on top of the straw, hay etc., but leaves compact and do not drain well and can cause the crown of plants to rot. If your plants are for zone 4, they shouldn't need winter cover, but if newly planted this year, it's a good idea. Sometimes folks like the dead plants left to 'catch' snow, and that's ok, but I prefer to not risk the disease issues. Plus....I prefer to cut back plants when they are still crispy and not soggy & smelly in the spring.

What about that vegetable garden? The BEST thing you can do, is to pull or rake out those plants and throw away. They should not go in the compost unless you have a barrel. Why? Nearly every insect pest and disease issue winters over on the plant material from your garden. Tilling it in, just winters it over for next year. Putting in the compost heap doesn't work to kill insect eggs & disease unless you are correctly 'workin' the pile. Which is frequent turning, watering, adding the correct amount of carbon & nitrogen material so the whole pile reaches 212 degrees within 2 weeks. See the problem? More work than most people can do. So your backyard pile is more likely a insect-disease breeding community! An enclosed barrel at least contains the problems better and breaks down the material quicker.

Dianthus - next in the plant education series

Above is the variety Rose Magic. There are 300 species in the genus Dianthus. Each species can have numerous 'varieties' as well. Dianthus can be annuals (living one season in our zone) Bi-ennials (living 2 seasons in our zone) or perennials, (living more than 3 seasons in our zone). Rose Magic is a true perennial, having lived 4 years in my field already and showing no decline.

Sangria Splash is shown above. Photo does this beauty no justice. Brilliant color, these always sold fast. This type has a very loose & open habit. In Greek, Dianthus translates to 'god flower.'

Tiny Rubies shown above. Sooooooo cute, you want to hug them, but you will have to settle for just petting them. These dianthus get tiny little stems with tiny little flowers on them. Pretty when in flower, but the dense round shape really steals the show. Tiny Rubies has survived 3 winters at Earthworks. Dianthus are also called 'pinks.' Not due to their color, which can also be white, but to the distinct cut edge that the flowers have. Pinking means - a perforated, punched look, or reference could be to that of a 'pinking' shears. Historians are not sure, so how can I be? Dianthus are also called 'Sweet William,' (often incorrectly used) which is one of the 300 genus's of dianthus. Tall, florist type carnations are also dianthus. They are 'annual' types that are challenging to grow in zone 4.

Plant info:

-some of the dianthus are fragrant, often a spicy clove scent

-foliage, can be silvery, blueish or green

-flowers color: white, pink, reds, yellows, purply and bi-colored flowers

-short-lived, many perennial dianthus are shortlived, lasting 3-5 years before disappearing

-perfect plant for the 'cottage garden'

-plants prefer full sun

-well drained location, average water needs

-cut back plants after hard frost

-if perennials start to decline, digging, dividing & re-planting can maybe revive! But sometimes

dying out is their life cycle

-plants are normally 6-18 tall depending on type, so front of border best

-great as a cut flower, long lasting in the vase