To fill that floral gap, I started amaryllis, hyacinths and paper whites in soil or pebbles a few weeks ago. I had hoped for a few blooms over the holidays, but at the rate some are progressing, I may have a floriferous January instead.
Gardening in the fall is as much about planning for spring as it is preparing for winter. And because I’d much rather think about spring than winter, I’m planning to follow Dugald Cameron’s detailed instructions on how to plant bulbs in containers now so I have them to use in spring containers on the porch next spring.
Decisions need to be made on how to overwinter herbaceous perennials that have been growing outdoors in containers. In addition to perennials, I also have a few clematis in pots to store.
I always plant at least two dozen cloves of garlic in a corner of one of the raised beds every October from heads I harvested in midsummer. I save six or seven of the largest heads to replant and use the rest for cooking.
Now that temperatures are beginning to drop, it’s more pleasant to be out in the garden. It’s a good thing, too, because there’s lots to do. Tasks that can be accomplished in the fall mean fewer to do in the spring.