What a beautiful September! Our weather has been about a month out of sync for several years now. Spring has been late, but summer is lasting into what we think ‘should’ be fall. One old-timer told me we are one moon late and that one of these years it’ll correct itself. If you look at the dates, that is pretty accurate.

Summer bulbs (or corms, or tubers) have been fantastic this year. The fun thing with many of these is that, with a little TLC, many can be replanted the following summer (sorry flower producers!). This is particularly worthwhile with some of the old-fashioned ‘giant’ Dahlias.

After frost, Dahlias will be some of the first annuals to turn all black and nasty. This is your cue to dig them up. Lift the whole plant – a garden fork is ideal for this task. Shake and dust off as much soil as you can. Next, cut the stems to about eight centimeters and give them a thorough but gentle wash with water and a soft brush. Check for, and cut out, any signs of rot or damage. Look for ‘eyes’; then gently worry apart possible divisions, trimming the roots to 8-10 cm. Your original root will probably look a little iffy – discard if so. Now, put them in a dry, cool place to cure, and spread them out so they are not touching each other. After a week or two, they will look sort of shrivelled. It’s then time to put them in sphagnum moss, or barely moistened peat moss, in a paper bag in a cool dry place (no freezing!) for the winter. Come spring, you can plant them outside after the last frost, or start them inside mid-April.

Cannas and Gladiolas require similar treatment but are a little less fussy. Colocasia (Taro) can be carried over, and even Tuberous Begonias, but they are more trouble. Some people like to try to overwinter other plants, such as Geraniums, but many will be subject to insect trouble, and they never look as good the next year. Smart people pick their projects: maximum results for minimal effort!

Happy gardening and enjoy the fall…