I only plant garlic in October, if needed. I've found out that planting or transplanting in the fall is hit or miss if it survives the winter. I wait until spring where it has all summer to develop roots.

Fall is a terrific time to plant; I prefer fall planting over spring -- soil is nice and warm so roots put out good growth, and not nearly the water needs as in spring. Here where I am we still have at least 2 months before ground ground freeze, maybe a little longer -- plenty of time to get plants settled in, and they hit the ground running in the spring.

Haven't yet, but will be next two weeks (weather providing). I'm with you, mxk3 -- love to plant in the fall! I did a lot of propagating this year, so have many to go in the ground. I'm also going to create a plunge bed again. I did one in 2020 and it worked great! I really didn't put a lot in it that year, because I was paranoid about losing the plants I had propagated. I had added some compost and a lot of gritty sand to the bed. I didn't lose one plant that year!

I finished my fall planting a couple of weeks ago - I planted a new hardy hibiscus, and moved several shrubs and perennials. I think i may have killed p. polymorpha. I only planted it last year, so didn’t expect it to react as badly as it did to my moving it, especially since I dug up a large portion of the roots. But it went into immediate transplant shock and never recovered. I’ll be sad if it doesn’t come back next year.

What is a plunge bed?

I've got 3 hydrangeas that I bought last fall still in pots waiting for their permanent site!! and 2 grocery store roses also that need to be planted - I may just overwinter them, in their pots, in the compost pile. Which is where the hydrangeas will overwinter again if I don't decide on a location soon.

Other than that, just a bag of tulips to plant, and a lot of cleanup - the lobelias (both red and blue) ran rampant this year, as did the bed of arugula, and I have a couple of clumps of white snakeroot that popped up this year that need to be removed before it goes to seed.

USDA 5 is just outside of the range of routine fall planting of a large variety of plants - which kinds can be expected to work out planted in fall instead of spring depends on whether or not each is sufficiently cold hardy to tolerate being disturbed on the brink of winter. With it being important to understand that roots of cold climate adapted woody plants cut in autumn will not start to regrow until spring bud break.

I have all kinds of seed-grown perennials which are waiting for a permanent home. However, due to drought, digging is essentially impossible and keeping things watered in pots is much easier. Rains *may* come by Wed and planting can begin (if it does).

I think i may have killed p. polymorpha

@lovemycorgi z5b SE michigan, if you remember please give us an update next spring as it is my experience that pp is quite hardy.

Nothing to plant here. The bulbs are all in, I’ve split my one and only Hosta and I rarely buy new plants, not having any space for them. But if I did have anything, I could plant it at any time all winter since the ground never freezes. Winter gardening is more a function of the inclination of the gardener than the restrictions of the climate.

I have had hanging around an agastache poquito "Butter Yellow" in its original small plastic pot for well over 2 months :(. I gotta find a place for it.

As well I want to move a very established Thalictrum SPLENDIDE but the new spot currently has a vigorous productive dahlia and so I am waiting for a hard frost before I dig out and save the dahlia tuber.

And as always I have so many daffodils that I have yet to start planting as I have been waiting for Fall rains to help soften the ground but it doesn't look like that is going to happen in the foreseeable future :(.

I planted Persicaria a. 'Firetail' 3 days ago. It was lovely weather and then this a.m. it was -2C / 28F. I expect it will be fine but if not I have a spare. I have planted in early Oct. before and everything was fine. I will find out in spring.

p.s. I also moved around some Festuca.

I just planted some small thujas, with one more to go. Also have a diervilla, an ilex, a fothergilla, and an azalea, as well as some seed-sown mums to get in the ground. Oh and just planted a Russian sage the other day. I'm enlarging a bed and trying to add shrubs and fall/winter interest.

Also need to get in a hydrangea and some hostas in a new bed for my daughter, so still lots of planting left to do!

I decided not to buy bulbs this year - a decision I'm sure I'll regret in spring lol. Who knows? I may have an impulse purchase (or two) later in the fall, maybe some tulips to throw in a couple of pots. I did buy a small amount of crocuses (25 I think) that I'll throw in the ground, but none of my usual bulb purchases this year.

