Gardening and landscaping in the fall
 (Read 100+ times)
By Jared Garrett
|
|
|
Temperatures are getting cooler and there is a little more rain. It looks like summer is waning and fall is waxing. That means everything in your garden is going to die, doesn't it?
Think again! Early fall is actually a wonderful time to do some specific planting. The cooler temperatures and moister weather make the conditions ideal for a few planting projects that will keep things looking nice in the fall and will also help your garden get a leg up in the spring.
Overseeding and lawn care
Fall is ideal for some vital lawn care. With the milder temperatures and less extreme sun, turfgrass seed germinates more easily. This seed can establish itself with little problem during the fall and you don't have to worry about colder overnight temperatures.
So during fall, go ahead and overseed your lawn in order to encourage a thicker, more lush yard in the coming spring. Incidentally, fall is a good time to put in sod and apply both fertilizer and herbicides.
Fruit and ornamental trees/shrubs
Once again, since fall is a cooler time and since it often brings rain, planting fruit trees and other ornamental trees and shrubs is another ideal project. However, you definitely want to get this done in the early fall, as colder temperatures chill the soil and can make it difficult for tree roots to fully establish themselves.
The main thing to keep in mind is that for many fruit trees, you need to be careful to get them in the ground in the right way. Be sure to plant them deep enough so that soil comes just above the cuff of the trunk. What is more, many fruit trees like to be planted over a mound. This means that you build a mound of soil at the bottom of the hole and spread the roots around the mound. This will add stability.
Shrubs can also establish themselves well in the early fall. Be sure to plant them to the right depth and be sure to fertilize adequately so that these plants can weather the winter with no problem.
Perennials
Planting perennial flowers in the fall is a good idea as well. If you can get them in the ground while it is still fairly warm, the roots and bulbs will establish themselves quickly and you will have a good chance at blooming flowers in the next growing season.
All in all, fall's cooler temperatures will keep the ground moist and reduce the amount of careful watering you have to do to get your plants to grow. What is more, it is far more pleasant to work outside during these cool fall days. So good luck and have fun out there; I have some perennials to put in the ground!
|
Author Bio Box: Jared Garrett
 http://www.helium.com/user/show/45690
Didn't really find what you were looking for?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](images/rss.gif "Subscribe to our XML Feed for RSS")
