Weekend Gardener: Happy September!

Our garden expert Laura Stone of in West Tisbury has the following ideas for what to do in your garden this weekend:

Make sure your soil drainage is adequate. Fall gardens are more often damaged by too much moisture than frost.

Plant peonies now, but make sure the crowns are buried only one and a half to two inches below ground level. Planting them deeper than two inches may keep them from blooming.

Before the first frost dig up caladiums. Allow them to dry and store them in a dry place for the winter.

Allow plants to finish the summer growth cycle in a normal manner. Never encourage growth with heavy applications of fertilizer or excessive pruning at this time. Plants will delay their dormancy process that has already begun in anticipation of winter in the months ahead. New growth can be injured by an early freeze.

Happy September! :)