:)

Dee

Good grief - just working up a head of steam and have been out planting every day this week (and last). This is my main time of the year for all planting - I consider it to be the start of the gardening year. So, with that in mind, let's see. Well, I admitted to not doing much moving but all that is changing as I have dug up several wild paeonies, daylilies, catanache, agapanthus, caryopteris, coronilla, thalictrum,salvias (numerous)....and moved them round the plot. Have also planted a load of stuff in pots (ranunculous aconitifolius, more salvias, oenothera, shawbucca, thalictrum, delosperma, sedums, roses, phygelius, pulsatillas, various currants) in an effort to make some breathing space in the garden. Have planted 750 bulbs although they are mostly quite small species tulips, reticulated iris, wild gladioli, eremurus and many anemones.

I have also been planting in the meadow area - cowslips, primulas, scabious, centaury, yellow rattle, toadflax and knapweeds. And bulbs (leucojum, camassia, narcissus, anemones and sprengeri tulips I have been growing in pots for the last 3 years.

Have started to clear the greenhouse in readiness for autumn seed sowing (I do A LOT) and am clearing ground for tree planting in the wood (I have a bunch of pinus, swedish whitebeam, quince, rowans, and field maples. From about November, it is time for bare-root planting and hedging so I will be insanely busy until Xmas when I allow myself a couple of months off for knitting. The ground never freezes and with sandy soil on chalk, I can garden every day of the year. In truth, I absolutely love winter gardening - relaxed, have a bit more clarity, bonfires, pruning...it is a joy...unlike the frantic spring months when weeds have taken hold and deadlines are looming.

Have just done my seed order - a very modest dozen varieties of seeds which need to be sown when fresh (umbellifers, ranunculous). I am sitting with glazed eyes, in a state of torpor, having been at it all day today.

Ah yes, I am also waiting to move the dahlias...and salvias, when I can REALLY get going. I am almost considering ripping out the few sunflowers and cosmos because I need the space. Same with the garden at home - it is all overgrown and unruly but I am struggling to chop down plkants which are still in full flower. I thought I was finished with hardy annual sowing but did a whole bunch of sweetpeas directly in the ground because they take up too much space in the greenhouse. Have to hope mice don't get them all.

To be honest, I rarely buy plants either, Floral but I absolutely adore growing them, whether I have room or not. Have planned a little plant stall outside my house for next year so I can indulge myself with seeds and cuttings. I don't think I could get by without growing new things every year. Next year, the allotment might be vegetable free for the first time in 20+ years so I can have more flowers.

^^ oh wow, that's a lot, I'm tired just reading all that LOL! Have the benefit in my area of getting a break and taking winters "off", good for downtime and re-charging. Although, if I had year-round to garden, there wouldn't be a mad rush to get things done at certain times because they have to be done, so maybe I wouldn't need the downtime, could get chores done at a more leisurely pace :0) Although, I am trying to simply and cut down on work, investing in power tools that I chose and I can actually use to help with chores, especially clean-up, is helping a lot with that (DHs tools are too big and heavy so I've been buying my own).

OMG yes - I love a good power tool. I had one of those tiny chainsaw,/pruners last year but it was stolen when I forgot to lock the truck. Still, getting another for my birthday in a few days so I can really get going with the rose pruning (I never wait till spring as I have shedloads of them). There has been a lot of grumbling about burning on the allotment but afraid I am just going to be an anarchist and do it anyway as the amount of pruning wood is eyewatering - it would take many trips to the local tip and, as we have a pick-up, we are only allowed one trip a month so burning it is. Will probably get in trouble but once it's done, I don't care. I have a dodgy chipper so that's a possibility but it need work on the carburettor and an engine tune-up.

It is true, being able to amble along in winter does make it less rushed in spring...but then again, our winters are mild and often snow-free so it's nice to be outside on a clear dry day - no fun in drizzly grey rain - the usual UK climate (but less in the east where I am). It is all a lot more mindless - pruning and clear-up - no big decisions to make, just a lot of hacking and trudging up and down the plot. I have a shed where I can make tea and sit down for a read and a sandwich too, so I can bumble about all day.

rosaprimula it all sounds so glorious - a shed to have tea and a sandwich! Can I ask how much land you have to garden on? Sounds like a full-time job lol!

