MARSHVILLE — I know I seem to repeat myself about this time every year. The reason is studies show you retain only about 10 percent of what you read or hear. A good speaker or writer therefore, seeks to give important information to the audience again and again. The whole idea is that eventually it registers in the cerebral part of the brain. So, here it is again. “Fall is the time to plant perennials.” The weather will continue to get cooler which will be great for growing new plant roots. Planting in the fall instead of the spring will better allow any new plants to withstand next summer’s heat. What I want to talk about today is plants that you may want to plant and related items.

I know that I repeat this also but it is extremely important. (If you have money like Bill Gates, ignore it.) You will save lots of money and back-straining labor if you’ll do your homework. Get as much information about new plants as your brain can handle. At the minimum, you need to know the sunlight and water requirements as well as the amendments needed for our good old clay soil. As you get older, you will also want info on how much maintenance a plant will need yearly. If you have to do heavy pruning or spraying or anything to make it look its best, you might want to reconsider.

While I’m on that subject: Be especially careful if you buy from a mail-order nursery. “All that glitters is not gold.” If it’s something really unusual, I might consider purchasing by mail. Before doing that, we should all check with our local nursery to see if they can special order the item. If you do order by mail, remember the pictures shown in a catalog are somewhat staged. The other thing is because of size and shipping concerns, plants are always smaller than you’ll find at a local nursery. There are some really good mail-order nurseries and there are some not-so-good ones. That’s putting it nicely. If you have a choice, buy locally. Nothing beats a knowledgeable nursery person who will be there to answer your questions after the sale. For me, the main question is: How will a particular plant grow in my garden?

In the flower department, sometimes you have to put forth a little work in order to have flowers next spring. I’ve been talking about planting perennials, but there is an annual and two biennials that are well worth your attention. Every year we grow a double pink poppy that is a definite 10 in the “looks” department. The blooms reach 2 to 4 feet in height on slender stems. If you can imagine a ruffled sphere in medium pink the size of your fist, you’ll have an idea why this is a knockout. The only thing you have to do is to lightly sow the seeds around September to November in order to have your neighbors envious of your garden in the early spring.

Some biennials that require your attention now for blooms next spring are foxgloves and snapdragons. I really think the reason they’re not used more is because they need attention in the fall in order to produce spring flowers. They’ll both live through our cold weather and have stems full of blooms. What’s not to like? The seeds need cool temperatures in order to germinate. Of course if you don’t want to sow seeds, you can purchase plants. The thing is, though, a whole package of foxglove seeds costs half of what one potted foxglove plant does. You’ll save money and have the satisfaction of growing them yourself. You do need to get them up and growing by winter in order to have flowers next spring.

Foxglove is an old English plant. However, with all the new types developed in the last 30 years, modern foxglove doesn’t resemble the original. The native, wild-growing foxglove had flowers growing on just one side of the tall flower spires. The first flowering foxgloves also only produced purple blooms. A number of years ago, a single specimen of foxglove in America was discovered with flowers and buds covering every side of the flower spikes. And, it had just white flowers. From that one American mutation the strain known as ‘Excelsior’ was bred. You can get quite a few different colors today especially if you purchase seeds. For several years, we’ve grown a white flowering foxglove. We like it because when this foxglove puts on its show in early spring, few plants are blooming because of the cool weather. Also, almost all white flowers look good in a landscape because they stand out among darker colors. I have a final thought about this under used plant. If you like this tall biennial but don’t want to wait 2 years for the show, there is an alternative. The ‘Foxy’ strain of foxglove is essentially an annual. If the seeds are started early in the year, you’ll have lots of flowers. Also, it grows only 3 feet tall. Interestingly, we’ve had one of our white foxgloves on our patio in a container. It bloomed for months, even into September. This is a versatile plant.

Snapdragons are another flowering plant used in both cottage gardens and other areas. This is also a cool-temperature-loving plant. The seed germinates around 60 degrees. It will give you a nice look in spring and if you promptly remove the blooms (after they tough out the summer heat), it will rebloom in the fall. If you have one of the hybrid snaps, you should definitely remove the bloom stems. If you have an open pollinated variety, leave some stems for natural reseeding.

There are two great reasons for choosing snapdragons. One is that there is such a plethora of colors. The color range runs from white to an almost black red/purple. If you want tall, you can find them 3 feet high. If you want a dwarf, you can choose 10-inch-tall beauties. If you want more color in spring and fall, you may want to consider snapdragons, purchasing plants or seeds.

I really wanted to include hollyhocks with this group. It is another colorful standout in the biennial crowd. The serious fungal disease of rust, which is the nemesis of the mallow family, strikes this plant hard. For now, I can’t suggest growing hollyhocks. Waiting and tending a plant for two years, only to see rust disease take over is much more than discouraging.

If you need help with flowers or growing most anything, (except children) the Cooperative Extension Service can help. As always, you can also contact me.

— Tom Walden is a Master Gardener volunteer with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Union County. He may be reached at tnw00@windstream.net.