Ghost Gardener: Cool Gardening to Warm Your Body and Soul

October 25, 2013

Did you know that our lovely South Carolina Fall can be a gardener’s best friend?  Mosquitoes are dormant, the sun is too far away to present a burn hazard, weeds are dying off, and you’re not forced inside by 11 a.m. because of the heat.  Plus, there are all those gorgeous cool-weather edibles!  Here are some reasons to make this season your own gardening paradise:

#1:   Fall is the best time to add bone structure to your bed

Not only is the atmosphere a more pleasing work environment, it’s advantageous to plant after the summer heat has gone by for good.  Fall-planted trees and shrubs have a chance to establish and grow larger root systems before winter dormancy, so when the Spring growth spurt arrives, they’ll  be ready to rock.   You’ve got about another 6 weeks during which you can add new specimens to a new or existing bed. 

#2:   Dead annuals + dormant perennials = space to breathe

Go ahead and cut back to the ground dying perennials and pull out those begonias, vinca, and other flowers you purchased in cell packs last spring….they’ve done their job for now and will better serve your compost pile.  Whew!  You can see the framework of your beds and containers and can tweak accordingly.  Light pruning neatens up scraggly shrubs, but don’t whack off more than the evident renegade branches as you don’t want to encourage a bunch of new growth before dormancy. Do cut off all dead branches, but heavy pruning happens in late winter/early spring.    Do you see big holes toward the middle or rear of your beds?  Consider adding a winter-interest tree or shrub that nurseries are stocking right now.  

#3:  Root prune for the future

Are you wanting to restructure or add beds, but not quite ready or able to this year?   Or do you realize that certain trees or shrubs either don’t get enough or get too much sun where they are now?  Then make a smart move and root prune the woody plants you’d like to transplant next spring.  This how-to
tells you what you need to know:
http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/shrubs/hgic1055.html

#4:  Move beyond flowers

Do your containers look bare now that you’ve composted their floral glory?  Sure, you can replace with pansies, but consider making a move towards personal sustainability and plant edibles instead.   Check out these containers post Fall switch-out: 

 
The Alocasia (elephant ear) is a glorious spring/summer statement, but will die back once frost hits, so I needed something to fill out the space in front with width and height.  Snapdragons would do, but I wanted more functionality, so I planted colorful Swiss Chard next to a mix of Arugula and Romaine lettuces.  Finishing it off is a trailing Lysimachia Walkabout Sunset that will display that lemony color all year.   

 
Here’s some pansy beauty against a backdrop of Rosemary Tuscan Blue for a client who uses the heck out of her favorite herb.  

 
Of course, you can create a container herb garden any time.  Note the Red Romaine mixed in.

 
I think I’m in love with this Red Romaine variety!  Look how it pops amidst ornamentals.

#5:   Dream and Scheme

Cool mornings into shirt-sleeve afternoons present a golden opportunity to assess your yard, remove plants that you continue to despise, (like 50-year-old azaleas that have been cut back but continue to barely leaf out or flower), and rake out, weed, and redefine existing beds.  Walk or bike around the city and take note of yards you love to get those creative juices flowing.  Stroll through your local nursery to see what’s new.  Look for interesting garden art—-new or not—-to inspire a new bed or container area.

Enjoy this glorious season when life truly IS better outdoors!

Ghost Gardener can be found in clients’ yards from Shandon to Forest Hills to Lake Katherine to Blythewood.  She is co-owner of Viva Verde Customized Gardening, and would love to answer your questions or hear your comments.  You can reach her at  [email protected]