Read 'Five Favorite Perennials for Wet Soils' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

It seems that most plants I want to buy like well drained soil but sometimes I really need one for a wet spot in the garden where many plants have tried to grow but failed because of excess moisture. It is nice to know that there are some fine plants of all sizes and colors that actually like wet soil and will thank you for putting them in a moist spot by growing quickly and producing an abundance of flowers. Some of these plants will even do well in boggy soils. 

Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)

These beautiful iris are easy to grow and will do well in both a boggy soil or a “moist, well drained” one so you can change your mind at any time and transplant it. They will be smaller when grown in less water but attractive all the same. Each plant produces several stems bearing 2-5 elegant flowers that are more delicate than the flowers of German bearded iris. The plants are less susceptible to soft rot and iris borer than German bearded iris making them a practical choice for the average gardener. There are hundreds of cultivars varying in color, size, and vigor; ‘Caesar’s Brother (violet-blue) and ‘White Swirl’ are two outstanding ones that are readily available.

Size: 24-36’ H x 24’ W
Bloom: One to 2 ½” lowers are borne in various shades of lavender, blue, and white touched with yellow in May.
Light: Full sun
Soil: Moist to wet; average fertility.
Hardiness: Zones 3-9

Gooseneck loosestrife (Lysamachia clethroides)

One of my all time favorites, I adore this thug even though it can be invasive when give a moist soil. It will show up in very unexpected places but is very easy to pull out. The endearing shape of the flower heads is welcome in the garden as well in an arrangement inside. The foliage is attractive all season even in summer heat and humidity. This is NOT a plant for a bog but it loves moist soil.

Size: 3’ H x 3’ W.
Bloom: Small white flowers are borne on gooseneck-shaped stem tips in mid summer.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Avererage moist soil.
Hardiness: Zones 3-9

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

The sight of the brilliant red flowers of cardinal flower along a stream or pond is a treat for the eyes. This lobelia is native to most of eastern and central US but has been bred to produce hybrids with salmon, pink, and white forms. The flowers of the species are borne on leafy stems that rise above a dark green basal rosette but some cultivars have rosettes of bronze or reddish green. The plants produce an abundance of seed and will naturalize if they like their site.

Size: 2-4’ H x 2’ W.
Bloom: Red flowers with protruding stamens are borne in clusters on tall stems in summer.
Light: Full sun to partial shade (afternoon sun needed in most areas)
Soil: Rich, moist soil.
Hardiness: Zones 2-9.

Globeflower (Trollius x cultorum)

The large deeply cut lobed leaves of globeflower are as attractive as the buttercup-like flowers that are borne singly on erect stems. The flowers are made up of yellow to orange incurved sepals that surround small petals and a mass of stamens that are visible when the flowers open. Many good cultivars are available varying in height and color from light yellow to deep orange and some are excellent cut flowers. The bad news? Globeflowers do not like heat and are suitable only for cool, moist soils. Forget this one if you live south of zone 6.

Size: 2-3’ H x 3’ W.
Bloom: Yellow to orange flowers appear in late spring.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Soil: Cool moist soil.
Hardiness: Zones 3-6.

Swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolia)

When I hear the name sunflower I envision tall flowers that grow along the highways thriving in the dry soil. Not this one. As its common name tell us, it like things wet, swampy wet, in fact. It is tall and a bit on the wild side but it is a good plant for the back of a wet area with other smaller plants in front of it to tame it down. Its flowers are less coarse than other sunflowers and they appear in the fall when most other plants are gone. If you need a tall fall blooming plant for a low area that collects water such as a swale or ditch, this is a good one to try.

Size: 6-8’ H x 4’ W.
Bloom: Masses of 2-3” bright yellow flowers appear in fall.
Light: Thrives in full sun; tolerate some shade but may be floppy.
Soil: Rich, fertile, moist soil.
Hardiness: Zones 6-9.

Planting a wet area can be challenging but these 5 moisture loving plant show that there are plants that can meet the challenge and provide variety in color, texture and height through out the growing season. Think of a wet area as an opportunity rather than a problem.

Read 'Five Favorite Ferns for the Shade Garden' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

The hot days of summer make the site of soft green ferns especially appealing. Somehow the green color together with the light airiness of the fronds dispels the effects of the heat in a way that no other plant manages to do. The quiet, peaceful demeanor of the fronds can help create a restful spot that can be a respite from life’s daily problems. With hundreds of ferns to choose from there is no problem finding a few that will do well in a favorite shady spot and provide you with a get away from the heat or hustle and bustle of everyday life. Here are five of my favorites.

