Fall is the perfect time to start planning for your lawn and garden. The weather is nice and the colors are changing. Start planning your spring bulb garden now. Spring-blooming bulbs are planted in the fall to provide the chilling time required for spring blooms. Note the areas where you want to add bulbs for next year.
Remember to prepare your soil before planting bulbs. Work compost or other rich organic material into your soil to a depth of 12".
Visit our links page for a great selection of bulbs.
Dig up tender bulbs like elephant's ear, caladium, gladiolus, canna and dahlia before the first frost. When the foliage has turned yellow or brown on your bulbs, dig them up and store them for the winter. Replant bulbs in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. If you're storing summer bulbs such as dahlias and gladiolus, give them a quick check to see if any are rotting. If so, remove and discard. Also check for excessive dryness. Squeeze a bulb to test for health. A good bulb will feel firm, not hollow or mushy. Don't squeeze too hard or you'll bruise the outer skin. In milder climates, leave tender bulbs in the ground. Protect them with a blanket of mulch several inches thick through the winter.
Remember that roses require special care in the fall. In early fall, suspend fertilization. Continuing to fertilize causes new growth that could be killed by winter's cold. After foliage drops, spray with fungicide, then cover plants with a minimum of 8" of loose, well-drained soil, mulch or compost. Prune canes back to 36" to prevent damage from winter winds. Start planning your fall garden now.
Trees and Shrubs
Prune any dead or diseased branches from trees and shrubs. Now is a good time. The areas to be pruned are easily visible while foliage is still on the living, healthy parts.
Water trees and shrubs deeply one last time before the onset of winter. Newly planted ones especially need a good drink of water before cold weather arrives.
Lawns
Aerate your lawn (cool-season grass varieties) for healthy grass next spring. Aeration allows greater movement of water, fertilizer, and air which stimulates healthy turf. Aerating also increases the speed of decomposition of the grass clippings and enhances deep root growth. Compacted soil especially benefits from core aerating. If your soil is compacted because the area has high foot traffic, grass will not grow there. Creating a path of stepping stones may be a better solution for this area.
Fertilize cool-season grasses for maximum growth next spring. Cool-season grasses can also benefit from re-seeding to produce a thicker stand. If your lawn is over 50% bare, re-seed now. If you have a warm-season grass, fertilize one last time in the fall. For continued green through the winter, consider overseeding your lawn with ryegrass. The optimal time to overseed warm-season grasses is two weeks before the first killing frost. Most lawns will benefit from a pre-emergent herbicide to control winter weeds or a winterizer lawn food.
Other
Bring in your houseplants that have summered outdoors. When nighttime low temperatures get to around 50° is time to start moving them back inside.When indoor plants have been outdoors for the summer, roots may grow through the bottom of the pot. If the pots are sitting on the ground, give the pots a twist to loosen. Check them carefully before bringing back inside. Pests may have set up summer homes in your plants. A good gentle spraying with the garden hose will help dislodge and clean the plant before you return it to its indoor home.
If you want your Christmas catus to bloom on time, start in the fall. About three months from the desired bloom time, stop feeding, reduce or stop watering, give the plant complete darkness from sundown to sunrise. . up and sunlight all day. When buds have formed, resume a regular water/food schedule and wait for the show.
Fall is a great time to add to your compost . Leaves and other lawn and garden cleanup material are perfect for composting. Turn your compost material at least once a week with a garden fork to speed its decay. Chopping and shredding materials to make them smaller before adding to the pile helps compost break down faster. If you are in colder climes, the temperature in the pile may diminish. You may want to cover the compost pile to retain heat.
Get your tools, especially your mower, ready for the off-season with a little simple maintenance. They'll be ready to go to work next year when spring fever strikes.
Drain the water from garden hoses at the end of the season. Coil them and store them in a spot where they won't freeze.
Birds are extremely susceptible to catching and transmitting diseases. If you enjoy your feathered visitors, make sure the feeders, bath and ground underneath is clean. Also ensure that the food and water is changed or replaced. Be sure to check your feeders and baths regularly, the birds need you in the fall and winter as much or more than the spring and summer. Your birds will love to come back to your yard, for your enjoyment.