I bought myself a small battery-powered pruning saw (after reading several posts on these forums). I still need to get used to it (i.e. stop trying to saw it back and forth and let the tool do the work lol) but I can see it getting quickly addictive!

:)

Dee

My favorite tool for planting bulbs and annuals is a garden auger drill bit. No shovel needed.

rosaprimula our area is allowed recreational fires so if anybody wants to burn brush all you have to do is have a hot dog on a stick nearby and the authorities can't do anything.

By US standards, an allotment is not so big, Diggerdee. A standard plot is 1/8 acre but I have 2, so 1/4 acre of space. It is a long, thin strip of space - 12m wide by 50m long...but quite astonishing how much can be squeezed into it when there is no lawn or patio area - just beds and paths...and I am getting over my (doomed) love of huge perennials and going back down an alpine road of little, gently mounding tufts of tiny plants. Huge lush greenery needs a lot of water to sustain it whereas little clumps of silvery, glaucous or tomentose foliage can get by very well without irrigation I do have a little pocket wood but don't really garden much there at all, so all my efforts go to fill my quarter acre and really tiny garden at home.

The shed is just a little 8ft x 8ft thing but still has a chair, table and gas burner. I have a little stove in it which my youngest made out of an old gas bottle, so I can actually keep it warm in winter. I pop a bit of old horticultural fleece on the floor for the sheepdog and we are able to spend the day at the plot, I do have a cast-iron barbecue stove I sometimes make my dinner on so I am creeping ever closer to burning defiance anyway. Operating the garden bin incinerator is just a tiny step further - hotdog or not. Where are you, functionthenlook? Are you in the US?

Ah yes, I also bought a coupla augers this year which are good with a cordless drill...but most of the bulbs I have been planting are really very small so I mostly just use a digging knife. Counting the days till my birthday package (new saw - Stihl GTA26 - ) arrives. It took me ages to get used to Silky pullsaws but no time at all to adopt a power tool.

This is rearrangement weekend for me- so far we've moved three large-ish Japanese Maples, installed five new trees, installed a 110 foot lilac border (I'm SO excited for the coming years), and today will be moving two more Japanese Maples and one Cercis.

Once those three are done we'll be down to the small stuff- juggling perennial bloom times, dividing and moving tons of perennials (correcting a seasons worth of mistakes, lol), rethinking the borders.

I like to have all my dividing and moving done before the final topdressing with compost. And I have to have the compost spreading done by the time we need to begin leaf blowing/raking in earnest because my "ready" compost pile is where all the leaves are going to go. So the first two weeks of October are rearranging time, we spread compost for the last two weeks of October, then November is purely leaf management, haha.

I say this only to explain that I work backwards from by desired end completion date, so all the planting and moving must be done fairly soon in order to keep my unnecessarily rigid work schedule in place. I only have husband to help with heavy stuff a few hours each week and I have his shovel time scheduled down to the minute.

Kinda sorta kidding.

But he did get a root slayer shovel for his birthday.

OMG, function, I literally laughed out loud at your hot dog comment! Rosaprimula, a quarter acre might not be huge for a property with a house and garage and patio and driveway, etc, but it's a lovely-sized garden! And your shed sounds like a little slice of heaven - so nice to have a little area where you can take a break while gardening. I have to come in the house, take of my shoes and dirty clothes, and then I get lazy and don't want to go back out lol. Especially if I pop on the computer to check the forums!

You guys are all so busy! I thought I had a lot to do but you all win lol! cearbhaill you are much more organized than I am! I wish I had that organized gene!

:)

Dee

It's the season to put pansies, Dianthus, & ornamental cabbage in the garden here, whenever a frost takes out the warm weather stuff. And if timed right before it's supposed to rain a couple times, to move plants around.

