MIDDLETOWN - Are you looking at your garden and wondering, ‘What was I thinking?’

       In the spring, when everything is small and the garden looks somewhat bare, there is a tendency to plant everything close and ignore the advice on the tag. But then the perennial plants grow to their proper size and by midsummer the garden looks like a jungle. Don’t fret, early fall is a perfect time to do some restructuring of the gardens so it won’t be a problem next year.

       I spend time walking around to see exactly what is getting run over and by whom and make a list. There will be those plants that are barely hanging on because another plant is either growing faster and/or larger. Taking into consideration where I have the room and how big the plant is will help me to determine which one to move. If a plant is too large, I will wait until spring when it is a more manageable size.

       While I’m making my list I will take note of a plant that maybe did not do so well in the place I planted it. I check the conditions of the soil and amount of light. If the plant has been there just one season, I will make note and leave it. If it’s been there a couple of seasons, then I will rethink the location. One thing I have learned through the course of gardening is there are plants that I think are suited for certain areas only to find out the plant thinks otherwise.

       Preparing the soil is very important to give the plant a good start. I dig a hole about twice as big as the root ball I just dug up. I make a mixture of manure and humus to add to the existing dirt. The mixture should be about a third of each. If there is compost available, I’ll use that instead of the manure. I fill the hole with water to make sure there is plenty of moisture, especially if it’s been dry like this year. I backfill to make sure the crown of the plant is even with the ground. I place the plant in and fill in around it. Don’t pack the soil in, just make sure there are no air pockets. Then give it plenty of water.

       Some of the tricks I use to fill in those areas while the perennials are growing? I plant some nice annuals. I have also put a planted pot in the open space. If the perennial plant starts to fill the area in, I can move the pot to a different area of the garden. In this way I can have color in the gardens for the whole season.

       Helpful hint: Wondering why the tomatoes didn’t ripen so well this summer? Don’t fret, it’s probably nothing you did or did not do. Tomatoes need warm nights to ripen and there haven’t been many of those this summer.