Published: September 18, 2008 04:32 pm            

Ace of Spades: Perfect time of year to spruce up your yard with a new tree

Originally published in the Sept. 19, 2008, print edition.

I have tea roses. Can I still fertilize them at this time?

No, the time has passed for fertilizing this fall. It is time for the rose plants to begin the process of hardening for the winter months. In a future column I will tell you when to put leaves around the tea roses. Some of the roses are still blooming so enjoy them while you can.

Will the suckers on tea roses bloom?

If you have some taller canes in your tea rose plant, perhaps you have suckers growing. These will never have blooms. Follow the long stem to its beginning below the surface of the ground. Clip them off with your pruning shears below the surface.

Is it too late to be planting trees yet this fall?

Not at all, there still is plenty of time to plant trees. Stop by your favorite nursery. They even may have some fall closeouts on some of your favorite trees and shrubs. With the dry season we’ve been having make sure you water them well right up to freeze-up time.

Can I still plant perennial flowers?

Yes there are several flowers you can still plant for next spring’s blooms. Phlox, peonies, irises and others still can be planted. Water well so the plants do not dry out. With late-planted flowers, you may want to add some mulch in the form of old hay, wood chips, etc.

I have some pretty zinnia plants this season. Will the seeds of these plants grow?

They certainly will grow for you next season. As the flower heads dry, clip off the pods, put them in a paper sack and let them continue to dry. This winter keep the sack in a cool dry place until next spring. You could start some of the seeds in the house in your small clay pots, and transplant later to your garden. This is a popular flower in making flower arrangements.

I want to get into bird feeding. Please give me some pointers.

If you want to start feeding the birds, now is the time when you should place the feeders and waterers where you want them this winter. Getting set early, the birds in time will find where you have the waterer and feeders for the winter.

With the many flower heads with ripe seeds, the birds will spend a lot of time checking out the flower heads in the garden and in the open ditches in your area. Not until we get a good snow cover will you see many birds.

I have a lot of asparagus growing tall. Do I cut it in the fall or next spring?

If you leave it until spring it will catch a lot of snow for the winter months, as we always can use more moisture for next spring offering.

        

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