Gardening in the Fall

Hopefully we will have a few of those clear, sunny autumn days this month that this country is usually blessed with this time of year. If we do, what better way than to spend that time outside in your garden. And just in case you don’t have your ‘To Do’ list, here’s a few suggestions from me.

If you are planning on having a landscape plan drawn up this fall, keep these few things in mind when talking to your designer. Plants can be functional as well as beautiful. So give some thought to what you would like your garden to do for you before you decide what you want it to look like. Plants can cut down on heating and air-conditioning costs; screen out unsightly views; provide privacy; bear fruit; attract birds; direct traffic; prevent soil erosion; highlight an attractive area of your property and the list goes on. You’ll want winter and summer color and variety of texture in your garden, so keep that in mind too. And don’t forget that your garden should require only as much maintenance as you are willing and able to give. A well planned garden will give a lifetime of enjoyment, so give the planning some thought before digging the planting holes.

A successful gardener is one who isn’t shy about pruning. Pruning is an essential part of good garden maintenance. It helps keep plants in vigorous good health by eliminating dead and diseased wood and by controlling shape and form. If you missed the fall pruning demonstrations at your local garden center, make a list of the plants in your yard and call the garden center for some personal attention. As a general rule, evergreens with a few exceptions, can be pruned in late September. Summer flowering plants such as clematis and P.G. hydrangea can be pruned after flowering or in early spring. And fruit trees should be pruned in late fall or early winter to eliminate any crossing and inward-growing branches.

Fall garden tasks can be a real joy and lots of fun for kids and adults alike. The air is so clean and fresh, and there are not many bugs to speak of. Everyone can help with planting trees, shrubs and Holland Bulbs. And, of course, there is also pruning and digging up gladiola bulbs and fall cleanup! Pull up the dead annuals and vegetables, rake up leaves and get your planting beds ready for spring. Remember that leaving garden debris on the ground is an invitation to insects and disease. Now, is an excellent time to dig peat moss and manure into planting beds to condition and lighten up the soil for planting now and in the spring. Why not start a compost heap with all those dead leaves?

It is fairly easy to enrich the soil in annual planting beds. Each fall you simply pull up all the dead annual flower and vegetable plants, turn the soil over and dig in fresh peat moss, manure and 6-12-12 fertilizer. Perennial beds are different, because perennial plants remain in the same spot for several years. So it’s not as easy to enrich the texture of the soil. That’s why it’s so important to prepare a good planting bed for perennials when you do your initial planting. Then every three or four years when you rejuvenate your plants by lifting and dividing the root or bulb clump, you can take that opportunity to dig in extra peat moss and bonemeal. Remember to use a sharp, sterilized knife when dividing root clumps and to protect the plants from drying in the sun or wind before they are re-planted.