Keep picking and keep weeding and keep watering, my friends. Heavy, blowing rainstorms of late have knocked plants sideways but added little moisture to the vegetable garden. If you have lettuce, squash, beans, or tomatoes still growing, keep those beds moist! This tip includes perennial strawberries—especially the June-bearing ones—because they are putting down roots now for spring growth.
Weeding has multiple benefits. By pulling dead leaves of daylilies and fleshy annual weeds, I free up valuable space for the plants I want and remove potential carriers of fungus and bacteria. I also came across a few plants of perennial turtlehead (Chelone). I saw these plants a few years ago, but housepainters and helpful landscaping dogs and family have trampled them to nonexistence—until this weekend! Turtlehead seems pretty sturdy as long as it grows in moist soil with part sun. The turtlehead pleased me with its persistence.
I walked about the gardens to pick ripe fruit and veggies. While I was there, I pulled a few persistent weeds. I checked on perennials that were decimated by insect damage (I see you, rose sawfly) and cut them back to the ground thinking, “Better luck next year.” I also made a plan to deadhead various goldenrod perennials that self-sow. Goldenrod supports hundreds of insects and pollinators, but you may not want it everywhere.
I love the bright banana yellow of goldenrod, but as the flowers go to seed, the flower heads turn an olive brown. I cut those off, either partway down the stem or at soil level. I know I won’t run out of goldenrod.
Likewise, I have a new (three years old) garden with monarda punctata clumps now appearing throughout the bed. I counted on that repeating color in my initial garden plan, but now I have cut back many of those seed heads to prevent too much of a good thing. Garden plans can and should change regularly as the conditions change.
By not feeling rushed this week, I took the time to teach myself a little something about goldenrod. For one, this ubiquitous flower is not the source of fall pollen allergies. Goldenrod pollen is not born on the wind but stays with the flower, and it coats a visiting insect that will take it to another flower. The goldenrod genus, Solidago, has many species that look similar, but some grow as clumps while others spread vigorously via rhizomes. There is a white goldenrod as well! I think I have more than four types of goldenrod growing, but two show more distinct differences, the Solidago canadensis with longer leaves and three prominent parallel leaf veins and the Solidago ohioensis with narrower, shorter leaves and flat topped flowers clusters.
You probably won’t be including native poison ivy in your garden plans. Now is a good time to control it. Cut back to the ground, but as you do, protect yourself from the oil of poison ivy (in every part of the plant even when cut) by wearing gloves, long pants, and long sleeves. Wash garden clothing immediately. The oil can be transmitted via a dog’s fur, so be wary if you are highly susceptible!
While the sun shines and days are mild, I like to divide perennials and clean up their planting area to encourage better growth. Divide and/or plant daylilies and iris. I have a few clumps to divide, but I also have moss phlox, geranium, and thyme with grass blades poking up through the favored clumps. I will dig up these rooted perennials that have too many weeds. I can then poke around the planting location to weed out troublemakers and replant the plants this month while they can still put down roots.
Sadly, I lost two newly purchased Heliopsis helianthus—striking perennial sunflowers—to marauding rabbits and voles, I think. The pests bit off the new plants’ stems about six inches above the soil level and also dug holes accessing the moist roots below. For an “unmanaged” meadow, I have decided that seeding makes the most sense. Pests have been too eager to dig up fresh, loose soil around tasty young plants. Instead, I am even more committed to spreading the seed of favored coreopsis, butterfly weed, and milk weed plants. These seeds will hopefully take hold and grow well in the hard pan clay soil without attracting the attention of my annoying resident rodents. I had success with the seed of beardtongue (Penstemon) and larkspur (Lupinus) in the last couple years.
This past weekend, I set up a new pest deterrent around my raspberry bed. I have a second crop of raspberries coming along, and they look great. I added stakes with simple twine to support the canes but also slow down and expose rabbits to local hawks. I also added old compact discs to spin in the wind. The movement and flash of light will startle the pests. With wind and rain lately, I didn’t want to spray repellents this week, but I will begin that routine in the next month or so. By changing the conditions—using repellents, adding fencing or invisible thread nuisances, flashes of light or noise—I can make the deer and rabbits uncomfortable and hopefully send them elsewhere.
By now your garlic should be dried and ready for long-term storage. Before storing too far away, select the best and healthiest bulbs to use as your seed garlic. Each clove will grow into a new bulb. I can usually fit about 60 cloves in a bed three feet by six feet, or five rows of 12 plants each. Bulbs can have four to eight cloves depending on variety, so plan accordingly. Keep the bulbs intact until planting time in mid-October.
Like Chelone, another late summer stalwart would be Buddleia or butterfly bush. This ornamental, short-lived, perennial shrub has a sweet fragrance that bees and butterflies love. I like the deep-purple flowers of mine. These plants were overwhelmed by evergreens and only emerged after the holly and juniper were removed. They grow better in a warmer zone—more of a six than a five—but I discovered mine persisting in a protected spot, probably a zone six microclimate. They sit next to the house by a brick chimney with unobstructed southern exposure. If I remember to water them, they do well until frosts arrive in late September.
Leaving you with another alert: Invasive spotted lanternfly is present now in many communities in Massachusetts. Learn more and report spotted lanternfly adults with this link if found. Spotted lanternflies feed on many plant species but are typically first seen on grapes and tree of heaven. This pest poses a serious danger to our forests and agricultural products. If you spot it, don’t be lazy, report it!
I call myself the Lazy Berkshire Gardener because I don’t want to work too hard in my gardens. I want to enjoy them. I find it easier to observe my landscape and let the compost happen, the water pool up, or daisies to self-sow. I look for ways to do the minimum task for the biggest impact. For example, mulching is better than spraying and much better than weeding all season. I look for beautiful, low-maintenance plants that thrive in or at least tolerate my garden conditions. Plus, I am willing to live with the consequences if I miss something.
