Tropicals, take cover. F – f – frost is here.
By Amy McDowell
It’s time to
blast the bugs off and bring your tender houseplants inside. Use a one-two
punch on those insects to make sure you don’t bring them into your home. First,
sprinkle systemic insecticide granules on the soil. When you water, the
systemic is absorbed by the plant’s roots and circulated throughout the plant,
making it toxic to insects. A systemic can last in the plant’s system for three
months. Your second punch is to wash the plants thoroughly—tops and bottoms of
the leaves and all along the stems—with a firm blast of water from the hose. Soft-bodied
insects like aphids and spider mites can’t survive an aggressive washing. Let
the plants drip dry outside before taking them in.
No doubt your
tropical plants have grown over the season. You may want to prune and reshape
them before taking them inside. Many plants suffer shock from being transferred
indoors – you will see the telltale leaf drop. Pruning before you relocate them
will not only improve their appearance, but may reduce your leaf cleanup later.
Dig ‘em up
Tender bulbs and
tubers should be dug up and stored now – things like cannas, dahlias, and
gladiolas. After our wonderful regular rains throughout most of the season, you
will find those canna tubers underground are now huge. Pry them out of the
ground with brute strength and as much gentleness as you can; they will bruise.
Cut the stems back to about four-inch stubs, brush the soil off, and store them
in an uncovered crate or open box in your basement. The care is the same for
dahlias and glads.
Put ‘em in
Spring bulb sales
in the U.S. have been declining for several years, and people in the industry
believe it may be because spring bulbs don’t provide the instant gratification
that other flowers in the garden do.
Here in Iowa, we
tuck bulbs into the ground in October and wait for about six months before we
see their bright blooms in spring. Who needs instant gratification? Just
knowing those spring bulbs are nestled in the ground under the ice and snow
gives us something to look forward to all through the blustery winter.
Even just a few
dollars spent on a handful of bulbs can provide a cheery bouquet next spring
and for many springs to come.
Amy McDowell is an Iowa
Certified Nursery Professional. She has an associate’s degree in commercial
horticulture and has worked in the field for ten years. She lives and gardens
in Polk County.