Outdoor Lighting provides more than just safety. Use lighting to highlight plants and features in the landscape. Trees especially offer year-round interest when appropriately lighted.
Remember to prepare your soil before planting bulbs. Work compost or other rich organic material into your soil to a depth of 12".
Visit our links page for a great selection of bulbs.
Dig up tender bulbs like elephant's ear, caladium, gladiolus, canna and dahlia before the first frost. When the foliage has turned yellow or brown on your bulbs, dig them up and store them for the winter. Replant bulbs in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. If you're storing summer bulbs such as dahlias and gladiolus, give them a quick check to see if any are rotting. If so, remove and discard. Also check for excessive dryness. Squeeze a bulb to test for health. A good bulb will feel firm, not hollow or mushy. Don't squeeze too hard or you'll bruise the outer skin. In milder climates, leave tender bulbs in the ground. Protect them with a blanket of mulch several inches thick through the winter.
Remember that roses require special care in the fall. In early fall, suspend fertilization. Continuing to fertilize causes new growth that could be killed by winter's cold. After foliage drops, spray with fungicide, then cover plants with a minimum of 8" of loose, well-drained soil, mulch or compost. Prune canes back to 36" to prevent damage from winter winds. Start planning your fall garden now.
Trees and Shrubs
Prune any dead or diseased branches from trees and shrubs. Now is a good time. The areas to be pruned are easily visible while foliage is still on the living, healthy parts.
Water trees and shrubs deeply one last time before the onset of winter. Newly planted ones especially need a good drink of water before cold weather arrives.
Lawns
Aerate your lawn (cool-season grass varieties) for healthy grass next spring. Aeration allows greater movement of water, fertilizer, and air which stimulates healthy turf. Aerating also increases the speed of decomposition of the grass clippings and enhances deep root growth. Compacted soil especially benefits from core aerating. If your soil is compacted because the area has high foot traffic, grass will not grow there. Creating a path of stepping stones may be a better solution for this area.
Fertilize cool-season grasses for maximum growth next spring. Cool-season grasses can also benefit from re-seeding to produce a thicker stand. If your lawn is over 50% bare, re-seed now. If you have a warm-season grass, fertilize one last time in the fall. For continued green through the winter, consider overseeding your lawn with ryegrass. The optimal time to overseed warm-season grasses is two weeks before the first killing frost. Most lawns will benefit from a pre-emergent herbicide to control winter weeds or a winterizer lawn food.
Other
Bring in your houseplants that have summered outdoors. When nighttime low temperatures get to around 50° is time to start moving them back inside.When indoor plants have been outdoors for the summer, roots may grow through the bottom of the pot. If the pots are sitting on the ground, give the pots a twist to loosen. Check them carefully before bringing back inside. Pests may have set up summer homes in your plants. A good gentle spraying with the garden hose will help dislodge and clean the plant before you return it to its indoor home.
If you want your Christmas catus to bloom on time, start in the fall. About three months from the desired bloom time, stop feeding, reduce or stop watering, give the plant complete darkness from sundown to sunrise. . up and sunlight all day. When buds have formed, resume a regular water/food schedule and wait for the show.
Fall is a great time to add to your compost . Leaves and other lawn and garden cleanup material are perfect for composting. Turn your compost material at least once a week with a garden fork to speed its decay. Chopping and shredding materials to make them smaller before adding to the pile helps compost break down faster. If you are in colder climes, the temperature in the pile may diminish. You may want to cover the compost pile to retain heat.
Get your tools, especially your mower, ready for the off-season with a little simple maintenance. They'll be ready to go to work next year when spring fever strikes.
Drain the water from garden hoses at the end of the season. Coil them and store them in a spot where they won't freeze.
Birds are extremely susceptible to catching and transmitting diseases. If you enjoy your feathered visitors, make sure the feeders, bath and ground underneath is clean. Also ensure that the food and water is changed or replaced. Be sure to check your feeders and baths regularly, the birds need you in the fall and winter as much or more than the spring and summer. Your birds will love to come back to your yard, for your enjoyment.
Outdoor Lighting provides more than just safety. Use lighting to highlight plants and features in the landscape. Trees especially offer year-round interest when appropriately lighted.
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