Japanese Painted Fern (Anthyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’)
When the silver fronds tinted with various shades of burgundy emerge from the soil with their wine colored stems each spring they bring early color to the garden and light up the whole area. These ferns are hardy almost everywhere in the country, are adaptable, and easy to grow. They thrive in dapples shade, zones 4-9, and grow about 18” in all directions.

Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)
The characteristic that you will notice first and make you want to take the fern home is the lovely copper red or pink color on the otherwise dark green fronds. This color slowly fades to bronze-green as the plant matures but the fronds are finely divided and add a beautiful texture all season. This fern is very tough, grows about 18” tall and slowly spreads to about 24”. Hardy in zones 5-11, it remains attractive year round in zones 7 and warmer, and is a good groundcover, or edging for moist, shady areas.

Maiden Hair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)
The black wiry stems make this fern special but it is unique in some other ways too. The reproductive spores are borne on the edges of the underside of the fronds ( “leaves”) and the edge of the frond grows over the spores giving a ruffled appearance. The whole growth habit of this fern is different from that of other ferns and it forms 18” high bright green whorls of fronds. This is a fern for a very moist spot in bright sun but no sun. If it dries out it will die down, maybe for ever, but sometimes can be resuscitated. It grows well in zones 3-7, is deciduous, and spreads slowly by rhizomes.

Lady Fern (Anthyrium filix-feminae)
Lacey 3’ fronds of light green make this fern a welcome addition to every garden. It is a very adaptable fern and will grow in either shade or sun and tolerates some drought. It is a good plant for those difficult dry-shade areas like under the eves of a house. It tolerates a variety of conditions but may scorch during times of drought, heat waves, or warm winds. It will return in good condition the following year even when trampled. When grown in a moist, shady location it will spread slowly by rhizomes. Hardy in zones 3-8.

Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamonea)
The cinnamon fern makes a great statement in the back of the border. It grows up to 6’ tall and has two different kinds of fronds (leaf-like structures), sterile and fertile. The sterile green fronds look like the fronds of ferns you already know and form a vase shaped plant. The fertile fronds are especially adapted for reproduction and aren’t green. They emerge from a shallow black rootstock in spring as silvery, furry fiddleheads but become vertical as they mature and bear cinnamon brown colored spores for reproduction. They stand stiff and erect in the middle of the plant surrounded by the arching green sterile fronds. These American natives love acidic (pH 6.8) moist places like stream banks swamps, and the edges of ponds and will grow in sun or shade as long as they have enough moisture. Hardy in zones 4-11 they are deciduous (die back in winter) but return in spring, considerably later than the other ferns in my garden.

Read 'Five Favorite Perennials for the Back of the Border' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

The back of a border presents certain problems that can be tricky to solve. You need something tall that will form a good backdrop for the mid and foreground plants over a long time and it must grow quickly to its full height but not so vigorously that it will push out other smaller plants. You want to avoid floppy plants unless you are willing to stake them and you want a disease resistance one so you don’t have to climb through your garden to spray it or pick off bugs. Finally be sure to consider the orientation of your border because those tall plants may create shade that you had not anticipated when you planted your shorter plants.To make the cut as one of my five favorite back of the border perennials, the plant had to be at least 4 feet tall but many are taller.

Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Lord Baltimore’)

The first time I saw the flowers of rose mallow I was sure that it was a tropical plant and did not consider growing it. Then as I biked around my neighborhood and saw all the plants thriving I decided I must be wrong and that I would definitely look into growing it. Great decision! I now have a clump that comes up reliably every year and blooms away with little care. The size of the saucer shaped flowers, 7-10”, is enough to make it a standout but the color and number of flowers recommends it too. It is also an easy care plant that likes moist areas but will tolerate some drought once it is established and has no serious pest or disease problems.

Size: 4-6’ H x 4-5’ W.
Bloom: Large rose red, pink, or white flowers in summer continue into fall if deadheaded.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Rich, moist.
Hardiness: Zones 5-9

Double Flowered Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus x multifilorus ‘Flore Pleno’)

Six weeks of a bright yellow color is provided by this bold plant that adds a rustic charm to the border. The petals are borne so densely that the typical sunflower center can not be seen, giving the flowers a dahlia-like appearance. Plants can tolerate some dryness but look their best when given a dousing during dry spells. Clumps grow quickly and can be divided every 2-3 years to propagate more plants.

