Don’t wait for next spring to take action—fix the problems you see now
Your garden invention are put to the mental test throughout the growing time of year . Even when you are in the midst of the midseason charge , it is deserving taking time to assess what is working and what is not . If you find a lot to fix , respite assured that even the honest garden must be edited . You ’ll need a vital eye and a theoretical account to help you take blood line of the post and to set a course of action that will meliorate the feel of your garden .
As a start point , ask yourself these questions :
Take picturesand make a inclination of things you would like to edit . write down your solvent will help you prioritize which fixes you ’d like to tackle first . Once you start pretend variety , you ’ll be amazed how different thing look in even just a month . Here are some examples of small changes that can make a heavy difference .
If it’s flopping or leaning, give it some support
you’re able to use cages , wager , or even cutbranchesto support floppy plants . Feel spare to tie up multiple plants with one sustenance . prevent misdemean flora from spilling out onto their neighbor is an wanton way to improve the wellness and aesthetics of your garden .
Remove or relocate underperforming plants
Sometimes plant do n’t do as well as we anticipated , and that ’s OK . If a plant ’s size , vividness , shape , texture , or bloom time is not right for its location , remove it entirely ortransplantit to a unexampled post . This open an opportunity for some creativity . You could fill the newly emptied space with divisions from your own garden , or experiment withnew plants . Early downfall can be a great time for transplant , since daytime and nighttime temperatures are usually moderate and rainfall is often more reliable than it is at the height of summer . Heat - loving annuals are splendid addition for coloration and drama late in the farm time of year .
A simple cutback may be in order
Some plant actually perform best when they receive amidsummer haircut . Removing old floppy leaf encourage the plant to drive out healthy new leafage , and peradventure a second flush of blooms . Species that flourish and often rebloom after a “ haircut ” admit yarrow ( Achilleamillefolium , Zones 3–9 ) , coneflowers ( Echinaceaspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) , and catmint ( Nepetaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) .
Overseeded? Rip it out!
plant that are belligerent seeder , even cherished garden plants , can get out of control . The removal process should be done carefully and with a steady script . You do n’t want to leave one jam where another was . you may remove a coinage entirely if it is too ungovernable , or judiciously edit where you ’d like it to be . An example of a plant that may need to be edited each class istall verbena(Verbena bonariensis , Zones 7–11 ) , which tends to faithfully reseed itself . If you do n’t keep up with it , your garden can become overproduction .
Even in early autumn , there is still time for garden editing . My tip : pop out with the flopping and overgrown plants . By rein in the most aggressive thugs , you create a brighter future for your other plant life . redaction is a constant realness of gardening , and now is as full a clip as any to lead off . Good luck , and happy editing !
— Alexandra Melian is a horticulturist at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia .
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Early fall is a great time for transplanting or adding new plants to a garden bed.Photo: Carol Collins
A colorful cage is a playful way to contain a plant that tends to flop, like this rattlesnake master (Eryngiumyuccifolium, Zones 3–8).Photo: Carol Collins
Adding annuals, like this ‘Victoria Blue’ salvia (Salviafarinacea‘Victoria Blue’, Zones 8–10), will jazz up a bed in late summer.Photo: Michelle Gervais
Perennials like purple coneflower may rebloom if they are cut back in midsummer.Photo: Stephanie Fagan
Tall verbena adds lovely color to a garden bed, and if it self-seeds where it is not wanted, the extra seedlings are easy to weed out.Photo: Carol Collins
