10 Things to do in your Fall Yard + Garden
Simple steps to have a great yard now and next spring
This is not just another To Do List. Take your time and consider it time well spent outside in the autumn sun. It’s exercise, but nothing painful, and you’ll feel the same sense of accomplishment when you’re done.
Plus, everything you do in your yard and garden will make you feel good now and again in spring. Let’s dig in.
1) DO A LITTLE FALL CLEANING.
Walk your yard and garden and pull out or prune back dead or diseased branches and plants and dispose of them.
You can also remove foliage with mildew on plants like peonies, and lightly prune roses so they won’t break in winter winds. Save the full prune for spring. ** Don’t prune anything now that blooms in early spring, you may be cutting off the beginning of buds.
2) EMPTY YOUR CONTAINERS & BIRDBATHS.
Watch the weather and clear out your containers and birdbaths before the first hard freeze. That way you won’t be chipping away frozen fall plants to add holiday branches and berries or before you store them for the season.
Store pots and birdbaths in dry storage and turnover to prevent cracking. If you want to use your birdbath over the winter, install a heater to prevent the water from freezing.
3) AMEND YOUR SOIL.
By far one of the best things you can do to improve your landscape and garden each year. Top dress every fall with a few inches of compost like Lobster Compost Organic Soil by Coast of Maine or Cow Manure Compost Schoodic Blend by Coast of Maine.
4) PLANT SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS.
We all love instant gratification, but bulbs might convince you it’s also pretty great to put a little time in now and have something to look forward to come spring. Check out all the bulbs you can choose from.
It only takes about 30-60 minutes to plant a dozen or so, and when spring comes around, you will feel like a hero. Here’s how and why it’s worth doing this fall.
5) PLANT PERENNIALS, TREES + SHRUBS DURING ONE OF THE BEST TIMES OF THE YEAR.
Now is one of the best times to fill empty spaces in your landscape. The weather is cooler, there is more natural moisture and your plants still have time to develop strong roots before winter.
6) PROTECT and FEED YOUR PLANTS BEFORE WINTER.
Mulch doesn’t just look nice, it protects your plants from losing moisture into the air over winter, feeds your plants’ roots with organic material and prevents spring weeds.
Avoid mounding your mulch up against the tree trunk, which can invite damage from wildlife and disease.
7) FILL IN AND FEED YOUR LAWN
Now is the perfect time to fill in bare spots in your lawn. Rough up the dirt and/or add a bit of topsoil, then evenly sprinkle on Black Beauty Lawn Repair or Fast Grow Grass Seed Mix, both by Jonathan Green.
Your lawn will also weather winter and come back fuller and greener in spring with an application of fertilizer in fall. We love to use Espoma Organic Lawn Food for all Seasons on our own lawns.
8) PUT YOUR VEGGIE + HERB GARDEN TO BED.
Clean out debris to help prevent pests and disease from returning in spring. Add a 2-3 inch layer of compost over your beds to enrich soil. Precipitation and soil organisms will till and mix it for you.
9) BRING HOUSEPLANTS INDOORS.
It’s time. Be sure to check plants for pests before bringing them indoors. Just to be safe, you can use a hose or pitcher of water to wash leaves and wipe them gently with a soft cloth. Or you can treat with all natural neem oil.
Begin by bringing your plants in at night, then moving back outside in the morning. Over the course of 2-3 weeks, increase the amount of time your plants spend inside until you keep them in full time for winter.
10) CLEAN AND SHARPEN YARD + GARDEN TOOLS.
Your tools will last longer and be ready to go come spring if you make a habit of cleaning and sharpening them each fall.
Wipe yours down with warm, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Then bring your garden tools, shears, mower blades and knives in before noon any Wednesday and we’ll have them ready the following Thursday.
Have questions or want to know more about fall prep? Please stop in or give us a call at (603) 472-8880.
