Se Get te, irst frost good warning system for winter storage Better to be safe than sorry with perennial plants SOME TIME during the last week of October or the first -week. of November the North Shore area usually - experiences a sharp frost. By Roy Jonsson Contributing Writer - This first frost is ‘a good warn- ing. to. gardeners to get ‘tender root-type . perennials dug and ‘stored for the winter. - Normally the frost --will ‘only “placken ‘the tops -and force. more of. the food in the leaves or stalk to move down into the root for inter storage. ‘The careful digging and storing “of root or stem tubers or other ‘tender-type roots . will ensure. a ‘good supply of Planting stock for next spring. if we have:a: mild winter: some of the tender ‘roots may survive, but with our erratic weather it is better to be safe than sorry. * The obvious danger to those tender: root Plants is a deep frost, ‘but excess moisture can also do a3” ~ much damage. to both tender and hardy perennia ; oe - Dahlias | , ” Dahlias are native to tropical America, but have become a major plant in our annual flower beds. . They grow very quickly during the warm weather, developing a . Series of fleshy, tuberous roots for . the purpose of food storage. .° Whether they are one or six feet tall, the stalks should be cut down to no more than six to 12 inches “ above the ground. Remember to tie labels on the - plants before removing the tops; - there is nothing worse than plant- ing short ones at the back and the tall ones at the front i in-next year’ *S ‘display. - As with all root crops, one must -be careful about not cutting or ‘damaging the thick, fleshy roots. When digging, start back about one foot from the severed stalks using a shovel on one side and a - fork on the other, gently prying the roots to the surface. ; This procedure should produce a very large clump of roots and soil. Pull or shake off as much soil as possible before moving the root ball over to a lawn area where the final cleaning can be done with a hose, Place the tubers in a plastic or cardboard flatand move them to a cool, dry, frost-free area where there is good air movement. After two or three weeks, when the tubers are completely dry, they can be put into storage. Some gardeners prefer boxes with dry peat or perlite covering the tubers, but I have had good success just using plastic flats with ‘ no covering: The best storage area is a dark, unheated room that is frost-free. An enclosed garage might be suit- able if extra insulation‘is provid- ed. Dry air temperatures over 10°C will cause your tubers to dehydrate and die more quickly. Dahlia tubers sometimes sepa- rate as they dry out, so it might be useful to write the color or variety * directly on the dry tuber with an indelible pen. Tuberous begonias Begonias are an excellent show plant for the garden bed, hanging basket or container: They prefer light shade and a well-drained soil that is rich in organic material. Before you dig them in the fall, ‘cut the stems off four to six inches above the ground and then dig the tubers with stem stubs attached. As with dahlias, they should be . washed and stored in a cool, frost-free area to dry. After one to two weeks, the stem stubs will . ‘separate cleanly with the aid of a slight twist from the tuber along a predetermined point. At this time you should check the tuber for fungal rot and the presence of weevil larvae. These little white larvae will bore into the tuber and leave a 3/16-inch hole, and unless removed they will continue to feed all winter leaving nothing but a shell by spring. © Probe all the suspected holes and indentations for the grubs © with a flexible wire or toothpick. The clean,dry tubers are then ready for storage. Canna lilies Each growing season the canna produces a large clump of new rhizomes that can be one to 1% feet across and half as deep. Before digging, cut the stalks off one to two feet above the ground, Use a fork and shovel to pry out the entire root mass. After washing, the new white thizomes can be pried or cut into smaller sections using the natura! fracture lines. As with dahlias, place your cannas in a cool, dry, frost-free area to cure and dry. After several weeks cut the stems back to six to eight inches and place them in flats or boxes for storage. Some growers like to take the precautionary measure of dipping all roots in a fungicide or sterilant before drying them for winter storage. A quick dip in a five per-cent bleach solution certainly won’t do any harm. If shelf or storage space is at 2 premium, try hanging any of the roots in recycled panty hose or a String bag from the Thanksgiving turkey. Both allow good air movement. - All living material will continue to breath and give off water vapor. The use of plastic bags will trap the moisture, cause moulding and sentence your plants to death. Fuchsias Although tender fuchsias are not part of the root or tuber group, they can be successfully held over and used next year. Trailing fuchsias should be cut back by at least two-thirds, saving only the larger branches, stem and root ball. For standard type fuchsias, re- tain only four to six feet of the See Planting stock page 28 acne . pbs * oe & E WEWS photo Tery Peters DAHLIAS ARE native to tropical America but have become a ma- jor plant in our annual élower beds. Dig up the bulbs, clean them off and store them in a cool, dry Iccation. _ : HOW CAN FURNITURELAND COMPETE WITH THE FURNITURE GIANTS? BRAND NAMES FOR LESS! 2 STANTON ! AMERICA'S QUALITY EXPERTS FURAITUREL Open Sundays 12-4pm ry