Size: 5-6’ H x 5-6+’ W.
Bloom: Golden yellow flowers 3-5” across, in mid summer into late summer or early fall.
Light: Full sun-part sun but will be lanky with too much shade.
Soil: Average, moist, well drained, neutral to slightly alkaline.
Hardiness: Zones 3-9.

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum ‘Atrosanguineum’)

Even if you don’t like rhubarb pie this rhubarb is sure to impress you and maybe even win you over. Its shear size is nothing short of awesome but the show begins in spring when the leaves emerge and unfurl from a cigar-like red bud in the center of the plant. The large dissected leaves are burgundy colored when young but turn mostly green as they mature. Later in spring a 6-8 foot flowering stalk appears and produces clouds of small reddish pink flowers. Now that’s drama!

Size: 6-8’ H x 5-6.
Bloom: Small reddish pink flowers in late spring.
Light: Full sun in North; part shade in South.
Soil: Rich, moist.
Hardiness: Zones 3-9.

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

A native of eastern North America, black cohash inhabits woodlands with its large clumbs of attractive foliage from spring to summer and then puts up its tall wirey spikes of white flowers. These white wands of flowers persist for up to 4 weeks and are striking against a dark backdrop in a shade garden.

Size: 4-8’ H x 3-4’.
Bloom: Spikes of small white flowers in late summer to early fall.
Light: Partial to full shade
Soil: Rich, moist, humusy, slightly acid.
Hardiness: Zones 3-8.

White Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’)

If you like the speedwells (Veronica spp.) you will probably like this larger relative. It adds the same vertical accent to the garden with its spikes of white flowers arranged in candelabra-like groups. A native of moist meadows in the eastern half of the U.S., it likes plenty of water during the growing season and just before it flowers.

Size: 4-5’ H x 3-4’ W.
Bloom: Small white flowers are borne in spikes in mid summer.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: Rich, moist, humusy, well drained.
Hardiness: Zones 3-9.

These five perennials are all great plants and are easy to grow, providing color for at least several weeks in the back of the border. Of course, evergreen shrubs, and those with variegated foliage are good there too and could be used with the perennials to provide a variety of textures and shapes as well as color through out the year.

Read 'How Much do you Have to Pay for A Beautiful Daylily?' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

As I go about deadheading my daylilies I admire each one and appreciate the differences, great and small. I would not give up any of the cultivars I have and I am constantly tempted to buy more. But over the years I have noticed that the differences between some cultivars are very slight and I wonder what more I could get in a daylily if I went out looking. About eight of mine were from a neighbor and I don’t know the names of any of them or how much my neighbor paid for them. The other 50 or so I bought myself and know that I paid under $10 for each, and between $5-8 for most. When I heard about a $250 daylily I stopped dead in my tracks and decided that I would take a look, just a look, at expensive daylilies, and see what money can buy.

I made a selection of daylilies at different price points from $100 up. The good news is that there are many daylilies to choose from at the $100 price point. Here’s ‘Red Slippers’ at $100, with 5 ¼” flowers on 32’ scapes. Note the ruffled edge, and the round shape.

‘Singing Cowboy’ fetches $150 and has a bold apricot triangular watermark and a red halo. The 5 ½” flowers are edged with gold fligree and are borne on 38” scapes.

At $165, ‘Caribbean Sunrise’ has 6 ½” flowers on 30” scapes and sports a large ruffled edge of ivory cream. The flower has a very round and full form, a heavy substance, and is lightly creped. The colors are said to be sunfast.

‘Unraveling a Mystery’ at $200 is my personal favorite although I wonder if the color shown in the photo is true. The 5” flowers, borne on 43” scapes, are gently reflexed and are pleated with ruffles and scallops. The large watermark adds to the blend of colors.

For $50 more ($250) ‘Emerald Dream’ comes with 5” flowers on 30” scapes. The form is round and full; the petal edges ruffled, and the substance is heavy.

Some collectors have themes and might be tempted to buy this on the basis of its name, ‘Elvis’, but the price tag of $300 makes it too pricey for most. The flowers are large, 6 ½” , are borne on 32” scapes, and the petals have gold edges.

