Fall Gardening To-Do List

 Though our temperatures are still surging now and then, shorter days and cooler nights mean that fall is on its way. Time spent in the garden is more comfortable for us AND our plants. After a summer spent watering and weeding, other landscape jobs are calling for attention. 

September and October are great times to add perennials, trees, and shrubs. Pansies and mums take center stage, though scores of other plants add gorgeous color to our fall landscape. Consider plants for migrating pollinators.  Ironweed, Goldenrod, Asters, and Sedums are among fall bloomers.

Goldenrod

Winterberry

Click for Top Plants for Pollinators from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Add grass clippings, leaves, and smaller yard and kitchen waste to the compost pile. Turn weekly, adding a little water each time to speed up decay into rich compost. Topdress garden beds in October and November, adding organic matter. Here's more on backyard composting.

Collect native seed to store or sow this fall. Consider sowing wildflowers as one would seed a lawn. 

Houseplants that loved being outside this summer are ready to move back inside in the next month or two. 

Move houseplants indoors when nighttime temperatures are the same inside and out. Use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to address insect issues. Avoid repotting unless absolutely necessary. Most houseplants go dormant from November to March. Limit fertilization as well. 

Harvest and store green tomatoes in paper bags to ripen. Keep at room temperature. 

Lift tender bulbs like Cannas, Callas, Begonias, Dahlias, and Caladiums before a hard frost. Store in a cool, dry place and set out in spring after the last frost date. 

Dahlia tubers should be dug before the first hard frost

Plant spring-flowering bulbs in October or November, as soil temperatures cool. Here is a guide to bulbs from the University of Maryland.

Fertilizing and seeding the lawn is best done in fall. Soil temperatures remain warm, so seed germinates faster. Most of our grasses are cool-weather turf-type fescues. Check our seminar schedule for our fall lawn clinic and other Fall Events. 

Empty pottery containers not in use. Remove saucers from beneath the pots. Store upside down in sheds or garages.

Drain hoses, clean and sharpen gardening tools. 

Invest in frost cover like Harvest Guard for blooms deeper into the season.

Pivot to indoor gardening. 

Dream of next spring's garden.  

Enjoy the cooler weather...it should be arriving soon. And get back out to the garden!

New Annuals (and a perennial or two) for 2027

 Looking back, I realize this post is an annual tradition. (Pun intended) Back from Cultivate '26 (industry trade show) and having judged the performance of plants in a local trial garden, we'd like your opinion on some of the plants we're considering for 2027. Here are some of the new plants, primarily annuals, featured at the trade show. Continue scrolling for some of the plants tested at field trials from the nearby Lancaster area. 

Fyre Wing Heucheras have unique leaf shapes

Dummen Orange had several new annuals to admire

PW Leaf Joy houseplants are tagged with excellent care instructions

AAS picked winners from around the country's trial gardens

Scaevola

Coleus

Gomphrena

Colocasia

Sunpatiens now has a Petite Series. We grow the larger Compact Series

Vinca varieties 

Maybe my new favorite Lantana

Pretty new begonia 


Amazonas Violet Parakeet Petunia

Petchoa Citranova

The following are some of the plants we saw being trialed at Penn State's gardens near Lancaster, PA. 

Playlist Combo Autumn Day

Ipomea Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Shadowstorm PW

Rudbeckia Sunbeckia Cecelia Compact

PW Coleus Colorblaze Pepper Flakes

Salvia Mystic Spires

Bracteantha SunBrero White

Vinca Soiree Double Orchid XP

Vinca Blockbuster Raspberry Crush

Zinnia Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor

Geranium Interspecific Caldera Lavender Glow

We saw the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Celosia Burning Embers

Gomphrena Spitfire

Mandevilla Sun Parasol FiredUp Magic Pink

Scaevola Blazin' Blue

Decisions... Petunias Bees Knees or the aforementioned Petchoa CitraNova?

Coleus ChargedUp Keylime Fringe and Prismatic

Sunpatiens Compact Scarlet Orange

A look at just a part of the trials

What annual flowers will you be looking for in 2027? Does your garden have full sun or shade? What colors are your favorites? Would you like these in 4.5" pots or in 8" and larger? Let us know what you would like to see included in our annual offerings.  

Top 10 Reasons Grow to Your Own

 

The recent news about the Cyclospora parasite causing intestinal illness linked to contaminated produce is troubling. Growing produce in the backyard has never seemed more relevant. Here are some other great reasons to grow your own. 

Price: Tomatoes this year are going for as much as $5 a pound for heirlooms at the supermarket. Peppers, herbs, and greens are also rising in price. A $5 transplant will yield dozens of fruits; seeds may be even more economical. An added bonus is that seeds saved from your produce can be planted next year. 

Keep in mind that soils, tools, seeds, plants, pots, and other supplies are an expense that will pay for themselves over time.

Freshness and taste: There is nothing like fresh vegetables plucked from the vine and placed on the evening dinner table. We carry eighty varieties of tomatoes alone. Can the grocery store offer the same?

 

Health benefits: Fresh vegetables add Vitamin C, Lycopene, and an array of vitamins and minerals. Gardening gets us outside to receive Vitamin E from the sun. It also provides moderate exercise through digging, weeding, potting, watering, and harvesting. Working with plants has been proven to boost our mental well-being and relieve stress. 

Control: Knowing whether pesticides are used on the plants or if fertilizers are organic is important information for families.

Food security: Home gardens can be shared and swapped with neighbors, providing vegetables during supply disruptions or disease outbreaks. Consider donating to a local food bank.  Preserving the harvest through canning, freezing, and drying extends the benefits through winter. 

Environment: No need for packaging, transportation, and refrigeration compared to store produce. Composting vegetable scraps returns nutrients to the soil instead of sending them to the landfill. 

Habitat: Gardens create food and habitat for pollinators.

Education: The garden teaches us about the lifecycles of plants and insects. Weather matters. Water conservation and problem-solving come into play. Even math plays a part; figuring out the square footage to plan for planting and fertilization. 

Satisfaction: Watching plants grow from seed to harvest while nurturing them. Developing new skills and confidence are an added benefit. 

 

Cooking: Learning new ways to prepare the harvest is gratifying. Grillers love adding fresh herbs to meats and vegetables. 

  

Family: The family's input and feedback create conversation and a shared commitment to ensure the garden's success. 

Growing your own is remarkably satisfying. Honestly, there is a lot of work involved. It's worth it!