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Mirabilis Jalapa
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Mirabilis Jalapa
These are tender perennial, herbaceous plants that are found wild in tropical America and North America. They are erect and branching and can grow up to 4 feet high. The leaves are ovate-lanceolate to heart shaped and grow up to 3 inches long. The long, tubular, fragrant flowers have five lobes and are 1 to 2 inches across. They open in the afternoon, thus the common name "Four-o'clock" and come in white, red, rose, pink, salmon, or yellow and are often mottled with a second colour.
September
Lawns: Sow new lawns. Aerate and top dress existing lawns, Re-saw warn areas. Mow with blades set at medium heights.
Trees And Shrubs: Plant and transplant evergreen shrubs and trees. Take semi-hard cuttings of evergreen conifers, holly cherry laurel and aucuba.
Hedges: Plant evergreen hedging shrubs towards the end of the month.
Roses: Dead-head as necessary. Tie in new shoots on climbers, and watch for diseases.
Perennials: Dead-head perennials and cut down all dead stems.
Chrysanthemums: Take late flowering types into the greenhouse late in month. Move stools of early types to a cold frame.
Dahlias: Water in dry spells and make sure plants are properly supported.
Carnations And Pinks: Plant young border plants. Pinch out the growing tips.
Annuals: In mild areas, sow annuals for flowering next spring. Plant out biennials.
Bulbs: Plant daffodil and narcissi bulbs. Pot up bulbs for indoor flowering.
Irises: Remove dead leaves from Irises and burn any that show disease.
Plant Dutch and Spanish Irises, Pot Iris histrioides and Iris danfordiae for indoor flowering, and leave in cold frame.
Rock Plants: Divide and transplant rock plants which are spreading too much.
Water Plants: Plant bog primulas and other plants raised from spring sown seeds.
House Plants: Bring indoors house plants that were stood outside for the summer.
Fruit: Cut back pinched-out shoots and dead wood on sweet cherry trees.