Now Taking Memberships for the Dead Plants Society

Good morning. It seems like I gave away Halloween candy and when I looked up, it was almost Thanksgiving. My pumpkins are sitting there staring at me like, “Shane, we’re done over here, what do you want me to do?” as they slowly melt away. I went down to Texas for a race and almost had heatstroke, only to return to Chicago the next day and almost get frostbite. Tough 24 hours. During my travel, I had some time to think. In today’s newsletter, we’re going to answer some common questions, but we’re going to dig into why, not just the typical answers you always hear.

Many people think gardening is a natural, carefree hobby where everyone is at peace. After working with customers and gardening myself, I can tell you there are two emotions involved: ego and anxiety. Anxiety because we’re dealing with living things. We probably spent a lot of money on the plant, and we’re not even sure it’s going to live. Nobody wants to join the coveted “Dead Plants Society,” but real gardeners are VIP members. Our lives are busy, and now we’ve added yet another thing we’re responsible for taking care of. You’re at your kid’s soccer game where it’s 90 degrees, and all of a sudden you think, “Oh boy, I’m burning up here and I forgot to water the dogwood this week.” We’ve all been there.

Then there’s ego. Every Master Gardener I’ve ever met wants to find a plant the others haven’t seen. We all want to show off in our own way, and for gardeners, that’s through our gardens. Nothing shows off better than a cool plant. I like my gardening ego to show through my front yard. I want people to drive by my house and say, “I don’t know who lives there, but he must have a staff of 100 and millions of dollars to have that nice of a yard.” Ok, maybe not that nice, but I do want it to look good. I can’t play the “cobbler has no shoes” thing now that I’m retired.

The backyard I described pretty well in the last newsletter. It’s the opposite of ego. It’s about presence, trial and error, and patience. I don’t care what others think. My first goal was to make sure nobody could see me, or I could see them. The opposite of showing off, it was cutting off. The backyard is a laboratory for me. My experiments keep it beautiful, and sometimes an occasional Frankenstein.

So let’s talk about some of the common questions this time of year that can help keep you out of the Dead Plants Society and ready for some great experiments next year.

Can I Plant Less Hardy Items Now That the Zone Chart Has Been Revised?

No, and here’s why.

The hardiness zone map is based on average temperatures, and yes, those averages have gone up. Not much doubt the Earth is warming. But averages are not what kill plants. Extremes are.

And what does climate change bring? An increase in extremes. Hotter hots and colder colds. Sure, on average, things are warmer, but we have been setting records on both sides of the temperature chart. That is hard on plants.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of a PhD from Princeton who runs weather change algorithms (my daughter), things might actually be worse for plants in our current zones. Not only should you avoid planting more tender species, but you should also prepare your existing plants for one or two weeks each year of record cold or record heat.

These conditions do not last all season. You might still have the warmest winter on record overall, yet one or two short "events" can do real damage. Plants do not die from averages; they die from extremes.

Keep this in mind when choosing plants and preparing for winter. Warmer zones should also be aware of extreme heat and drought. It affects everyone. You prepare for emergencies, not the everyday.

Should I Cut Down My Grasses for Winter?

The short answer is no.

And the reason goes beyond simply helping them survive winter. What you are really preparing for are those unpredictable swings, periods of warmth followed by a sudden deep freeze. Those quick flips are what do the most damage.

Most ornamental grasses are affected by these colder extremes, especially maiden grasses. Leaving the top growth in place gives them natural protection because it catches leaves and debris, essentially creating its own mulch.

I do cut a few of mine down, but only those planted in windy spots where they knock against the house and make noise. When I do, I cover the crowns heavily with fine-grind hardwood mulch, almost like dirt, about a foot deep. The mulch helps retain moisture and keeps the freeze and thaw cycles to a minimum.

There are other good reasons to leave the tops standing:

1. Structure – Winter is long, and a beautiful stand of grass gives you something interesting to look at when the garden is quiet.

2. Wildlife habitat – Birds use grasses for cover and often perch in them during snow. Many seed heads provide a little extra food.

3. Ease of cleanup – Cutting dried grasses in late winter is faster. I tie them up tight and take them down in one quick cut with hedge shears or even a chainsaw.

Is It Too Late to Dig Up Bulbs?

Pretty much everyone south of Madison, Wisconsin can still dig up dahlias, bananas, and other tender bulbs. The recent snowfalls actually helped the Midwest and northern areas by providing insulation. In addition to that, we still have ground temperatures above the bulb-killing threshold, which means the roots are safe for now.

The snow cover was an added bonus, keeping the soil from freezing too quickly. I am digging up my dahlias today as I write this. The tops are gone—the cold wiped them out along with my bananas—but the roots are perfectly fine.

When you look at them, it is easy to assume they died. But remember, the tops and the roots are two different stories. Ugly on top can still mean healthy and alive underneath.

I waited for two reasons. First, I still had a few beautiful dahlia blooms and wanted to cut one last flower. Second, I went on vacation and figured I could push it another week. But, as always, the weather had other plans. Temperatures went from 70 to 32 and back to 70 in a single week.

Remember, it’s also not too late to plant bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. They are probably on sale as well so go out and hunt the local stores. You will thank yourself in the spring and we’re getting great weather in many parts of the country so you may be able to plant them in shorts. A rarity in November above the Mason Dixon line. Do we still use the Mason Dixon line or does that age me?

Speaking of bulbs, we can close out the dahlia story I’ve been sharing all year. As you’ll remember, I’ve done just about everything the hard way. I can recap what I did wrong.

1. I planted straight into the ground. I should have put them in small pots to get the roots going quicker. They did fine in the ground and that’s what I would do for bulk growing, but pots would have given me blooms at least two weeks sooner.

2. I watered them in heavily. You’re not supposed to water them in because it can cause rot before the roots set.

3. I should have cut them back early to promote multiple stems. Instead, I got one giant long stem.

4. I cut flowers too early. I wasn’t letting them age and get that petal curl where all the character really is.

Today I harvested the bulbs for next year. As I mentioned above, the tops were knocked back by the freeze, but I knew the bulbs would be fine. I would have dug them a week earlier but I was out of town and felt confident I had enough wiggle room. The snow actually helped a bit. I knew I would get multiple plants from each bulb, but I was pleasantly surprised by how many I pulled. I got at least a three for one on most and plenty of five for one. My favorite plant of them all, Diva, only gave me two for one, but the two it made are huge.

I put away the cages and made cardboard boxes for each variety. I shook off the dirt, set them in the box, and labeled everything. I’m going to let them dry for one more day and then put them in a basement room that stays above freezing but doesn’t get too warm. I’ve had good luck storing bulbs in there before, though I do have to mist them a little later in winter to keep them from drying out, which tells me the room runs a bit warmer than ideal.

The best part about having your bulbs at home is the huge head start you get next year. When you order dahlias online, they usually don’t ship until mid-April or later to avoid freezing. This way, I can get my pots going in March, either inside or in the greenhouse, and get a full month's jump. Add in the fact that I now know what I’m doing and I expect four times as many flowers next year. Ten times if you count all the new ones I’m going to buy.

A Picture is Worth a Hundred Words

Thank you everyone for all the honey orders last week. We’re preparing for a holiday season so orders will be delayed until Nov 21st so keep that in mind. We also added new glass bottles for those of you who want to avoid plastic or have an easier time reheating

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