Hort shorts
- Butterfly lovers: Be on the lookout for caterpillars of your favorite “flying flowers.” Check plants in the parsley family (carrot, parsley, dill, fennel) for black swallowtail caterpillars. Look for spicebush swallowtail caterpillars on sassafras and spicebush leaves. Scope out milkweed for monarchs. And inspect passionflower vines for gulf fritillaries. For help with caterpillar and butterfly I.D., check out “Stokes Butterfly Book: The Complete Guide to Butterfly Gardening, Identification, and Behavior.”
- Give a helping hand to annual flowers that self-sow. Shake the stems vigorously to release the maximum amount of ripe seed. Or gather and scatter seeds elsewhere to increase your number of “volunteers” for next year.
- Evaluate your perennial beds now for spots that could use a fresh look. Pay attention to texture and form in addition to color.
- Don’t fertilize perennials at this time of year so that plants can ready themselves for winter dormancy.