[Image: onions]Here are a few thoughts on fall gardening. Some vegetable plants can be planted or prepared for now. Other ornamental plants should be prepared for during the dormant season so that they will be in the proper state in the spring for maximum bloom production.
Allium crop are onions, shallots and garlic. Onion seeds, for transplant later in the fall, should be planted now through October. Several drills of seed may be planted on one row to make a compact bed of transplants. Leave 6-8 inches of space between the drills. Choose a well drained soil site that will not crust over easily. Build the bed high enough for good drainage. Mix into the bed a complete fertilizer such as 8-24-24 at the rate of 1 pound per 50 linear feet of row. Don’t be tempted to over-fertilize. This will only cause more stalk growth at the expense of bulb production. Cover the seed with no more than 1/4 inch of soil. These seeds are very hard coated and must be kept moist, not soaked, until they emerge as sprouts. If necessary, water them frequently, but lightly. Soaking the seed in warm water for several hours before planting will help improve germination. When the plants are about the size of a thin pencil, they may be transplanted into a row or thinned and allowed to mature in the seeding bed. Allow 6-8 inches between transplants such that the bulbs will have room to “size up.” Good varieties of onions for our area include: (Red) Red Creole C5 and Red Burgundy; (White) Super White Hybrid, Candy and Georgia Boy; (Yellow) Granex 33, Texas Grano 1015Y, Nirvana, Savannah Sweet, Sweet Melody, Grano 502 and Century.
Shallot sets can be planted any time in the fall and winter. As they reach harvestable size, separate and re-transplant unused plants. They will continue to multiply throughout the winter. If you want to produce large shallot bulbs, the largest bulbs are produced on those sets made between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day (late November-December). Shallots are the easiest vegetable to grow that I know of. Just keep them adequately watered, without drowning them. I have a planter of shallots growing on my porch that has been there for nearly 20 years.
Garlic bulbs should be separated into separate cloves before planting in October. There are a limited number of garlic varieties available in the trade. These may be difficult to find. Silver Skin is an excellent variety, if you can find sets. Elephant garlic is the largest and mildest variety and usually easy to find. The Italian and Creole varieties have smaller cloves and they have the strongest flavor. Garlic cloves should be planted 1 inch deep and about 4-6 inches apart. You can place two or more drills on a single row, as you space them 4 inches apart. Garlic rows should be fertilized with 4-5 pounds of 8-12-24 fertilizer per 100 foot of row before planting. A side-dressing with nitrogen fertilizer should be made after the garlic is growing.
Divide Louisiana Irises. Louisiana irises are in their most dormant stage in the late summer. Even though the calendar says one thing, the late summer in these parts lasts until Halloween. This makes late September and early October the ideal time to divide them. Begin your divisions by lifting out a clump with a shovel or garden fork. Be careful not to damage the rhizomes (another type of underground stem). The young, vigorous rhizomes will have green growth on their tips. Cut these rhizomes away from the old, large rhizomes. Replant the young and discard the old rhizomes.
When clumps are lifted, refresh the bed by addin[Image: Iris]g and digging in a 2-4 inch layer of compost into the bed. It is also good to add one pound of 15-5-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed. The young rhizomes should be planted horizontally with the foliage facing the direction that you want the plant to grow. Place these rhizomes 8-12 inches apart and cover all the roots with soil. The top of the rhizome should show above the soil surface. Finally, mulch the bed with 3 inches of good, organic matter. Water the bed thoroughly.
Periodically refreshing the iris bed is necessary for continued blooms and healthy foliage. Old undivided beds will eventually cease to bloom abundantly.