LAWNS:
- Fertilize: slow-release high nitrogen lawn food or winterizer will help the roots.
- Overseed with annual ryegrass (most affordable) or perennial ryegrass (more expensive, but easier to maintain, less mowing through winter).
- Fungal diseases are prevalent in the damp weather, so water deeply but less often, and avoid nighttime watering. Apply fungicides as necessary. If you have chinch bugs and/or fungus now, take note of the problem areas so you can pretreat next summer before it gets out of hand.
TREES & SHRUBS:
- Water: deeply about once a week.
- Mulch! Nice, even, 1-3" layer of mulch around trees and along shrubs. NO MOUNDING!
- Prune out dead, damaged branches, gently reshape wild growth on shrubs.
- Begin fall planting season: first determine what you'd like and how to place them. Trees and shrubs can last decades and make a significant impact on your property - a little research on variety, spacing, and needs can go a long way towards ensuring it's a benefit - not a nuisance - in years to come!
- Fertilize shrubs & trees
FLOWERS:
- Mulch! A nice, even, 1-3" layer will help keep out weeds and retain moisture in the soil.
- Fertilize with a high-nitrogen formula to give plants a boost through the nice fall growing season.
- Add compost.
- Clean up spent flowers, trim wild growth, but no harsh pruning!
- Plant or fill in flower beds with cooler color such as mums, snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, ornamental kale and cabbage
- Start planting wildflower seeds - bluebonnets, paintbrushes & more. They'll get the best start in September & October.
- Flowering BULBS - daffodils, ranunculus, etc.
VEGETABLES:
- Plant Cool-season crops: cole crops like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, leafy greens like lettuce, kale, spinach, root crops like carrot, beet, and onion.
- Garlic and shallot sets are ready!
- Harvest end of summer crops - tomatoes, potatoes, beans, peppers.
Let's get out and enjoy these beautiful fall days! As soon as our parking lot renovations are finished, we'll have fresh plants & outdoor merchandise. Come see us!
- Carey