Garden Tips Newsletter
Fall Tips
October 26, 2009
Propagation by Layering
Rather than rooting cuttings, you can propagate shrubs by layering, a
technique of rooting a stem while it is still attached to the parent
plant. Choose a new shoot that’s long enough to touch the ground and
that’s on the side of the plant that receives the most sun. Use a sharp
knife to cut an angled slit halfway through the stem or scrape off
a narrow band of bark from around it. Make a depression in the soil
near the plant; then bend the injured stem into the depression, cover
it with soil, and anchor it in place with a forked stick, brick, or
rock. Let it remain in place all winter. Then in spring, cut the rooted
stem free from the parent plant.
Landscaping
Planting and transplanting trees and shrubs are good projects for fall.
Cool weather makes it easier for the plants to establish their roots
before top growth resumes in spring. Be sure to set containerized plants
at the same depth as they were growing in the container. To do this,
see that the top of the root ball is level with the ground. Water the
plants thoroughly, and continue watering about twice a week through
the fall and winter, skipping only when there is a rain.
Perennial
Yarrow, spider lilies, Shasta daisies, coreopsis, coneflowers, gaillardia,
and daylilies are some of the perennials that can be divided and replanted
in early fall. Plan beds carefully, considering each plant’s height
and color. Before replanting divisions, amend the beds with plenty
of organic material. Water every few days until divisions become established.
Lelia Scott Kelly, Ph.D., writes Garden Tips weekly and is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.