Even though it's mild and warm today, it looks like our tender perennials, shrubs and summer annuals are going to suffer some stress as the weather changes soon. Here are a few things to do to keep our summer favorites blooming a few more weeks, and how to protect our tender perennials and shrubs as Winter descends.
A really easy way to protect plants like bougainvillea, deadly nightshade, fuschias and impatiens is to simply drape little Christmas lights around them. The little light bulbs put off enough heat to keep the frost-sensitive plants happy and warm. Plus, it looks cute! Spraying plants with Cloud Cover, sold for cut Christmas trees, is also effective. I love having my impatiens and nightshade in bloom for Thanksgiving.
Avoid fertilizing anything with high nitrogen — shrubs, perennials and trees. We don't want to encourage new growth, as the baby leaves can fry with the worst of the cold. Most plants want to rest during the Winter, so forcing growth at this point should be avoided. Applying nutritional supplements to the soil, like iron, magnesium and sulfur is encouraged. The rain will water it in for us, which is an extra added bonus!
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Welcome to Autumn!