‘Mary Alice’ is listed by one nursery at $350, another at a mere $200. I include it because I couldn’t find any other daylily for more than $300 by anyone (but there probably are some). It boasts 6 ½ “ flowers on 34” scapes and may produce more branches and buds than the rest. The flowers open flat and are edged with yellow. Perhaps this is the bargain of the lot.

Most of the daylily nurseries/breeders talk about good branching and bud count and some indicate that the cultivar is fertile, an important consideration if you are buying the plant for a breeding program. Judging from the appearance and descriptions it seems that breeding efforts are going towards round form, ruffles, and interesting edges. Nothing was said in any of the descriptions about fragrance (yes, some daylilies have a lovely scent) or disease resistance (rust can be a significant problem) so they must not be of interest to most daylily lovers.

There are a huge number of beautiful daylilies for well under $100 and a large number at about $100; very few over $200. I am definitely in the $5-10 range and might splurge on a $15 daylily but I can see that there are some subtle differences between cultivars that might make them worth the high prices they fetch by the connoisseur. Still, next time I go out daylily hunting I will certainly take a closer look at the most expensive daylily the nursery grows, probably $25 in my neck of the woods.

So, the answer to the title question? $5.00 or less. Look at the daylily in the photo at the top of this article; it was only $5.00.

Read 'How to Choose Corn for the Home Garden' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

As lovers of corn of the cob we remember well the first time we had Silver King a white corn that was tender, sweet, white and so delicious. Then another white corn, Silver Queen, came on the scene and we thought it even more tender, sweet, and delicious. Since then we have been stuck in the rut of only buying white corn and trying to find Silver Queen but there is a lot more to tenderness and sweetness of corn than Silver Queen can deliver.

Firstly, the color of the corn is not an indicator of tenderness or sweetness. Yellow and bicolor corns can be just as tender as white corn. Second, there are many kinds of corn that are far more tender and sweeter than Silver Queen or King. They fall into one of four categories;

1. Regular sweet corns (abrev. SU): These are sweet corns but the sweetness is rapidly lost as sugar is turned to starch once the kernels are mature and so the corn must be harvested and eaten quickly to enjoy the sweetness. Example Silver Queen (white).

2. Sugar enhanced corns ( abrev. SE): These corns are sweeter than regular sweet corn (SU) but the sweetness lasts longer. They are unsurpassed in tenderness and have a creamy texture. Growing this kind of corn benefits from isolating them from any other corns you might grow, but isolation is not absolutely necessary for success. Example: ‘Bodacious’(yellow).

3. Supersweet corns (abrev. SH2): These are very sweet corns, in fact, twice as sweet as regular corn. The sweetness and tenderness last for up to 2 weeks so the time of harvest and time in the refrigerator is more flexible than regular sweet corn or sugar enhanced corn. Because the kernels are filled with sugar rather than starch the seed will be shriveled and lighter than other corns and this should be taken into consideration when buying seed. The disadvantages of this corn is that they must be planted in warm soil (65 F or warmer) and must be isolated from other kinds of corn to prevent cross pollination that will seriously effect quality. Example:’ Obsession’(bicolor).

4. TripleSweet corns: These corns combine the best qualities of the supersweet and sugar enhanced corns. They are the sweetest corns, are exceptionally tender, and have a crunchy texture. Their sweetness and tenderness are long lasting and they do not have to be grown in isolation. Example: ‘Serendipity Hybrid (bicolor).

If you are interested in growing these extra sweet corns read the backs of the seed packets to find those that have these qualities. If you have a feed store in your neighborhood try there; they will probably have cultivars that are most suitable for your growing conditions.

Read 'How to Plant Peonies' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

It is hard to imagine spring with out peonies but if we are to enjoy such a pleasure we should plant them in the fall. I order my peonies from on line sources and they send them at the correct time for planting, the end of October-early November for my North Carolina zone 7 garden. By planting at this time the roots will have time to settle in and establish a good number of feeder roots before the ground freezes, yet top growth will not be encouraged. Feeder roots will be especially important in spring especially if it is dry.

Steps for Planting Peonies in Fall

1. As soon as you receive peony roots, open the box, remove the packing material and plan to plant them ASAP. If a delay in planting is inevitable, keep the roots cool and in the dark.

2. Soak the peony roots overnight in tepid water before planting.

3. Select a site that has at least 6 hours of sun and fertile, well-drained, heavy loamy soil. Standing water will kill peonies by rotting the crown or roots so pay particular attention to drainage. Peonies do not transplant easily and are very long lived so choose the site with a long term plan in mind.

