Avoid urge to divide mums this fall
Q. I have hardy mums that bloom in the late summer and early fall. Is it OK to divide them once they have finished blooming in the fall?
A. Don't be tempted to divide your mums in the fall. They respond best to being split in the spring, just as they're starting to grow. After the last spring frost when shoots are 1 to 3 inches tall, dig them up and carefully pull or cut them apart. Discard half-dead or overly woody parts, and plant only the healthy divisions.
It is a good practice to divide mums at least every two to three years to rejuvenate them and promote maximum flowering. Mums can withstand very cool temperatures and even light frosts. The first hard frost usually marks the end of the season for hardy mums. Once the plants are dormant, remove the tops, clean up old leaves and debris and re-mulch the area. New shoots will appear early the following spring.
Q. Why are my Mugo pines shedding needles? They've been healthy all year and I see no signs of insects?
A. As fall arrives and nights become cooler, some needle loss on evergreens is normal. The needles in the interior of the shrub turn yellow and then drop off. The amount of needles lost varies from year to year, depending on the past summer's weather. The needle loss may be more pronounced on newly planted or transplanted evergreens.
Q. Last fall I put several inches of mulched leaves on my garden to add nutrients to the soil. In the spring, the layer of mulch kept the soil from drying, and it was late spring before I could dig the garden. Is there a better way to use the mulch in the fall?
A. Your idea to replenish soil nutrients with mulched leaves is good. Try digging your garden in the fall by doing the following:
Thoroughly remove all plant debris - it might be infected with fungus due to the wet summer.
Add 2 to 4 inches of disease-free mulched leaves onto the garden.
On a nice day in November or December, dig the garden, mixing the leaves into the soil and breaking up only the large clumps of soil.
The winter freeze/thaw cycles will help break up the clumps of soil into finer particles. Likewise, by digging in the fall, you are exposing buried nuisance insect egg casings to the hard freeze. When the soil dries/warms in the spring, you should be able to rake it into fine till without strenuous digging.
• Provided by Mary Boldan, Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines, open 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Call (847) 298-3502 or email Cookcountymg.com@gmail.com.