This week’s column should be called “The Greedy Gardener.” My peach tree was bending under the weight of too many peaches, but I didn’t see cracks or splits in the branches and anticipated the sweet fruit coming my way soon. That is, until the morning I stepped out to see the top half of the tree split from the bottom.
While I should have removed more fruit from the branches, I also think an animal of some kind helped the trunk snap. There was no wind that night, and the tree had been gently bending under the fruits’ weight. The tree was growing well.
The leaves withstood the beetle onslaught. Peach leaf curl was successfully managed with proper spraying over the winter. But then I saw that fruit ripening, and I couldn’t bring myself to choose which should stay and which should go.
So, nature stepped in and decided for me. Luckily, I was able to gather much of the fruit (about 40) into a bushel to finish ripening. I have been able to cut and peel a few each day, so it is not a total loss.
Instead of ripping out the damaged tree, I hope to encourage it to grow a new leader. I will consider adding another peach tree next spring. Then again, I reserve the right to compost it and start anew.
More lazy gardener discoveries: Carrots just continue to grow. I have pulled three that were about three inches long. I will wait to pull the others until I find one about two times that length.
Beets just sit in place during hot, dry weather. I need to give them more water. I still have time because they tolerate light frost.
Same goes for the Brussels sprouts. The plants seemed to stand still in the hot weather. Now we have had some cooler days and rain helping the regular watering.
The plants have started to grow again. While I have felt the painful effects of my lazy gardening—packing too many plants into an area, too much heat and not enough water in July—I have also noticed some victories. The tomatoes taste great.
My zucchini has produced fruits of useful not unusual size. We had a perfect supply of snap peas. Lettuce and arugula continue to feed us.
My frustration with my failure has given way to appreciation of everything that has grown well. My garlic harvest has dried enough to now cut the necks and put the bulbs into cool, dry storage. For your onion harvest, make sure the necks are paper dry before putting the bulbs in storage.
Grapes will typically be ready to pick at the end of September, so leave them on the vine until then. Let your taste be your guide to grape ripeness since microclimates and soil will greatly affect ripening. Wild grapes are visible on vines along roadways and disturbed woodlands now.
Ornamental and escaped crabapple trees, redtwig dogwood ( Cornus sericea ), and chokeberry ( Aronia ) have fruit ripening as well. All these wild fruits will attract and feed deer, bear, birds, and more wildlife for months. If you have the space, try to keep a buffer zone of native fruiting plants to keep the wildlife out of your cultivated flower or vegetable gardens.
Encouraging wildlife can have downsides. I have a small meadow area that features many native plants and also attracts many voles and moles. I accept that I have created a habitat for them, and I am pleased to have foxes and hawks hunt around the meadow.
However, in my attempt to colonize the meadow with preferred natives—after removing purple loosestrife ( Lythrum salicaria )—I invited moles or voles to dig around the fresh plants. Only a day after preparing the hole and setting the potted plant into it to keep shaded and damp, the plastic pot and one third of the root ball had been chewed through. Something in the planting soil, the loose quality of the soil mixture, or just seasonal opportunity attracted the pest to investigate my choice.
I should have used Molemax or another repellent around the planting hole as soon as I introduced the new plant. I have sprinkled Molemax (a castor-oil-based repellent) around the planting hole of the new introductions and haven’t had problems in the last few days. I am hoping that works for a while longer.
As wild plants set fruit, that is a reminder to take cuttings of coleus to grow through the winter. Take a peek at your houseplants growing outdoors. Repot tropical houseplants that have roots growing out of the pot bottom or that can’t hold water due to lack of soil.
Give them a chance to grow into their new soil and pots before moving back indoors in September. It is also time to prepare for dividing peonies or iris. Have a plan for where you intend to plant your new divisions or how you will share them with loved ones.
If you have a problem with jumping worms, wash off any soil from your divisions and pot your new plants in sterile potting mix. No one wants a pest-laden gift. Spring-flowering bulbs will be coming into garden centers by mid-September.
Time to finalize your design plans and get your shopping list ready. It is fun to add something new each year. This spring, I enjoyed the allium I added in fall 2023.
Have you tried autumn crocus? The Colchicum genus has over 60 species or hybrids. It is not a crocus bulb, but the flower looks like a crocus on steroids. The flower blooms in September then dies back to the ground.
In spring, the tulip-like foliage emerges in clumps of six to eight leaves. The leaves go dormant in mid-summer after feeding the bulb and preparing for the flower to emerge again in early fall. Add a few of these now in sun or light shade and enjoy blooms soon.
Visit the extensive post about this flower on the North Carolina State University website . Perhaps more to our hardiness zone, I also like the many descriptions of Colchicum found on the Wisconsins extension website . Lastly, the frustrating setbacks from sudden decline in our crops are just part of gardening.
I hope I learn from my greed. In the meantime, I will keep enjoying the blooms. I call myself the Lazy Berkshire Gardener because I don’t want to work too hard in my gardens.
I want to enjoy them. I find it easier to observe my landscape and let the compost happen, the water pool up, or daisies to self-sow. I look for ways to do the minimum task for the biggest impact.
For example, mulching is better than spraying and much better than weeding all season. I look for beautiful, low-maintenance plants that thrive in or at least tolerate my garden conditions. Plus, I am willing to live with the consequences if I miss something.
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