KUSA - As we enjoy a very good year for roses, think ahead.
If you want bushy asters and mums with lots of flowers this fall, whack them back now. If you don't, they'll grow tall and scraggly and fall over when they bloom.
Cut them back by a third. A flat top cut is fine but a mounded shape will make for a more graceful plant. New England asters and mums are the stars of the autumn garden and an important late source of food for bees. Prune them now for a better show.
One of the last planting projects in my garden is a three-tiered "fountain" of pots. Three pots of the same design are stacked for a unique effect. This year it's planted with succulents including sedums, echeveria and hens 'n chicks. the contrasting colors and shapes will make it a focal point when it fills in.
It's not too late to plant. If you want roses, for example, just be extra careful in exposing them to full sun and keeping them moist as they settle in. You can't stop to smell them if you don't plant them first.