4. Cultivate an area 2’ wide and 1 ½’ deep for each peony, spacing plants 3-4’ apart. Fill each hole with 1’ of good garden loam made with about 1/3 part organic matter such as compost or well rotted manure. Add a cup of lime if your soil test indicates that you have acidic soil (yes, have a test done every year in various parts of your garden).

5. Plant each root so that the eyes are upward and 1-2” below the soil surface. The depth at which the eyes are planted is critical and if planted too deep will result in a lack of bloom until the situation is corrected. If eyes are planted too shallow they may freeze.

6. Place loose soil around the roots.

7. Water well. Continue to water occasionally into winter if the fall is dry.

8. Peonies may be fertilized when planted and in early spring with a fertilizer high in phosphorus such as 4-10-6

9. After the ground freezes, mulch with straw or evergreen boughs to protect from heaving but remove the mulch promptly in spring.

10. In spring make sure they get at least 1” water per week.

The first year after planting the bloom will probably not be all that you had dreamed about but by the second year you should be able to enjoy a bountiful sight.

If you have not yet selected your peonies you might like the following post about selecting peonies: (Click on the photo)

Read 'Five Favorite Grasses for Fall' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

The cool temperatures of autumn allow fall blooming grasses to grow to their full potential. Some of them continue into winter providing beauty and interest well into spring. Many of them have flowers that also work well in fresh or dried bouquets so can be enjoyed for a very long time and at a time of year when little else is blooming. These are my top picks for fall blooming grasses.

Silver Maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’)

Tall (4-5’) , silver variegated stalks bear showy light colored plumes touched with a pink blush from fall into winter. The rustling of the leaves when the wind blows adds a pleasant sound to the garden. The flower heads hold well and are especially attractive in fresh or dried arrangements. Full sun, zones 5-9, disease and pest resistant, easy to grow.

Dwarf Fountain Grass ‘Moudry’ (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Moudry’)

'Moudry' covered with dew

The dark purple flowers of this foxtail grass are stunning and catch the eye as soon as they come into bloom. With morning dew on them, they are awe inspriting! The flowers break down as fall progresses and are suitable for drying but they are fantastic in a fresh arrangement. The green foliage is a bit wider than other pennisetums and forms attractive clumps about 30” tall. Full sun, zones 5-9, easy to grow. Their only draw back is that they can become invasive if moisture is abundant but seedlings are easy to pull out.

Purple Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia filipes)

When the light airy plumes of this lovely, delicate grass bloom they takes my breath away. Muhly grass is especially beautiful when planted in drifts with other ornamental grasses or with fall blooming plants such as mums . The plants without their flower heads are rather plain looking and so best tucked into area where other plants present a show in summer. Full sun, zones 7-9, pest and disease free, easy to grow.

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

This native tallgrass prairie grass is a striking addition to the fall garden. Its forms upright clumps of blue-green to silvery-blue foliage that turns bronze in fall and bears purplish flower spikes in August and September. Because of its height (40-60+”) it is best used in the back of the border or as a specimen plant. The flowers are attractive in both fresh and dried arrangements. Full sun, zones 4-10, tolerates considerable drought and heat, no pests or diseases. Several cultivars are available including shorter ones.

Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana)

The architectural quality of pampas grass makes it a knockout in any garden. Growing over 9’ tall, they are great as back of the border plants for large fall blooming plants like New York asters. The summer foliage is light green and turns light tan in the fall. The huge 2-3’ long silver white flowering plumes are good for drying. Their size is their greatest virtue and greatest fault depending on the size of your garden but there is a compact cultivar, ‘Pumila’ that has gray-green leaves. The leaves are sharp and can cause painful cuts so this grass is best planted away from places where people might brush by it. Full sun, zones 7-11, tolerates drought, easy to grow.

These grasses are sensational with other grasses or in a perennial border.  I have seen them used effectively in all parts of the country.  If you have not grown grasses before, try one. You might find that is a valuable addition to your garden and will then try more.

Read 'How to Buy Pumpkins for Halloween and Thanksgiving' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

A visit to the local farmers’ market or local pumpkin patch in the fall reveals a big selection of pumpkins for sale. The selection is also varied so whether you want an ornamental pumpkin for holiday decorations or one for making pies, muffins, soup, or other goodies you, should be able to find what you want. But always remember, the “pumpkins” you see are not all really pumpkins; some are squash and many are gourds.

