Botrytis blight or gray mold is a fungus disease which infects annual and perennial plants. Botytris infections are favored by cool, rainy spring and summer weather. It can be very damaging when rainy weather continues over several days.

During wet or humid weather look for any brown or spotted material that develops, and look for gray spores on the dead or dying tissue.

Fungus can overwinter on dead plant tissue, so practice good sanitation every autumn. Remove all plant debris from the the garden, cut stalks to ground level, and destroy all plant debris.

Fungicide sprays may help protect plants from infection. If the weather is continuously cool and wet or if Botytris Blight was an issue the previous year, apply a fungicide. Read label instructions to pick the proper fungicide and apply according to package directions.

As you are preparing your garden for winter, remember to label your plants.  Flowers will disappear from sight, so make sure you label them with what they are and where they are.

It’s also important as you are planting bulbs to label them as you plant them, so you do not accidentally dig them up in the spring.

All labels are not the same. Plastic and wood labels can deteriorate with our weather. The longest lasting nameplates are made of galvanized zinc. Using paint markers or china markers are better than using permanent markers.

Lawn King has zinc namplates available, which includes a china marker (grease pencil).

Perennials that are not winter hardy here in Minnesota need to be dug up in the fall and stored indoors for the winter.

Caladium

Dig up caladiums when the foliage droops and turns yellow or wait until after the first frost. Place plants in a warm location for one to two weeks to allow for curing, then cut off dry foliage and store tubers in peat moss or vermiculite in a 6o to 65 degree Fahrenheit location.

Calla Lily

After a killing frost cut foliage to 1 to 2″ above the soil surface. Carefully dig up rhizomes making sure not to damage them in any way. Dry in a warm, dry location for 1 to 2 weeks. Put the rhizomes in peat moss or vermiculite and store in a cool, dry location with temperatures of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Canna

A few days after a killing frost cut to 4 inches above the ground. Carefully dig up clumps with a spade or garden fork. Allow them to dry for several hours. Place the cannas in peat moss, vermiculite, or sand, and store in a cool area with temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dahlia

Cut back the plants to within 2 to 4  inches of the ground after a killing frost. Let them cure in the ground for 6 to 7 days. Carefully dig up with a spade or shovel avoiding any damage to tubers. Gently shake off the soil, then cut the stems back to the crown. Carefully wash the dahlia clumps to remove any remaining soil. Allow them to dry for 24 hours. When clumps are dry, put them upside down in cardboard boxes and cover with peat moss, vermiculite or wood shavings. Store in an area which is dry with temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Elephant’s Ear

Dig up the plants after the first fall frost. Cut off all the foliage and dry tubers in a warm, dry location for approximately 2 weeks. Store the tubers in peat moss or wood shavings in a location with temperatures of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Gladiolus

Dig up plants with a spade in early fall. Shake off the soil and then cut the foliage back to 1 to 2 inches above the corms. Dry then for 2 to 3 weeks in a warm, dry location. When dry, remove the old dried up mother corm and the cormels (tiny corms). Store in paper bags in an area with temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

The end of the outdoor growing season does not have to signal the end of your tropical plants. If you have well-lit indoor space, you can overwinter some tropical plants.

Plants such as hibiscus, bougainvillea, mandevilla, palms, cannas and banana plants can be overwintered.

Hibiscus and bougaivillea should be cut back before bringing them indoors. Smaller plants placed in a sunny location will bloom periodically throughout the winter.

Mandevilla need to be severely pruned before bringing them indoors. If growing conditions are good while indoors, it might need additional pruning.

If you do not want to grow these plants indoors, you may place them in a cool area that does not freeze and they will drop their leaves and go dormant. Without the leaves the plant will not need a lot of water, so water sparingly. You do not want to let the roots dry out.

Banana plants can be cut back leaving only the central leaf. Place in a cool area allowing it to go dormant and water sparingly.

Palms make great houseplants. They adjust quickly to the lower light conditions found in the home. You can just bring them in and enjoy them all winter. Some of the older leaves may yellow and drop.

Before bringing the plants into the house, thoroughly check for pests. Mites are very common and can be difficult to detect. You can eliminate any pests by thoroughly washing the plant with a solution of water and mild detergent or by spraying them with a pesticide labeled for indoor use.

Why Plant in Fall?

From mid-August to mid-October air temperatures and warm, moist soil make it an excellent time to plant. Plants only need about 6 weeks to establish themselves before the ground freezes.

Plants, trees, and shrubs planted in the spring tend to have growth above ground whereas, when planted in the fall they tend to have growth below ground. In the fall as they go into dormancy, plants put a lot of energy into root growth, so in the spring as they break dormancy, they tend to shoot up with a lot of new growth.

Watering is important. You will have to give plants moisture, but they require a lot less water in the fall than in the much hotter temperatures of summer.

Most perennials suffer less damage from cool weather than hot weather. Another consideration is the bloom cycle of perennials, most perennials do not bloom the first year they are planted. By planting in the fall, you will have blooms the next summer. It is also a good time to do divisions and transplantings.

Lastly, cost also is a consideration. Nurseries and garden centers tend to have great deals in fall. So, fall really is a great time to plant!

At this time of year it is really important to:

• Keep your pumpkin plants watered. Pumpkins and squash require 1 inch of water from rainfall or irrigation each week.
• Keep an eye out for powdery mildew. Powdery mildew starts out as yellow spots on the leaves and turns to white or gray felt patches on the leaves. Apply fungicide when a single spot of powdery mildew is discovered. Follow the instructions on the package label.
• Check your plants for any insects. Either remove by hand or treat with an insecticide.
• Cultivate and remove weeds. The roots of vine plants are close to the surface, cultivate only deep enough to cut off weeds just below soil surface. Pull large weeds by hand.
• Fertilize with your favorite fertilizer, like Miracle Grow.

Step inside our greenhouses…

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