Our local allotments have a rule that doesn’t allow more than a third ornamental. One person, a few years back, filled theirs with perennials and was made to dig them up again. The only flowers on mine are self sown and dotted about amongst the vegetables. Because mine is in a conservation area we can’t have sheds or greenhouses either. It’s half the size of yours being only a half plot.

I can't imagine trying to garden where somebody else has some kind of authority.

Tiffany we have it in the US too. It's called HOAs.

That is a decision one makes upon purchase. But yeah, I would never buy in an HOA neighborhood for that reason. Not my kind of lifestyle. And I don't understand people who try to fight with their HOA. Why do they expect to not have to follow the covenants that are attached to their land? And why would you want discord with your neighbors? Why choose that place to live if you want to do things outside of the HOA restrictions?

The allotments are not owned by us, they are rented from the local council and were established for the production of food during the world wars, hence the ornamental rule. Since they cover a large and visible area within a residential community they cannot just be a free for all, especially since mine is in a very important historical setting. The other allotment sites in my city have different rules. And, unlike US community gardens, we have use of them all year round for long as we like. I have had mine over thirty years. Furthermore, we do not have HOAs here. At home, in the garden I own, I can grow what I like.

That is interesting, thank you. I did not realize your allotment was not part of your own property. The rules make perfect sense within the context of the history.

Pansies are edible.

Is cabbage used as ornamental décor not a common winter thing where you are? The beautiful green & purple spheres? I think a garnish can count - it's on the plate. Technically edible, but maybe just too bitter to eat.

Do you have to prove that you're eating stuff? I grow a lot of edible stuff that I don't eat.

I'm more and more a fan of winter gardening because it's too hot to do much during summer. Apparently I'm supposed to start a lot of edibles about 2-3 months earlier than I've been trying 'cuz of my darn Yankee upbringing. I've got so much room for improvement, it's an optimistic place to be of surely I can do better.

Yep, some of the allotments in my town have a similar rule about majority edibles. I did have a plot on a big site which had similar rules but I was quite keen to grow fruit and vegetables when my family was younger. I had another allotment when I was at college and got my current one when I moved back to my home town. It was easy to rent one from the council back then (80s/90s) but there are long waiting lists now (several years).

However, there is also a tradition of people growing exhibition plants (flowers and vegetables), as well as niche interests such as herbs, dye plants, single species such as sweet peas, often with breeding going on), Several national collections of genera are held on allotments. Some of the newer sites have 'no shed' rules but old established sites have become quite anarchic over the years.

Some of the sites in my home town are older than 100 years with the oldest ones going back to the 1908 land and allotment acts, when many sites were formally registered There has been a tradition of allotments going back as far is the Domesday book but as ever, are always exposed to the vicissitudes of politics. They are much older than wartime and were actually established as a therapeutic philanthropic solution to the terrible health of the landless labouring poor, especially in urban environments. Whilst food production has always been popular, it was just as common to see plots given over to raising giant gooseberries or cottage tulips There were over a million registered plots during wartime but this has diminished to around 300,000.

I am on a tiny site (19 plots) so it is too small to have any sort of committee or association (although there are always a couple of people who would be really, really keen to impose rules).

The council officer doesn't care what we grow as long as the plots are cultivated (and sadly, even on my tiny site, there are always 3 or 4 (or more) plots which are utterly neglected. My neighbours, of 9 years,have a quarter of a plot and have done NOTHING the whole time. They get a 'dirty plot' letter every year, but you just have to show the barest evidence of cultivation to be let off for another year. They don't want to do anything themselves but they won't give it up either: the annual rent is minuscule. Lazy and selfish. The poor turnover of plots is probably the best argument for some sort of management, I guess, but I suspect there would be some moaning about my own so I would, on balance prefer the live and let live approach.

I haven't been at this plot for as long as you, Floral - just over 20 years - but long enough for it to have acquired a very lived-in feel, with a lot of mature plants and trees - mainly fruit or nuts. It is entirely possible that I give up growing any vegetables next year (will still keep the fruit though)

because I am planning to raise a few plants to sell (which is also borderline allowed as long as I don't sell anything at the actual plot).

I mistook allotment as synonymous with property your home sits on. Huh.