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Fall Color

By Julia Graham-Whitt

downanddirty@northcoastjournal.com

Fall is upon us in all of her splendor. The late rains this year mean we’ve been able to enjoy the beautiful trees longer than we’re generally used to. The lack of wind, until The bright red blossoms of fragrant pineapple sage. recently, has also contributed to the Photo by Julia Graham-Whitt beautiful foliage staying in place. At my place, the paperbark birch is resplendent It’s a tender perennial and may die back if we in her reds, while the fl owering cherry in the get a hard freeze, but it can withstand some orchard greets me every morning with hues frost. Bees and hummingbirds are drawn to of yellow and orange. The blueberries are the beautiful crimson tubular fl owers, and if turning red as well, just before they drop you plant it near a pathway, you’ll be rewardtheir leaves. Even the apple trees are getting ed with the faint smell of pineapple (hence in on the action, as many of them have its name) when you brush up against it. subtle hues of yellow in their leaves. And don’t forget: It’s not too late to

When we think of fall color (yes, we really plant those spring bulbs. Most nurseries still do have fall colors here on the North Coast have a plentiful supply and you may fi nd — just take a drive down the Avenue of the some on sale, as they make room for the Giants and take a gander at those big leaf summer blooming bulbs and tubers in the maples, or the dogwoods), we often think near future. Follow the instructions on the of the blazing colors of Minnesota and Wis- package, and plant with a little bit of bone consin, or the stunning displays of maples, meal to feed the bulbs as they grow. If you dogwoods, sassafras, red oaks, birch and are cursed with gophers, as I am, you’ll fi nd poplars of New England. But we have plenty that da odils and scilla aren’t as enticing to of color here, too. And it’s not just trees. the little buggers as, say, tulips are. You can

As the days turn to gray and more rain always put fl owering bulbs in pots to protect (please) falls on our beautiful redwoods, them from the big-toothed rodents and still there are ways to brighten up your fall and enjoy a show in late winter and early spring. winter garden long after the deciduous And it’s not too late to plant your garlic trees have lost their leaves. and onions. Do it soon, though, or else

If you don’t have a lot of room to plant you’ll get smaller bulbs come next year. a tree at your place, consider some of the Remember to mulch well with some straw shrubs that have gorgeous color: red twig to combat weeds, as garlic, onions, and dogwood, viburnum, spicebush, oakleaf hy- shallots don’t like to compete with weeds. drangea or blueberries, which, incidentally, This is also a great time to move any also provide you with a scrumptious crop of plants that might be in the wrong spot. fruit in the spring and early summer (if the Shrubs, and even small trees can be transbirds don’t get them fi rst). Just make sure planted right now. Perhaps that daphne is you read the tag that tells you how big (or in a spot that looked great last year when small) the shrub will eventually be. I like to you put it in the ground, but you discovtell clients to add 20 percent to the size of ered that it’s kind of in the way of those anything listed on the tag, since it is Hum- lovely raised beds you built and planted. boldt and we like to grow things big here. It’s time to move it to a better spot now.

Don’t forget the annuals such as violas, Make sure you get the entire root ball and pansies and alyssum, which can act as pe- try not to compact the soil (now that it’s rennials here on the coast, as they re-seed wetter) when you replant it. The coming heartily. A few perennials that are bloom- rains will water it in and it should be o to ing right now are primrose and cyclamen. a good start come next spring. You can fi nd most of these at the local Soon enough, it’s going to be time to nurseries, and some of the newer cultivars prune those deciduous trees and roses. are simply stunning. In subsequent years, But that’s for next time. you can divide these and have even more Until then, happy gardening. Get out plants, or share with a friend who wants to there in nature and enjoy the show before have some fall color. the next big windstorm comes in.

Another plant that I really love at this ● time of the year is pineapple sage — it typ- Julia Graham-Whitt (she/her) is ically starts blooming in early October and owner and operator of the landscaping can go all through the fall and part of winter. business Two Green Thumbs.