{"id":1851,"date":"2018-09-17T00:07:46","date_gmt":"2018-09-17T00:07:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1851"},"modified":"2018-09-17T00:37:56","modified_gmt":"2018-09-17T00:37:56","slug":"fall-is-for-gardening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1851","title":{"rendered":"Fall is for Gardening"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>By Edie Parnum<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Planning to wait until spring to garden?\u00a0 Fall is better.\u00a0 The soil is still warm, and with autumn rains, the new plants will grow their roots and come to robust life next year. Fall-planted perennials produce more flowers than those planted in spring.\u00a0 Woody plants get a head start and could produce flowers and berries their first year.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #33cccc;\"><strong>First, assess your garden<\/strong>.<\/span>\u00a0 You\u2019ve watched your landscape since April, and its flaws are still visible.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are any plants not thriving? Perhaps they\u2019re in a too-sunny or too-shady spot and need to be transplanted<\/li>\n<li>Do you have weedy areas offering opportunities for new native plants or ground covers? (See <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1542\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cNative Groundcovers\u201d<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Have any nasty invasives moved in and need to be replaced with native plants?<\/li>\n<li>Do you have more lawn than you need?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #33cccc;\"><strong>Consider your garden\u2019s aesthetics.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Should any sickly-looking plants be removed?<\/li>\n<li>Are some plants obtrusively tall and would show better in the back of the garden? Are short plants hidden by tall plants?<\/li>\n<li>Would an arbor or trellis be an attractive feature and support a Trumpet Honeysuckle, <em>Lonicera sempervirens<\/em>, vine for hummingbirds. (See <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1723\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2017 Prime Plants for Nature<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #33cccc;\"><strong>Can your garden support more birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Plant something for birds.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_1854\" style=\"width: 249px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Chestnut-sided-Warbler-by-Gerald-Dewaghe.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1854\" class=\"wp-image-1854 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Chestnut-sided-Warbler-by-Gerald-Dewaghe-239x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"239\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Chestnut-sided-Warbler-by-Gerald-Dewaghe-239x300.jpg 239w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Chestnut-sided-Warbler-by-Gerald-Dewaghe.jpg 430w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 239px) 100vw, 239px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1854\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Chestnut-sided Warbler&#8217;s primary diet is caterpillars. Most young birds eat only caterpillars. \u00a9 Gerald Dewaghe Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Do you have room for an oak?\u00a0 White Oak,\u00a0<em>Quercus alba\u00a0<\/em>(See <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=623\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2013 Prime Plants for Nature Awards<\/a>), Chestnut Oak <em>(Q. montata),<\/em> Red Oak (<em>Quercus rubra)<\/em>, and Black Oak <em>(Q. veluntina)<\/em> are possibilities in our area. Oaks host the greatest numbers of native insects, which are high-quality foods for birds (see Doug Tallamy\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Bringing-Nature-Home-Wildlife-Expanded\/dp\/0881929921\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Bringing Nature Home<\/em><\/a>). Adding additional native trees and shrubs to your yard will increase your yard\u2019s biomass, i.e. all living things including insects, and significantly enhance your yard\u2019s ecosystem.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Plant for butterflies.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To host Monarch butterflies, you can never grow enough milkweed (See\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=283\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cMarvelous Migrating Monarchs Need Our Help\u201d<\/a>).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1856\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Monarc-nectaring-on-Butterfly-Milkweed-Edies-photo.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1856\" class=\"wp-image-1856 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Monarc-nectaring-on-Butterfly-Milkweed-Edies-photo-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Monarc-nectaring-on-Butterfly-Milkweed-Edies-photo-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Monarc-nectaring-on-Butterfly-Milkweed-Edies-photo-768x584.jpg 768w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Monarc-nectaring-on-Butterfly-Milkweed-Edies-photo-1024x779.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Monarc-nectaring-on-Butterfly-Milkweed-Edies-photo-395x300.jpg 395w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1856\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Monarch butterfly nectaring on Butterfly Milkweed. \u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>All of us can plant more Swamp Milkweed<em> (Asclepias incarnata)<\/em>, Common Milkweed <em>(A. syriaca), <\/em>or Butterfly Weed <em>(A. tuberosa)<\/em>.\u00a0 Other native plants feed butterfly caterpillars, too.\u00a0 For example, a Spicebush <em>(Lindera benzoin) <\/em>(see <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1800\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2018 Prime Plants for Nature<\/a>) hosts Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies. Perennials such as Purple Coneflower<em> (Echinacea purpurea)<\/em>, Garden Phlox <em>(Phlox paniculata)<\/em>, New England Aster <em>(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), <\/em>and other asters offer copious amounts of nectar for butterflies.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Plant for pollinators.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_1855\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1855\" class=\"wp-image-1855 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo-768x767.jpg 768w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo-1024x1022.