Focus On Fall Garden Fun

It's time to play in the dirt! As temperatures begin to cool from the intensity of August, we can start spending more time working and enjoying our gardens. September can be as full of garden fun as the first warm days of spring.

It's time to start cleaning up the flower beds. If you are leaving seed pods on your flowering plants for winter interest, go ahead and clean up fallen leaves and trim off bent stems. Insects and disease can over-winter in garden debris.

If you are saving seeds to use for next year's gardens, start clipping flower heads as they dry. Spread the seed heads on paper towels and separate the seeds from the dried petals. Discard the empty flower heads, dried petals, and stems. Make sure your seeds are completely dry. If they need a few more days, place them in a dry, dark spot and check on them frequently. Once they are dry, put them in zipper-top bags labeled in permanent marker with as much information as you know about the plant, i.e., botanical name, common name, color, and the date you bag them. Store the sealed seed bags in a cool, dark, and dry spot.

Now is the best time to plant perennials for next year. There is still plenty of time for the roots to become established before freezing temperatures move in. Spring Hill Nursery has a great sale going on right now with some plant prices up to 50% off. I've had my eye on their Liriope ( Liriope spicata ) to line my front porch flower bed along the walkway. Transplant or divide peonies, daylilies, poppies, iris, phlox, and other summer-blooming perennials.

Order your spring-flowering bulbs now. Begin planting them at the end of the month. Give yourself about six weeks for the roots to develop before the ground freezes. It is important to check your area's frost dates. Planting spring-flowering bulbs too early may cause the top to sprout before winter, damaging your plants.

Chores Can Be Fun Too!

I subscribe to many free online gardening newsletters. From Preen.com I received this September gardening checklist:

• Dig and repot herbs growing outdoors, or take cuttings to pot up and grow indoors.
• Bring houseplants that spent the summer outdoors back indoors before night temperatures fall below 55 ^o F. Gradually decrease light to acclimate plants and help reduce leaf drop. Check for insects and disease before putting them with other plants.
• Begin stocking up on gardening supplies before they are removed from retailers' shelves. Pots, potting mixes, fertilizers, and other products may be hard to find later in the season.
• Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped nursery stock. Mulch and keep well-watered until the ground freezes.
• Continue watering gardens, shrubs, and trees if rainfall doesn't reach an inch every week or 10 days. It's important for plants to go into cold weather with adequate moisture.
• Dig tender bulbs, such as cannas, caladiums, tuberous begonias, and gladioli before frost. Air dry and store in dry peat moss or vermiculite.

Grab A Cuppa And Enjoy Fall!

The changes in foliage color are the best part of fall. Enjoy your garden and the cooler temperatures. Plan cookouts and picnics so you can drink up every minute of great weather. Decorate your outdoor parties in festive fall colors and use locally grown, fresh produce to make this month the best September you can remember.

And, as always, grab a cup of tea or coffee, a fresh-baked muffin, and your Bible and meet the Lord in your garden for special refreshing times just for you! This recipe is the hands-down favorite at our house. The muffins taste just like pecan pie.

Pecan Pie Muffins, from the Paula Deen Celebrates! cookbook

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ^o F. Grease and flour 8 muffin tin cups or use paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and mix well. add the flour and stir until just combined. Stir in the pecans.

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling about two-thirds full.

4. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm with more butter!

Makes 8 muffins.

I make three changes when I bake these delights: I toast my pecans before chopping to bring out the amazing flavor of my favorite nuts. I add 1/4 cup mini-chocolate chips with the pecans. I bake the muffins in miniature muffin tins for wonderful little muffin bites. Ya'll come by and I'll make you some!