Tips for Fall Planting

Fall really is the season for planting! Because the ground is warm from the summer sun, but the days and nights have cooled off, your new plantings will take less transplant shock. Get trees, shrubs, and perennials in the ground now to allow them enough time to become established before winter. In most parts of the country, it's time to do the following:

~Plant cold crop vegetables now for late season harvest. Some things to try- lettuce, radishes, brocolli.

~Freshen tired flower beds with fall mums and winter pansies. If you've never tried winter pansies, you should! Plant them from now until the first hard freeze. They winter over and come as the first great color in spring.

~Pay attention to watering if your area has been dry. We've been getting a lot of rain, but some areas have not. Make sure you water deeply and well on a regular basis. The warm fall days will rob plants of moisture.

~Bugs and pests are still an issue. Keep a close eye out for infestations and get them under control quickly.

~Use products like Weed Free Zone to keep bindweed under control. Weed Free Zone works especially well on bindweed-even in cooler temperatures.

~Share the harvest from your garden with neighbors and friends.

~Fall is a great time to plant new perennials or dig up and divide old ones.

~Buy your bulbs now but wait a bit to plant until the weather cools off. Depending on the weather, planting around mid-October is usually optimal in our area.

~Plant grass seed now.

~Fertilize lawns now using Winterizer Fertilizer.

~Watch for Frost and Freeze warnings and cover tender plants on nights that get cold if you aren't ready to surrender your garden.

~Apply tree wrap, rose collars and extra mulch late in the fall to give plants added protection for the winter.

~Gather and dry herbs now that you wish to preserve for the winter.

~Plant garlic now.

~In late fall, blow out and winterize your irrigation and sprinkler systems.