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo-301x300.jpg 301w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Gray-Hairstread-081914-IMG_8096-Edies-photo.jpg 1550w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1855\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gray Hairstreak butterfly on Short-toothed Mountain Mint. \u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Yes, you want more native bees, wasps, and flies, of course (see<a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1037\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> &#8220;Pollinators Need Our Help!\u201d<\/a>).\u00a0 Short-toothed Mountain Mint <em>(Pycnanthemum muticum)<\/em> is a must.\u00a0 Also consider Anise Hyssop <em>(Agastache foeniculum),<\/em> Blue Mistflower <em>(Conoclinium coelestinum),<\/em> Joe-pye Weed <em>(Eutrochium purpureum),<\/em> Beard Tongue (<em>Penstemon digitalis), <\/em>Obedient Plant<em> (Physostegia virginiana),<\/em> Black-eyed Susan <em>(Rudbeckia fulgida), <\/em>and the butterfly-attracting native perennials listed above.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1853\" style=\"width: 273px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Ruby-throated-Hummer-on-Trumpet-Honeysuckle-Ruth-Pfeffer-photo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1853\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1853\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Ruby-throated-Hummer-on-Trumpet-Honeysuckle-Ruth-Pfeffer-photo-263x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"263\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Ruby-throated-Hummer-on-Trumpet-Honeysuckle-Ruth-Pfeffer-photo-263x300.jpg 263w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Ruby-throated-Hummer-on-Trumpet-Honeysuckle-Ruth-Pfeffer-photo.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1853\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on Trumpet Honeysuckle. \u00a9 Ruth Pfeffer. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Plant for hummingbirds.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition to Trumpet Honeysuckle, Cardinal Flower <em>(Lobelia cardinalis),<\/em> Great Blue Lobelia <em>(L. siphilitica), <\/em>Bee Balm <em>(Monarda didyma)<\/em>, and Wild Bergamot <em>(M. fistulosa) <\/em>attract hummingbirds.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Try some new native plants.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_1857\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Potter-Wasp-on-Grass-leaved-Goldenrod-Edie-photo.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1857\" class=\"wp-image-1857 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Potter-Wasp-on-Grass-leaved-Goldenrod-Edie-photo-300x279.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"279\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Potter-Wasp-on-Grass-leaved-Goldenrod-Edie-photo-300x279.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Potter-Wasp-on-Grass-leaved-Goldenrod-Edie-photo-322x300.jpg 322w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Potter-Wasp-on-Grass-leaved-Goldenrod-Edie-photo.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1857\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Potter Wasp nectaring and pollinating Grass-leafed Goldenrod. \u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>How about goldenrods?\u00a0 Several species are well-behaved and attractive.\u00a0 They are great late summer\/fall pollinator plants and don\u2019t cause hay fever. My favorites include Blue-stemmed <em>(Solidago caesia)<\/em>, Zig-zag <em>(S. flexicaulis),<\/em> and Grass-leafed Goldenrod <em>(S. graminifolia).<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Want more plants?<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Transplant seedlings.\u00a0 Divide perennials.\u00a0 You\u2019ll have extras, so be generous with your friends and neighbors. (See <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1296\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cWant More Native Plants? Learn to Transplant\u201d<\/a>)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Enrich your soil.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Instead of sending your fallen leaves to the municipal dump, leaves can be used as soil-enhancing mulch in flower beds and around trees and shrubs.\u00a0 Consider leaving quantities of leaves and other garden debris in unobtrusive spots where insects and other creatures can overwinter.\u00a0 Too much tidiness can kill. (See <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=942\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8220;Brown Gold: The Gift of Fall Leaves&#8221;<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Sound like too much?\u00a0 Pick and choose.\u00a0 But, remember, fall gardening is easier than in the spring.\u00a0 It\u2019s cooler.\u00a0 With the autumn rains, less watering is required. You can plant up until six weeks before hard frost, as late as early November in southeastern Pennsylvania. And, there\u2019ll be less to do in the spring.<\/p>\n<p>Is there a down side to gardening in fall?\u00a0 Well, you must wait until spring to see the results.\u00a0 The new leaves will appear, the flowers will bloom, the insects will hatch.\u00a0 And, your garden will nurture a multitude of living things.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<span style=\"color: #ffff00;\">For<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ffff00;\">a list of retail sources of native plants and native plant sale events<\/span>, click <a href=\"http:\/\/valleyforgeaudubon.org\/bfn\/native-plant-retailers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffff00;\">A special native plant sale<\/span> sponsored by John James Audubon Center and Valley Forge Audubon Society will take place on October 20 and 21, 2018.\u00a0 Details are below.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VFAS-2018-Fall-Native-Plant-Sale-StD.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-1865 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VFAS-2018-Fall-Native-Plant-Sale-StD-1024x731.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"417\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VFAS-2018-Fall-Native-Plant-Sale-StD-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VFAS-2018-Fall-Native-Plant-Sale-StD-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VFAS-2018-Fall-Native-Plant-Sale-StD-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VFAS-2018-Fall-Native-Plant-Sale-StD-420x300.jpg 420w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VFAS-2018-Fall-Native-Plant-Sale-StD.jpg 1820w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Edie Parnum Planning to wait until spring to garden?\u00a0 Fall is better.\u00a0 The soil is still warm, and with autumn rains, the new plants will grow their roots and come to robust life next year. Fall-planted perennials produce more &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1851\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1851"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1851"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1878,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1851\/revisions\/1878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}