On Saturday, October 5, 2024, there will be a Seed and Plant Swap held at the outdoor
basketball court behind Dundee Central School from 10:00 until noon sponsored by the
Dundee Fresh Grocery Inc. Area residents are encouraged to bring seeds and plants
that are being dug up for the season, or split into smaller growing clumps.
But what plants should be dug up and/or divided in the fall, and what is the best way to
accomplish dividing the plant without killing it?
Tips to dividing flowering plants
Perennials are the plants that might need thinning. Annuals or temperature sensitive
plants that need to be brought in during the fall are not usually divided. Plants like
dahlias that are native to Mexico and Central America have tubers that will die if they
get too cold. Their tubers need to be dug up each fall, and carefully stored so that they
can be replanted in the spring. When bringing dahlia tubers to share at the Swap,
please label them.
Some perennials do not need to be thinned until the spring. Hostas spread quickly and
can take over an area if left unchecked, but they are one variety of perennial that should
not be thinned in the fall.
According to the University of Minnesota Extension, gardeners should divide spring and
summer blooming perennials in the fall because it is easy to locate the plants that need dividing. Perennials with fleshy roots such as peonies (Paeonia spp.), Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) and Siberian iris (Iris siberica) are best divided in the fall. When dividing plants in the fall, plan to do it four to six weeks before the ground freezes so that when they are replanted, the plants roots can become established before the very cold weather.
The best way to divide perennials, according to UM Extension, is to dig up the parent plant using a spade or fork, gently lift the plant out of the ground and remove any loose dirt around the roots, and separate the plant into smaller divisions. This can be accomplished by gently pulling the roots apart with your hands, cutting them with a sharp knife or spade if the roots are bound tightly together, or by putting two forks in the center of the clump, back to back, and pulling the forks apart. Each division should have three to five vigorous shoots and a healthy supply of roots. Keep these divisions shaded and moist until they are replanted.
For a complete listing of different plants that should be divided and the best time for that
to occur, visit the UM Extension website and download the Dividing Perennials pdf.
What about the vegetables in my garden?
Many vegetables need to be harvested before the first frost, and their stems and leaves
removed from the garden before spring. Some plants, however, are cold hardy, and can
stay in the ground longer. Plants in the cabbage family (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli,
for example) can handle the cooler weather. In fact, they like the cooler weather.
There are only a few things that amateur gardeners plant in the fall. These include
garlic cloves and bulbs for flowers that will bloom in the spring, like tulips, daffodils, and
hyacinths.
Garlic is very easy to grow. Individual cloves, preferably from garlic heads that have
been locally grown, should be separated from the heads and planted in trenches that
are 4-6” deep and 8-9” apart. Each clove will produce a head of garlic. Do not take the
skin off of the cloves. Space the cloves about 3-4” apart. Make sure the ‘pointy end’ is
up. Cover with soil and some mulch. Plant them in mid October, and shoots will emerge
in the late spring.
Garlic needs little care and is usually harvested in mid to late July. When garlic scapes occur (the curly stems that come up in the middle of hardneck garlic varieties), they should be snipped off of the plant and can be used in the kitchen before the actual garlic heads are harvested. They are great in stir fry recipes, and are not as strong as garlic cloves.
Plant and Seed Swap in Dundee
If you have extra plants, bulbs, or seeds and want to expand your collection, you're invited to bring them to the Dundee Fresh Grocery Inc plant and seed swap this Saturday to exchange for something new.
The swap will be set up by the Dundee Central School basketball courts near the elementary side of the building. Cornell Cooperative Extension and master gardener specialists will be helping out to answer any questions. They'll also have free milkweed seeds for anyone interested.
What: Plant Swap
When: October 5, 2024
Time: 10 am -12 pm
Where: Dundee Central School basketball court
Who: Anyone with extra plants or seeds that wishes to exchange for something new
Why: To help our community grow their own, share their own, and beautify their spaces
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