Plant pansies, mums, bulbs

September and early October are the best times to plant pansies and flowering kale for fall, late winter and early spring color. I know it is very hard to replace summer annual flowers while they still look so beautiful. But if you wait until frost and rain have ruined your summer annuals, the pansies will not have enough good growing weather to become established. If planted too late, pansies just sit there and don’t start to grow until it starts to warm up in late February.

If you would like to add some immediate fall color now, Chrysanthemums and asters are available in small to large sizes already in bud and bloom. These are permanent perennial flowers that will bloom again next year. Asters generally have a longer bloom period than mums.

Now is a good time to plant spring blooming bulbs such as daffodils, tulips and hyacinths. This is also an excellent time to plant lily bulbs.