'Howden'

The biggest and most important differences between ornamental pumpkins and culinary pumpkins regard water content and sugar content. Ornamental pumpkins contain more water and less sugar than culinary pumpkins. Both can be used for cooking and eating, but the decorative pumpkins will require more sugar and longer cooking time to compensate for these chemical differences. In addition, the appearance of the pumpkins may be different; ornamental pumpkins are usually an attractive orange color while many of the culinary pumpkins are tan.

'Cinderella'

When choosing a culinary pumpkin, availability will probably be the most limiting factor so you will not have a huge choice. Small pumpkins good for cooking include ‘Small Sugar’ and ‘Winter Luxury’. ‘Small Sugar’ has attractive orange color, and dense, dry, stringless flesh while ‘Winter luxury’ has a white net over its orange skin, and smooth, silky flesh. Larger cultivars good for cooking include ‘Cheese’, ‘Golden Cushaw’, and ‘Cinderella’. ‘Cinderella’ has an advantage of being very attractive with its orange red skin and Cinderella-carriage shape. You can calculate the size of the pumpkin to buy by considering that one pound of raw, untrimmed pumpkin will yield one cup finished pumpkin puree.

When buying ornamental pumpkins you have many more options to consider. First, consider how you plan to use the pumpkin; jack o lantern, painted, just the way it comes off the vine. The use may influence what pumpkin will best meet your expectations. Ornamental pumpkins come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors. Pumpkins may be as small as a few ounces or over 1700 pounds with most falling in the 10-20 pound range. They can be round, or tall and oval. Although orange is the most common color, red , white, and bluish-green are possible. Ornamental pumpkins also vary in texture so if you plan to paint the pumpkin, pick one that is smooth and not heavily ribbed.

'Baby Boo'

Regardless of what kind of pumpkin you buy make sure that you have a good one that is not rotting. The skin should be bruise free; especially check the bottom of the pumpkin where animal pests may have attacked and pierced the skin letting in bacteria that will rot the flesh. Shake the pumpkin and if you hear anything sloshing inside, don’t buy it; it is probably already rotting. Make sure that it has a healthy looking stem because a damaged stem area is another place where bacteria may enter. Lopsided or rolling will not matter for a culinary pumpkin but could be a problem for an ornamental one

'Turk's Turban'

“What about all those oddly shaped and colored pumpkins?” you ask. They are probably gourds. They are very similar to pumpkins but are not edible and many can be dried for long-term use. Some have warts but many are smooth. They, too, make wonderful fall holiday decorations and are usually used as they come from the vine, with a coat of preservative on them to make them shiny, or painted. Check for bruises and signs of decay just as you would do when buying a pumpkin (but dry material rattling inside is OK).

A visit to a pumpkin patch or farmers’ market to look at all the wonderful choices, is one of my favorite fall activities. I am always inspired to grow some in my vegetable garden and have even saved seeds from my favorite pumpkins and gourds so I can have them again next year. Saving seed does not seem to work as they are hybrids and don’t come true. Besides, if I grow them I don’t have a good excuse for a visit to the pumpkin patch.

Read 'How to Over-Winter Dahlias' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

If you love growing dahlias and live in zone 8 or colder you may want to consider saving them from year to year. The process is not difficult and by doing so you can have your favorites back in your garden year after year. In addition you will increase your supply, have some to trade, and will save money. Certainly a win-win situation and you have little to lose but a bit of time

1. After the first frost kills the foliage and the foliage becomes black, cut the main stem through a solid leaf node, down to with in 6 inches of the soil.

2. Wait a week so that the tuber can produce more eyes. (If a hard frost threatens skip this wait and go on to the next step.)

3. Dig up the tubers by digging about 12″ from the stem because the clumps of tubers will be much larger than when you planted them. Leaving the stem intact, wash off the soil being careful not to damage the tuber skins, and allow them to dry upside down in a frost-free airy place for about a week. Don’t let them become hard.

4. Divide large clumps by slicing through the main stalk stump with a sharp knife so that each division has at east one eye. Throw away dried, shriveled, or decayed tubers and ones with no eye.

Single dahlia tuber

5. Label the tubers with a laundry pen or other permanent marker so that you know their color, height or cultivar name. Alternatively, sort the tubers into groups by type, keep each group separate and label the group as a whole with tie on tags.

