(Gardening Calendar for SEPTEMBER)

Cleaning time in the Garden!

By Arun Pratap Singh

Come September and the garden begins to demand a different kind of attention than in other monsoon months. A lot of cleaning work is required in the garden. In, Uttarakhand, the frequency of the rain is considerably reduced and the rains are almost gone before the last week begins! This is the time when some shrubs and climbers like Hibiscus, Pentas, Ixora, Jasmine, Allamanda, Tabernaemontana, Bougainvillea, Tecomeria, Lagerstroemia, Lantana, Rondeletia, Plumeria and Plumbago to be at their prime. Among the trees, Cassia Fistula (Amaltas), Cassia Javanica, Tecoma Gaudichaura are at their best. Among the foliage and flowering houseplants, Croton, Dracaena, Maranta, Gloxinia, African Violet, Beloperone, Pachystachis are their best at this time of the year. In the hills, Hydrangea, Privet, Kerria Japonica, Fuchsia, Stephanotis, Rose, Begonia are flowering at their best. As soon as the rains end, it starts to get warmer in the day. One must regularly water the plants now. With so much of water going into the soil, most nutrients get leached out from the soil by the time rains end. This is time to fertilise most plants and prevent the diseases by cleaning and spraying the preventive pesticides or fungicides. Mild Contact pesticides like Malathion and Fenvalerate @ 2 ml/litre of water can be sprayed to prevent aphids and thrips normally active at this time of the year. For the prevention of fungal diseases, a mild contact fungicide like Mancozeb (Dithane M-45) should be sprayed @ 3gm/litre of water can be sprayed.To fertilise the plants, a good fertiliser mix can be prepared by mixing one part of Urea, one part of Single Super Phosphate, two parts of Muriate of Potash, one part of Sterilised Bone Meal, two parts of Powdered Neem Cake, ¼ part of Soil Agromin or Multiplex (Micronutrients) and ¼ part of Wood Ash or crushed Charcoal made from burnt wood. One can use 100 to 200 gm of this mixture per sq yard of bed soil. In pots 5 to 15 gm of this mixture should be applied depending on the plants and the size of the pots. For green houseplants and the lawn one can alter the above formula by reducing the quantity of Potash and increasing the quantity of Urea. The Rose plants are normally pruned in Mid-October in North India but, it gets very cold in the valley and the hills during the months of December and January and the Rose buds do not bloom during these months. IT IS THEREFORE BETTER TO PRUNE THE ROSE PLANTS AROUND MID-SEPTEMBER IN MOST PARTS OF UTTARAKHAND FOOTHILLS. The first flush of Rose will bloom in November and after a short slumber in late December and January, the next flush will bloom in February and continue till April. In the hills, roses are normally pruned at the end of winter. To prune the rose plants, remove some healthy top growth as well as twigs and branches that are dead, diseased, injured, unsightly or thin and spindly. Shorten the main canes and lateral branches, removing small twigs and some of the oldest canes. Leave at least half the length of each main cane that is one to three years old. The first flowers can be expected eight to nine weeks after pruning. To avoid dieback and encourage rapid healing, pruning cuts should be made just above a dormant bud (eye). When an entire branch is removed, make a smooth cut at the point of juncture. Paint the cut parts with Chaubatia paste (a fungicidal paste prepared by mixing four parts each of Red Lead, Copper Carbonate and five parts of Linseed Oil). After the pruning it is beneficial to spray the Rose plants with a solution containing Mancozeb @ 3 gm/litre and Malathion @ 3 ml/litre of water. A compound fertiliser like Polyfeed (M/s Nagarjuna Fertilsers) or Nitrophoska (M/s BASF) @ 3 gm/litre of water may also be added to the solution. Feed the rose plants with a Rose Mix or the mixture mentioned above @ 25 to 40 gm /sq mt.With the rains getting less frequent now, the lawn must be mowed now and then fertilised with the lawn mix @ 500 gm/100sq. ft. The Chrysanthemum plants may now be transplanted to their final pots. They will also need to be staked with bamboo sticks. Spray them for prevention of pest and fungal attack. Feed them with the above mentioned mixture @ one to two table spoons per plant. Water immediately after. Dahlia cuttings can be taken now and planted in sand or other suitable rooting medium. Dahlia cuttings root easily and very fast. If planted early in September, they should be ready for transplantation by the end of the month. Cuttings should be watered very mildly but regularly till they root. They can be sprayed occasionally with a Contact Fungicide like Captan or Mancozeb @ 3 gm/litre to prevent Foot and Stem rot. Seeds can be sown of some winter or spring annuals like Marigold, Calendula, Larkspur, Sweet Sultan, Nasturtium, Clarkia, Verbena, Phlox, Sweet William and Dianthus and Carnation in the last week of September. In the hills, Tuberous and fibrous Begonia, Hydrangea, Fuchsia will still be blooming at their best. In the seeds trays, seeds of Spring Annuals like Carnation, Pansy, Delphinium, Hollyhock, Petunia, Cosmos, Verbena, Phlox, Sweet William and Dianthus can be sown. Hydrangea, Fuchsia and other permanent shrubs should be fed in this month.

KITCHEN AND FRUIT GARDEN: In the Kitchen garden, this is proper time to sow Radish, Carrot, Turnip, Lettuce, Beetroot (Palak), Garlic, Onion and French-Bean. Transplant the seedlings of Tomato, Brinjal, Cabbage and Cauliflower. If not sown earlier, these can also be sown now in the first fortnight of the month. Continental vegetables like Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Leek and Chinese Cabbage can also be sown now. Potato can also be sown now for an early crop. Regular weeding and hoeing is must. Air and Ground layered stems of fruit trees like Citrus, Litchi, may be separated from mother plants and planted at proper locations on the garden.In the hills, this is time to dig out potato. If now sown earlier, Lettuce may still be sown in early September. With the reduced rains now, it is harvest time for Cucumber in the hills. Strawberry runners may also be planted now. Also seeds of wild Almond, Apple and other fruit trees are planted for rootstock use. Plum, Apricot, Apple and Pear can be grafted now.