Wichita gardener’s almanac for Sept. 19

Last weekend of summer — Earlier this week I came across a page that I’d torn out of a page-a-day calendar from July 9, quoting Wallace Stevens: “The summer night is like a perfection of thought.” I want to frame it. This is the last weekend of summer, but the forecast looks decidedly beginning-of-fall. The autumnal equinox is at 3:21 a.m. Wednesday. Take advantage of the farmers markets; the fall hours for the Old Town market have started: They are 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Getting ahead of the first freeze and frost — For planning purposes, Oct. 25 is the date of the average first frost (32 or lower) in Wichita; Nov. 9 is the date of the average first freeze (28 or lower). The soil won’t immediately freeze when those events happen. But it’s best to get perennials and shrubs that you have in pots into the ground sooner rather than later so their roots can get established before the ground freezes.

Fall tree planting — Evergreens should be moved or planted at least six weeks before the ground freezes, Ward Upham of K-State says. Most deciduous trees can be planted through the fall and will get good root growth going while the soil is still warm. If you want a tree with fall color, haunt the garden centers until you see the color you want on the tree you want, and buy it. There are some types of trees that do better planted in the spring; they are beech, birch, redbud, magnolia, tulip poplar, willow oak, scarlet oak, black oak, willow and dogwood, Upham says.

Plant — Spinach, fescue grass seed (Oct. 15 is generally considered the deadline for grass seeding), trees, shrubs, perennials.

Sweet potato harvest — Sweet potatoes should be dug before the first fall freeze because low temperatures can damage them, Ward Upham of K-State says. But you can harvest them earlier for a small sweet potato. Test-dig a hill to check the size, Upham says. After you do dig them, cure them in a warm, humid place for five to 10 days to heal wounds caused by digging and to help convert starches to sugars for a better potato. The best temperature for curing is 85 to 90, Upham says; using a space heater in a small room or other area and placing moist towels there as well can produce the conditions. Store sweet potatoes above 55 degrees.

Garden events

Saturday Sampler on winter squash — A free Saturday Sampler program on how to grow and prepare winter squash will be offered at 9 a.m. Saturday in the demo garden at the Extension Center, 21st and Ridge Road. Extension agents Rebecca McMahon and Denise Dias will be serving up samples of dishes such as ravioli, chili, roasted seeds, stuffed chicken and pie that have been made with winter squash. The farmers market will be happening in the parking lot.

Garden railway tour — The Wichita Area Garden Railway Tour is this weekend, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at five home gardens and Botanica. The tour is free. The addresses are 1041 S. Cooper, 2015 E. Blake, 2434 N. Amidon, 217 N. Joann, 844 N. Westlink, and Botanica at 701 N. Amidon. Guides with descriptions of the gardens and maps are available at hobby shops and garden centers. The guide is required for free admission to Botanica for the holder of the guide and the immediate family.

Iris meeting — The Wichita Area Iris Club will have its last meeting of the year on Monday at Botanica. It’s free and open to the public. Members will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the bench by the iris gardens in the parking lot for the unveiling of a plaque for a donation by Larry Ermery. The meeting will follow inside. Awards from the iris show and door prizes will be handed out.

Mums & Margaritas — The Mischief Makers will perform at Tuesdays on the Terrace from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Botanica. Mums & Margaritas is the theme. Admission is $7, $3 for members. Dinner will be for sale for $8, and drinks also will be sold. The gardens are open until 8.

B-29 Doc talk — Jeff Turner, former Spirit AeroSystems CEO and chairman of Doc’s Friends, will be at Botanica on Wednesday to tell the story of the World War II-era B-29 Superfortress “Doc” and its return to flight. The lunchtime lecture, at 12:15, is included in Botanica admission or membership. Lunch will be for sale from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for $8.

Annie Calovich

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 6:38 PM with the headline "Wichita gardener’s almanac for Sept. 19."