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Horticulture Report September 2019

Perennials, annuals, and bulbs

During the fall months of September, October and November, after soil temperature drops below 60°F., the bulbs of spring flowering tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, scilla, dwarf irises, anemone, and crocus should be planted. Select healthy, disease free bulbs. Add Bone meal or Bulb fertilizer into the planting hole, as you prepare the soil.

Winter pansies, flowering Kale, flowering Cabbage, and fall mums may be planted now, to give a little color to the garden when the summer flowers have faded away.

Scatter the seeds of perennials in a row or in open beds this month so that the young seedlings will be ready to be transplanted into their permanent spot next spring.

As the weather cools, perennials which have overgrown their space or become crowded should be dug and divided, or moved to a new area of the garden. New or replacement perennials can also be planted this month.

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Monarchs

Monarchs are loving the Tithonia ‘Torch’ (Mexican Sunflower)
and the Liatris ligulistylis (Blazing Star).

Enjoying many butterflies feasting in my garden.

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Monarch Way Stations

Monarch in Member’s
Monarch Way Station

Four Wheaton Garden Club members have certified way stations! We are making progress on our way to reaching our goal of ten. A garden does not have to start from scratch to become a way station. Many times it only takes an addition of milkweed plants. In case you worry that milkweed is invasive, the following are not: butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa), swamp milk weed (asclepias incarnata) and purple milk weed (asclepias purpurascens).

Information on Monarch Butterfly Way Station requirements and an application form can be found on the link below. You can register online or print out the application. The Wheaton Garden Club will cover the $16 registration fee for members.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/

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Birdhouses and Plant Sale Pick-up

This is a friendly reminder that the plants you ordered through the Wheaton Garden Club Plant Sale will be available for pick-up this coming Saturday, May 18th, from 1 to 3 PM.

Please note that our pick-up is at a new location this year, 0N650 Coventry Drive in Wheaton. Coventry Drive is just west of Gary Avenue on the south side of Geneva Road. You can find directions to this location using the Bing Maps website. (Google Maps does not know this location.)

Beautiful birdhouses, similar to the ones shown above, will also be for sale during plant pick-up. Each one is an original work of art. Marcia, the artist, makes these out of love and donates all proceeds to charitable purposes. Proceeds from the sale of birdhouses on May 18th will go to help fund College of DuPage scholarships for horticultural students.  

Don’t forget to bring your checkbooks. We’ll have some extra plants for sale, as well as the birdhouses.

Please remember that our plant pick-up is one day only. If you cannot pick up your plants on that day, please arrange for someone else to pick them up for you. The Wheaton Garden Club cannot be responsible for the condition of plants not picked up on May 18th. Thank you for understanding.

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Horticulture Report – May 2019


Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia that have already flowered.

Fertilize roses early this month or mid-month if you already fertilized last month. Use a 20-20-20 liquid solution when flower buds are set. Mulch around the plants to retain moisture.

Stake perennials before they reach 6 inches.

Pinch back fall-blooming perennials such as chrysanthemums, asters, and tall sedums once a week.

Direct growth of perennial vines on their supports.

Check peonies for botrytis blight or other fungal problems. If they had problems last year, spray when plants are 2-4 inches tall. I’m quoting: There are fungicides that can help protect your plants from Botrytis blight. You need to look for a product that says on the label that it can be used on the specific type of plant, peony, and the specific disease, for instance, Botrytis blight. There should be products with the active ingredient “Mancozeb” or some type of copper that are labeled for use on peony against Botrytis blight. In terms of where to apply the fungicide, read and follow all label directions! I don’t think it is necessary to dig out the peonies before treatment, but follow the directions above all. Fungicides should be applied to protect against Botrytis blight early in the season.

Continue reading “Horticulture Report – May 2019”
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Horticulture Report – April 2019

Take it easy!

Be sure your garden beds are not too wet. If it’s been raining or snowing and the soil is saturated, you’ll have to postpone your gardening a bit longer.

Shrubs and trees

There is still time to plant trees and shrubs. However, by mid-month it will be a little late to transplant large trees or shrubs.

The months of March, April and May are ideal for pruning evergreens. If you have juniper, cypress or conifer that need shearing or pruning, this is a good time to do it. Remove all dead, diseased, and undesirable wood. Don’t prune back into the bare wood part of the plant.

Prune forsythia after it finishes flowering.

Broadleaf and needle leaf evergreens benefit most from lightly spreading a high nitrogen fertilizer around their bases.

Perennials, annuals and bulbs

April is the month for planting summer flowering bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas and lilies. Mix bulb fertilizer, processes manure and peat moss into the planting soil. Tuberous begonias and canna should not be set outdoors until all danger of frost has passed, so wait until next month.

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Horticulture Report – March 2019

Shrubs and trees

In most areas it is still possible to do dormant spraying of fruit trees until the 15th, after that date dilute the spray by 1/2. Spraying should be done on a still day with the temperature above 40 degrees F.

Late March and early April is a good time to transplant shrubs and trees. As soon as the soil is workable, but before buds have swelled or broken open, you can move shrubs and trees.

Fertilize shrubs and trees if this wasn’t done in February. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed roses and other deciduous trees and shrubs. If you use granular type fertilizers, be sure to water it in thoroughly.

Finish pruning fruit trees this month – before the buds swell.

Perennials, annuals, and bulbs

There is often a strong temptation to start removing winter mulches from your flower beds…. WAIT!!! Pull the mulch off gradually as the plants show signs of new growth. The purpose of winter mulch is to act as a protector from sudden changes of temperature and chilling winds, so keep in mind that it is still winter. Acclimatize your plants by removing the mulch over a period of days, allowing the light and air to reach the new growth slowly. It is much better to remove the mulch a little later than to remove it to early.

Continue reading “Horticulture Report – March 2019”
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Hurry Spring!

2 flats of seeds sown. Spring can’t come soon enough!

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Plant Sale 2019

Welcome to the WGC Plant Sale

Please Submit your order no later than
Friday, March 1, 2019.
Thank you for your order and continued support!

ORDER PICKUP:
SATURDAY, MAY 18th 1:00-3:00 PM
0N650 COVENTRY,  WHEATON

(Please note this is a new pick up location)

Order Now

Direct questions to Rosanne Merrill at 630-681-9181
or Gail DaVall 630-335-4486.

Plant Sale FAQ

Need some gardening Inspiration?

Please note that plant pick-up is one day only.  If you cannot pick-up your plants on that day, please arrange for someone else to pick them up for you.  The Wheaton Garden Club cannot be responsible for the condition of plants not picked up on May 18th.