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here's the Frill Free Zone Newsletter September 01, 2025 |
What have you learned from the garden this year? I learned that trying to grow Callibrachoa is a wasted effort - the earwigs just decimated them. September 1 2025So what will I do differently? First off, I'll try to overwinter some cuttings under my growing set up rather than get soft new plants that haven't been hardened off properly. I will also get them to grow a lot bigger, so more of a 3 or 4" size, not a tiny plug. In addition, I'll hedge my bets with plants that can either outgrow the earwigs, or that they don't like. Geraniums, some petunias, Sedum and Nasturtiums seemed to be much more resilient. So my baskets and window boxes might be different than they usually are, but they will be colourful anyway.If you have some trees in your yard, or have neighbors with some, rake up a portion of the leaves to use as compost, mulch or to shred. Your garden will relish the nutrients brought up from far below in the soil. Another precious commodity is seaweed which you'll find on the beach after a storm. If you're not near the ocean, try to find kelp at your gardening store for a good option to sprinkle on after you harvest the garden, giving it time to replenish the soil over the winter. Cover crops will also be a valuable overwintering protection if seeded in the next couple of months, protecting the soil from erosion from rain and wind. Now fall is in the offing, it's time to switch gears, and get as many projects and tasks accomplished as possible before the weather turns against us, making it much easier in the spring.
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