After two outdoor field trips this summer, the Kankakee Kultivators held a roundtable discussion at their first autumn 2021 meeting. The topic of discussion was “Our Favorite Fall Gardening Tips — How To Keep Gardens Beautiful After Summer and Then Put Your Garden to Bed for the Winter.” The following are just a few of the tips club members offered.

• <strong>From Lois Ware:</strong> Now is a good time for dividing plants and then planting your new divisions ASAP. Clean them up by trimming out unsightly or extra top parts and excess roots that might interfere with the ones you want to encourage. This will stimulate growth. Don’t worry or be extra careful or perfectionistic; your plants will tolerate this process. They will be fine.

• <strong>From Marlene BeDell:</strong> To make it easy to move plants such as canna lilies and geraniums inside when outdoor weather’s almost too cold for them, just keep them growing in their pots year round. Before the first frost of autumn, you can trim them down, water them a little and move them into a heated garage or other space about 40 degrees, where they’ll be OK all winter without watering (or maybe with just a few drops very infrequently). Of course, they dry up and look dead eventually, but when you take them outside again after spring’s last frost and begin watering them again, they’ll grow green and flourish. No digging; no transplanting.

• <strong>From Donna Karlock:</strong> Marlene’s suggestion works especially well for potted herb gardens, too. I’ve done as Marlene describes, but in the winter I keep my little herb garden flourishing indoors. It does well with normal room temperature and sunlight. I know some gardeners sink their pots of herbs into their garden beds during the growing season so the plants’ crowns are at ground level just as they would be if planted in the outdoor soil. The pots don’t show. Then before the first frost of autumn, they can simply be lifted —pots and all — out of their holes when it’s time to move them indoors. Of course, you’ll want to water these herbs so they’ll be green and tasty for your salads and cooking all winter.

• <strong>From Jan Alleman:</strong> Remember to water all your shrubs, and especially trees, before winter sets in. They need this extra moisture to ward off desiccation and breakage in drying winter winds. Remember, too, this is the time to plan and plant bulbs for a beautiful landscape this coming spring. Kultivators have a favorite source from which they’ve ordered bulbs for years.

• <strong>From Karma Johnson:</strong> Many mums don’t make it through the winter. When I requested secrets for keeping them alive, we all learned it’s crucial when buying mums to find the word hardy on their sales tags. Without the claim a mum is hardy, you almost can depend on the fact it will be an annual only.

• <strong>Additional relevant tips from other members:</strong> Over-wintering as described by Marlene works very well for dahlias and begonias, too. Sawdust makes an excellent medium for these tubers and rhizomes. This is a great time to find bargain plants in the stores. It’s also an opportune time to do some pruning.

To receive a catalog that includes helpful instructions, tips for complementary groupings, all the needed information to manage blooming during the spring season and — of course — gorgeous pictures in true-to-life color, call 815-932-9452. (Not a fundraiser; just a service to fellow gardeners.)

<strong>Kultivators’ highlights</strong>

Club members want to thank Dr. Derek Rosenberger for the extremely interesting afternoon they spent together in the ONU Prairie next to Perry Farm, behind (west of) Fortin Villa on the Olivet campus. There, Olivet students and faculty members have planted more than 2 acres of native plants, about 90 species that probably populated the area in its original state hundreds of years ago. This space is open to the public for viewing.

In July, club members also visited the Hamstra Garden in Wheatfield, Ind. Both trips are club-recommended.

Of course, Kultivators are delighted with the attention and appreciation the public has given their Scarecrow Display at Perry Farm. Annette Kurzejka and Sondra Vickery deserve well-earned credit for their creativity and hard work on the Kultivators’ prize-winning display.

<strong>Next on the calendar</strong>

On Thursday, the Kultivators will be taking off for one last field trip in 2021. They’ll be driving to Hobart, Ind., to enjoy County Line Orchard.

Kankakee Kultivators welcome everyone who is interested, member or not, to come and enjoy the entertainment and educational opportunities offered by programs at their meetings, which usually take place in the 4th Floor auditorium of the Kankakee Public Library at noon on the second Thursday of each month, February through November. Anyone who would like to work with club members to carry out the missions of the organization is invited to join.