The time has come for potting outdoor plants to winter inside.

A gardener’s work is never done,
even with fall lurking in the air
By Thea Steinmetz
Insights
Published Oct. 4, 2006

This is a very important time of the year to walk around the garden with a critical eye. Vegetables are down to a precious few. The lettuce seeded about a month ago is in good form and looks extremely happy.

The tomato plants were ripped out a couple of weeks ago as punishment for very bad behavior this year. Never before have the tomatoes refused to get red. The pepper crop was great, but the tomatoes, in spite of crop rotation, refused to bring forth a decent harvest. All I could do was make a savory relish from all the green cherry tomatoes and pretend that was what I wanted to do all along. There are some larger ones tucked in newspapers and we will see if they will even blush.

Let us take a closer look at what we can do now to work ahead for the next year. We gardeners are so much like  Cleveland Indians, Browns or Cavalier fans — we don’t give up. Now matter how poor the season was, we always hope for a better one next year.

Lawn care
The lawn is a good place to start looking. See where your grass needs help. Now is a good time to seed those bald spots that have bugged us all summer. With cooler temperatures and less scorching from the sun, it is the optimum time for grass seed to do its thing. Of course, we are less compulsive than we were once upon a time. If there was a bad spot, it was neatly dug out and immediately replaced with a corresponding sized piece of farm-grown turf. Somehow, having perfect grass next spring does not rise to the top of our “must do” list now. A reasonably good lawn, without ruts, standing water or bald spots still looks good from far away.

Planting bulbs
The next item comes under “here we go again.” The only difference is that this year I am telling you early enough to get your spring bulbs into the ground. Do it now while the weather is still reasonably tolerant and you won’t need mittens or a snow shovel to get them in the ground. I, too, have waited once or twice too long and had to wear a warm parka and gloves to man the trowel. The earth does not yield as smoothly when it is cold to make room for a spring miracle. Come on, admit it: What a thrill it is to see the daffodils and tulips come up in the spring.

A few years ago, the deer feasted on $100 worth of tulip bulbs. Part of this investment was an order of Angelique bulbs. I had coveted that pink beauty for some time and apparently so had the deer. This time I am planting them in the front of the house where the deer damage seems to be kept in check. They have their own path they follow and it seems to lead through our back yard.

In addition, to be on the safe side, I will spray the young leaves as they come up with a deer repellant and hope for the best. The deer have the capability to do a surgical strike by removing the tender blossoms just as they begin to show their color. However, I have a few other tricks up my sleeve and we will see who outsmarts whom.

Potting plants to bring inside
This is another chore that often is not done early enough. A good grade potting soil is a prerequisite for accomplishing this rewarding task. The Mandevilla is still producing lovely pink blossoms, and so once inside, I will wait a bit before cutting it back. The jasmine did so well inside last winter and kept growing lustily outside. It needs a good pruning to keep it going for another year.

There is a limit on how many plants our houses or apartments can safely absorb, so tough choices have to be made. A wrought-iron stand will be the keeper of my fragrant geraniums. This tower will hold four plants, so that is how many have to be selected for indoor wintering.

The rest of the geraniums will again be brought into the garage. They will spend their time in a plastic tub with a bit of soil clinging to their roots. There is no great upkeep and great loss if not all of them make it. It is always a surprise to see what comes up in spring from seemingly dead plants.

Herbs to be coaxed for a few more months
The two that perform the best for me are rosemary and the culinary bay leaf. I use both frequently, and because of the trimming they are less prone to perish indoors. The trick is not to overwater them or let them dry out.

Basil, a favorite of many, is difficult to keep going for the whole winter. Unless one can baby-sit it under growing lights and monitor conditions daily, this desirable herb usually gives out by December. I have managed to keep it longer but the yield is so poor, the fuss to coax it is not worth it.

By doing some of these chores now, we will be ahead next season. Especially if we give weeds the heave-ho now. What a virtuous thought that is.