Gardener’s almanac (Oct. 18, 2014)

Plant – garlic.

Daffodil planting and sale – Margie Roehr of the Wichita Daffodil Society said at Botanica last week that the fall has been so warm, she recommends waiting until November to plant bulbs. But shop for bulbs earlier rather than later, keeping them in the garage until planting time. The daffodil club is having its annual sale this weekend; see details under “Garden events” below.

Fall lawn watering – The deadline of Oct. 15 for planting fescue seed is past; plantings now can still work, but “the odds of success diminish as time passes,” Ward Upham of K-State says. The key is for the plants to grow a good enough root system to be able to stay in the ground during the freezing and thawing of winter. If they get heaved out of the soil, they dry up and die.

Regardless of when grass was planted planted, “be sure the new lawn is kept watered through the fall,” Upham writes in this week’s Horticulture 2014 newsletter. “More mature lawns will need less frequent watering, but all should go into the winter with moist soil.”

Zoo accepting plant donations – The Sedgwick County Zoo is accepting donations of some types of potted plants this weekend. It will take tropical plants, and perennials in pots 12 inches or larger. The zoo will not take annuals such as petunias, impatiens or coleus, and it will take cactuses and succulents on a case-by-case basis. Ferns, selloums and ficus will be accepted as long as there is room in the greenhouse. Plants can be delivered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the zoo administration parking lot.

Garden events

Daffodil sale – The Wichita Daffodil Society is having its annual sale of daffodil bulbs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until sell-out Saturday in the Fireside Room at Botanica. Admission to the sale is free. Some daylilies and irises also will be for sale.

Botanica Fall Festival – Some of the features of last weekend’s Bootanica will be back this Saturday and next Saturday a Fall Festival at Botanica. The event will include the moon bounce, obstacle course, games, crafts, activities, face painting and pumpkins for sale. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s included in Botanica admission or membership; children under 3 are free. More information can be found at www.botanica.org.

Off the Grid eco festival and Tree House concert – Bartlett Arboretum in Belle Plaine will have an eco fest Sunday that will include several musical acts topped off by a concert by Eliza Gilkyson of Austin, Texas, at 4 p.m. The festival will start at noon and include bicycles powering the PA system, a wind-energized kinetic art installation by Mike and Meghan Miller, eco crafts for kids, vendors serving food, alternative sources of energy, and speakers. Admission is $10 – or free if you bicycle to it. For more information, see the website www.bartlettarboretum.com.

Ghoulish Gala – Botanica will have a Halloween event for adults on Friday night to raise money to house its new carousel – the old merry-go-round from Joyland. Tickets are $50 ($40 for members) for dinner and drinks; carnival games and Clydesdale-horse hayrack rides are extra. Attire is casual, and costumes are encouraged. Make a reservation at botanica.org or call 316-264-0448.

Global Horticulture Conference – Oklahoma State will be having the fourth annual Global Horticulture Conference on Nov. 6 in Stillwater. The conference will look at horticultural practices and crops from around the world, including plant life in China, horticultural research projects in Iran, fruits and other edibles across the continents, hand-planter applications and the potato in Spain. The cost is $80, which includes lunch and must be postmarked by Oct. 27. For more information contact Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404 or stephanie.larimer@okstate.edu.

Birding at Botanica – The monthly bird-watching walk at Botanica will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The one-hour walk is included in Botanica admission.

Poetry reading – Local poet Roy Beckemeyer will be at Botanica on Wednesday to read poems from his new book, “Music I Once Could Dance To.” He will also have copies for purchase. The lunchtime lecture, at 12:15, is included in Botanica admission.

This story was originally published October 17, 2014 at 1:53 PM with the headline "Gardener’s almanac (Oct. 18, 2014)."