Fall is for...

Well, it is not quite time to put the garden to bed, so here is a to-do list for the lawn and garden this fall.

1.  Plant mums. In containers, mums should be considered temporary plants, but, planted in the ground, they will come back year after year. Once they've finished blooming, let them be. Cut mums back on or near St. Patrick's Day, Mothers Day and the 4th of July to assure nice, dense plants that will bloom in fall. 

   

   Our farm grows over 40 varieties of mums

   
2.  Plant pansies for color this fall into next spring. Pansies are biennials that love the cool weather. They will peter out in early summer as the heat arrives.

   

   Pansies planted in the fall will overwinter


3. Feed the lawn.  Use Jonathan Green's Winterizer Lawn Fertilizer for great results. There are many organic choices for feeding as well.
4. Plant spring flowering bulbs. Generally, daffodils can be planted now; tulips should be planted once the ground cools a bit in November. Many bulbs are deer resistant. Add a tablespoon and a half of Bulbtone to the bottom of each planting hole for optimum results next spring.

   

   Hundreds of varieties of tulips, daffodils, crocus and more are available for fall planting

5. Take advantage of warm soils and transplant trees, shrubs and perennials now. They will root out giving them a head start in the spring.

   

   Japanese Red Maples

   
   

   

   Beautyberry

6. Cut back perennials that are brown and have gone dormant. Leave daisy-type flowers with seed heads for the birds. Do not cut back grasses, butterfly bushes or gray foliage plants until March next year.
7. Use the lawn mower to mulch leaves in place to add nutrients to the lawn. It there are too many, collect the leaves and add them to the compost pile.

   

   Photo courtesy of Bayer Advanced

   
   
   
   
8. Take notes and photos of successes and challenges from this year. Keep a journal that can be referenced in years to come.
9. Houseplant should be indoors by now. Use insecticidal soap and/or horticultural oil if insects appear. Keep plants in saucers with moist pebbles to keep the humidity up. Be careful not to leave standing water in pots or saucers to avoid root rot.

   

   Houseplants filter indoor air

   

   Pet and child safe insecticides

10. Get outside and enjoy this weather. Carry your trusty pruners to cut back any errant branches. Bring in some hydrangeas for vases inside.