6. Dust each division with powdered sulfur or 1:1 mix of powdered sulfur and lime.

7. Store the divisions in coarse vermiculite, milled sphagnum peat moss, dry shavings, coarse sand, or newspaper placed in plastic bags with punched holes or in heavy cardboard boxes. Make sure that the divisions do not touch each other.

8. Store in a cool (35-50 F) garage or basement. The consistency of the temperature is important. You don’t want the divisions exposed to freezing temperatures but you don’t want them to be warmer than 50 degrees either. The area must be dark.

9. Check the tubers monthly for decay and remove any discolored areas. At the same time mist the tubers if they seem to be shriveling. Don’t expect all your divisions to survive; they probably won’t due to rot or temperature fluctuations beyond your control. But you will still have an increase in the number of dahlias at a fraction of the cost of buying new ones.

10. About 2 weeks before the last frost when the soil has warmed to about 60 F, remove the tubers from storage and plant. For an early start, plant tubers in pots 6 weeks before the last frost.

Saving dahlias from year to year brings a lot of satisfaction as well as more dahlias so give it try at least once.

Read 'How to Grow Reblooming Iris' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

When I bought 6 reblooming bearded irises for $19.99 from a mail-order promotional I never expected them to be a focal point in my fall garden. I planted them in August and was pleased to see them bloom the following spring, and amazed to see two of them bloom 6 months later in the fall. These plants grew from one fan into big clusters that sent up many flowering stalks and have been blooming for several weeks. I love catching a glimpse of these iris from my kitchen window but enjoy them even more when I go out into the garden and take in the whole ‘look’ they lend to the border around the my garden pool.

'Bountiful Harvest'

The term ‘rebloomer’ is reserved for iris (bearded or not) that produce two or more flushes of bloom every year; that is they produce more than one growth of bloomstalks in a growing season. During the summer, when other irises bake in the sun, these vigorous plants produce more rhizomes and leaves so that they increase in size and form clusters quickly. This new grow produces the fall flowers in response to cool night temperatures. This chilling requirement is an important aspect of rebloom and must occur or the iris will not rebloom. Other than their vigorous growth and increase in size rebloomers can not be distinguished from once-blooming irises.

The reblooming characteristic is not entirely reliable and you have to accept the fact that various factors may stand in the way of your rebloomer blooming in fall. In general, the chance of reliably reblooming declines as you go North so that most will rarely bloom in zones 3 and 4, if at all. On the other end of the spectrum, tropical conditions do not support rebloom either because the irises do not get the chilling needed for rebloom.

Cultivation factors may also influence rebloom. Irises are heavy feeders and rebloomers are even more so. The Reblooming Iris Society recommends fertilizing the plants before and after spring bloom with a fertilizer low in nitrogen (first number) such as 5-10-5, mixed in equal parts with superphosphate (0-45-0). In September a liquid foliar fertilizer should be applied once or twice.

Reblooming bearded irises also like more water than once blooming cultivars so make sure they never dry out and get at least 1 ½” per week. This amount of water, combined with the high fertilizer application, may cause rot in once blooming iris so watch carefully and try to avoid over watering or over fertilizing them. Label them or grow them in different beds.

Do NOT cut back the fans of rebloomers in summer because chemicals in the leaves facilitate rebloom. When hard frost threatens, cut stalks with buds and flowers to enjoy indoors. Old flower stalks can be cut at this time too.

Since rebloomers are vigorous and increase in number rapidly you will probably need to divide them every 2-3 years. Pay special attention to preparation of the bed and make a large root ball so as to avoid damaging the roots. Again, do NOT cut back the fans; just remove the dead ones.

In spite of all your efforts, some plants will not rebloom reliably or at all. If summers are very hot, especially at night, some plants may go into dormancy and not rebloom. Many cultivars need a couple of years to settle into their garden home before they will rebloom, so give them some time. Perfect patience and experiment a bit focusing on the iris that do rebloom.

'Total Recall'

Most of my reblooming irises are tall bearded iris and have large somewhat frilly blooms. The cultivar ‘Bountiful Harvest’ is the most vigorous and floriferous. Initially, I didn’t like the look of the flowers but the effect of the plant in my garden is so striking I have learned to love it. Another vigorous rebloomer is ‘Total Recall’ with its light yellow flowers tipped with gold. The four other rebloomers that I ordered have not graced my garden with their flowers in the fall but have bloomed in the spring and I am hopeful that they will add to my fall garden in the future.