Gardening News: Fall gardening, landscaping tips offered at Sept. 18 event

Staff Report

When is the right time to prune my hydrangea? Is it too late to divide my perennials? Can I still plant trees in the fall?

“These are just a few of the common questions that come up every fall from gardeners,” said University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Candice Miller.

Fall is a great time to catch up on the gardening and landscaping activities you’ve been putting off during this hot, dry summer. Many gardeners still wonder, though, whether it is the right time of year to do certain activities.

Fall is a great time for planting perennials and trees, for instance, as long as it’s done by about mid- to late September. This will allow enough time for plants to establish a good root system before winter arrives.

Many gardeners also wonder when to prune their hydrangea, which varies depending on the species of hydrangea you have planted.

University of Illinois Extension in Ogle County will be offering a one-hour program about “When to Divide, Plant and Prune” this fall. Miller will discuss the proper time to divide and prune our most common landscape plants, and outline what plants are still suitable for planting in the fall.

The most up-to-date information about what to do to prepare your landscape for the winter after this drought will also be provided.

The program will be from 6 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18. Cost is $5, and everyone is welcome. Pre-registration is required.

Call the Ogle County Extension Office at (815) 732-2191 to register or register online at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo/. You may also post your questions on the University of Illinois Extension Horticulture-Northwest Illinois Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/northwestillinoishorticulture.

From the Sept. 12-18, 2012, issue