UNITED STATES, Sep 23 — We’ve been trained to believe that certain gardening chores must happen in the fall, or face the risk of an unproductive garden next in the following year. Indeed, some tasks are better taken on in the fall, but contrary to common belief, others can be put off or left out altogether.
Here is a list of some of the fall season do’s and don’ts to help your garden thrive in the coming year. Now is the time to sand and oil the wood handles with linseed oil
W
e’ve been trained to believe that certain gardening chores must happen in the fall, or face the risk of an unproductive garden next in the following year. Indeed, some tasks are better taken on in the fall, but contrary to common belief, others can be put off or left out altogether.
Here is a list of some of the fall season do’s and don’ts to help your garden thrive in the coming year.
DO clean out any annuals or dead plants in the fall if you don’t want to face them in the spring.
DON’T remove dead plants if you want to maintain some vegetation in your garden over the winter. Keep in mind that they will break down over the winter providing compost for your garden. In the spring, simply turn the soil over and they will magically disappear.
DO pull existing weeds in the fall, along with diseased, insect damaged foliage, or rotten fruit or vegetables.
DO wash out your pots and store them away for next season.
DO continue to water your garden and trees until the ground starts to freeze. After our dry summer, even the trees need the extra water to give them the strength to face cold winter months.
DON’T feel the need to mulch all your plants. It does help keep the soil at an even temperature through the winter, and helps to retain moisture, but it is only really necessary for your delicate plants.
DO rake your lawn. Some feel that the leaves will decompose by next spring, so why bother. Raking helps to keep your lawn healthy by improving air circulation and prevent your grass from dying. In addition, the leaves make excellent mulch for the rest of the garden.
DON’T rake if you have only a thin layer of leaves that can be mowed into little pieces.
DO water and fertilize your lawn. Feed your grass at the end of October and it will be better equipped to face the winter months, and healthier in the new season.
DO plant spring bulbs and garlic in the fall. You’ll appreciate seeing colorful crocus and daffodils popping up after a long cold winter. Planting garlic in the fall means you can harvest it next July.
DO bring in any plants that won’t survive over the winter. Trim your geraniums to about 4 inches in length and store them in a dark, cool location. Shake off any dirt from the roots and dust with sulfur. Next February, repot and place in a sunny window.
DON’T fertilize grass that has been ravaged by drought. In otherwords, this summer, if your lawn was the one in the neighborhood that looked like straw - skip the fertilizer and water it instead.
DO continue to mow your lawn, leaving it about 2 1/2 inches long as winter approaches. Leaving it too long can cause snow mold which may kill your grass.
DO wash off your shovels and garden tools, and make any necessary repairs to ready them for next spring. Now is the time to sand and oil the wood handles with linseed oil. Clean the metal surfaces with a wire brush, sharpen the cutting edges, and apply oil to prevent rust.
Communicate directly with Andy Asbury, the author of this article. Ask questions, send suggestions, comments, engage in conversation, or perhaps you would like to submit a project.
Click Here to ask a question, send a comment, or proposal.
Whether you plan to landscape your entire yard, or a small area in your yard, you may want to follow a few simple tricks. First of all if a nursery is near, consider visiting it because they know the best plants and flowers that will flourish in your
Conservatories offer a wide range of benefits, the main one being that you are provided with plenty of extra space. A conservatory will enable you to make the most of your home and garden and will help to create space that can be enjoyed all througho
If you want to renovate your home and wish to avoid the hassle of moving to a property that offers more space, then a lean to conservatory is the perfect solution. A lean to conservatory will help to transform your home, making any parts that are out
A conservatory offers a wide range of benefits, but to fully enjoy the extra space, you will need to carry out some maintenance to ensure that it is kept at its best. A clean, bright conservatory will provide you with a fully functional structure tha
If you require a little extra space within your home but lack the space to accommodate a large structure, then a lean to conservatory is the perfect solution. Lean to conservatories provide just enough space for you to improve your living environment
Global Warming is burning the earth. Heat is becoming unbearable. On top of this trees many trees are being cut. Many parts of the world is experiencing severe water scarcity. And one initiative step taken to stop Global Warming is to plant trees. Po
Mushrooms have proven to be one of the most important ingredients in several cooking recipes worldwide however as much as mushrooms are tasty; the growing process can prove to be quite difficult at times. For any greenhouse gardener, growing mushroom
There are many gardens that can provide much more enjoyment to a homeowner when the placement of outdoor furniture is effective. In many cases an individual will focus their furniture on a patio area and may feel that they do not have room in their g
Tastes differ and this is the main reason why people try to search for unfurnished accommodations. Especially when you have already made up your mind to purchase a house in France, to be more exact, in Brittany or in the mid Pyrenees one stands a bet
If you are looking for a landscape designer or garden designer, you should select from experienced designers so that you could expand your horizons. A good landscape design plays an important role in making your surroundings look attractive and this
From where we stand at the beginning of a fresh year of economic recovery, the counteracting of the waves of home foreclosures seems to be a quickly fading dream. Many experts and home owners have been critical of the government’s current progr
When home buyers are looking to buy that perfect home that they’ve chosen for their family, they usually need to speak to a lender about arranging for a mortgage. As of January 1st of this year, however, the government has changed the rules on
Every time the holidays roll around, the age-old question arises in the minds of people considering putting their home on the market. Should I sell now or wait until after all the rush is over? Selling your home during the holidays can be a good time
For many people, buying their first home is only a dream. They simply can’t come up with the money for a down payment. But if they really looked at how they spend their discretionary income, there may be several areas where they could adjust or
As the winter months creep in, so does the cold and dampness. You cringe at the thought of your home heating bill rising as you pull out your collection of warm sweaters and socks. So how can you escape this reoccurring drain on your pocketbook? If y
Syndication
tweet
PDF version
Printable version
Publisher HTML version
Discussions (0)
Email Article
Post New Comment