Midwest Today,

THINGS TO DO
IN THE GARDEN
NOW

Based on gardening in the American
Heartland, late Autumn 1997. Print
out this handy guide and save.

• Gather ornamental grasses for dried flower arrangements.
  

• Induce flowering in your poinsettia by providing total darkness from 5 P.M. to 8 A.M. daily until the bracts begin to show color.
  

• Harvest strawflowers for drying when the blossoms are about half open. Hang them upside down in a dry, well-ventilated area that is out of direct sun.
  

• Gather blooms of chrysanthemums that have not been damaged by cold temperature, remove leaves and put them in a pail of water in a cool location for use as Thanksgiving decorations.
  

• Transplant evergreen trees or shrubs. Keep them watered regularly until the ground freezes.
  

• Dig and pot up plants of parsley, chives, sage, and thyme from the garden to grow on a sunny windowsill.
  

• Surround the trunks of fruit trees with cylinders of hardware cloth to prevent rodents from chewing on them in Winter.
  

• Separate crowded lily-of-the-valley crowns. Replant three inches apart.
  

• Clean up after planting bulbs. Bits of the bulb's tunic (skin) on the soil surface leave a scent that will attract squirrels.
  

• Plant or transplant ferns. After planting, keep them watered regularly until the ground is frozen.
  

• Dig Summer flowering bulbs such as cannas and dahlias after the tops are damaged by frost. Dry, remove soil, and store in peat moss or vermiculite in a cool dark location.
  

• Plant trees and shrubs such as arbor-vitae, ash, crabapple, honey locust, juniper, linden, maple, pine, plum, redbud, serviceberry and spruce.
  

• Dig horseradish roots and trim the tops from the roots about one inch above the crowns. Replant the smaller roots for next season's crop.
  

• Pot up Spring flowering bulbs to force them into bloom indoors. Keep the soil moist and store in a refrigerator for ten to 13 weeks before starting them into growth.
  

• Reduce water and fertilizer applications to house plants as growth slows in response to shorter days and lower light intensity.
  

• Spade level garden areas to make Spring planting easier and earlier. Wait until Spring for sloped areas to prevent erosion.
  

• Check out your snow blower if you use one. Replace the spark plug and prepare it for the Winter ahead.
  

• Visit a greenhouse or garden center and select new plants for indoor decorations for the coming holidays.
  

• Finish cleaning up flower beds and the vegetable garden.
  

• Shape evergreens outdoors with light pruning cuts to provide clippings for holiday decorations. Some of the best include yew, holly, boxwood, and juniper.
  

• Select a site for a living Christmas tree if you plan to plant one. Dig the planting hole before the soil freezes. Cover the hole with a piece of 3/4-inch plywood and store the soil in a location where it won't freeze.
  

• Wrap the trunks of Fall-planted trees with tree wrapping material to prevent sunscald injury during the Winter months.
  

• Clean, sharpen, oil and repair garden tools before storing them for Winter.
  

• Check firewood stored indoors for the presence of sawdust and other indications of insect activity. It's best to store only enough indoors that will be used up in a few days.