Think of September as the beginning of the gardening season. After this severe summer, people are actually enjoying being out in the yard again. Days can still be summer-hot and dry, but the end is in sight and gardeners are perking up.
Autumn is traditionally the time to look ahead to spring by planting daffodil, tulip and crocus bulbs. But don't be so farsighted. Pull out your bedraggled impatiens and put in the annuals and perennials that will provide glorious fall color well into winter.
You may find that your choices are somewhat limited. In this area chrysanthemums, pansies and ornamental kale and cabbage are popular for fall color that you may have to hunt to come up with something more unusual. But even if these are all you can find, you can combine them to create a striking display.
Chrysanthemums are everywhere right now, from your local garden center to Kmart. Ray Bosmans, a horticulturist with the Cooperative Extension Service, recommends planting mums immediately if you're interested in having them as a perennial.
Here in Maryland, according to Mary Ruble, assistant manager of the greenhouse at Watson's, mums are considered tender perennials. Many of them do come back in spring, but you should mulch them. Mums actually do better in Pennsylvania and points north, she says, because our winter's frequent freeze-thaw cycles are very hard on their root systems. Mulch will insulate plants from the "heaving" that fluctuations in ground temperature cause.
Mums may need extra attention if you plant them in warmer weather, but it's worth taking the trouble. That may mean a soaking watering every day or every other day if necessary, because the root ball of a new plant will always dry out faster than the ground around it. (To encourage the roots, spread them out gently with your fingers before you plant them.) If your plants don't have time to become established before hard frost, they might not survive the winter.
Chrysanthemums come in traditional fall colors like russet, gold and yellow. But there is also plenty of new varieties to choose from. Lavender mums are one of the most popular, according to Wendy Scott at Valley View Farms, because people love pastels so much. Buy plants with buds rather than in full flower to ensure having color into late November.
