By Mike Isbell
University of Georgia
They picked the apples from our trees and worked hard peeling and slicing them. They put several pieces of tin across three or four old sawhorses and spread the apple slices out on the tin to dry in the sun.
Fall is still a busy time for a lot of folks. Apples and pumpkins signal the cooler weather. And that inspires folks to get outside and work in their yards.
Mulch a little
It remains the best time to plant and transplant woody and herbaceous ornamentals. By now the energy produced by the leaves this summer has been funneled to the roots for winter growth.Although the tops of plants are dormant in winter, the roots continue to grow throughout the winter. So when spring arrives, the plants are ready to explode with new growth.
Dig and divide herbaceous perennials now. Wait until November to divide fall-blooming plants. If you can't get around to all of these tasks this month, don't worry. Divisions and transplanting can be done in November, December and January.
No need to rush
Don't be too hasty to plant pansies. An ideal time to plant them would be from now to the end of November.Trees will soon be tossing their leaves for us to recycle as mulch. Shredded leaves stay put better on the landscape and don't blow around like whole leaves. They also do a better job of holding moisture in the soil and insulating roots of plants from winter cold.
Don't forget to add an inch or two of new mulch to ornamental plantings to help protect them from the cold. It's an exciting time in the Georgia landscape, a time to dig, divide and renew landscapes for next year.
Yep, there is a lot going on in October. I just got back from visiting my mother up in north Georgia. I brought back a bushel of Mutsu apples for me and a bushel of Granny Smiths for my friend Anna.
Anna has already started drying her apples.
I haven't had a chance to dry mine yet. I've been too busy. It is October, you know.
