Preparing for Fall

By Lyn Hayes, Forsyth County Master Gardener

TownLoafer Magazine, September 2006

Say goodbye to the dog days of summer. Fall is just around the corner! Start making your fall and winter garden task list now. Here are a few tips to perking up your landscape and getting it ready for fall.

Dead head perennials
Freshen your beds by cutting off the spent flowers, daylily sticks, and brown leaves. Black-eyed Susan, purple coneflower, and shasta daisies, just to name a few.

Divide - divide
Fall is the perfect time to split your daylilies, liriope (monkey grass), and iris. Dividing plants now will give them a chance to establish a good root system before the soil gets too cold.

Add new mulch
Mulching is always important. It helps keep the soil cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It will also prohibits weed growth which is always a bonus when it comes to keeping up the look of your garden. Mulch large areas around your plants but be careful not to get to close to the stems or the trunks of your trees as this may cause rot throughout the winter.

Redesign your beds
Did the drought cause you to re-think your landscape design? Perhaps your beds could be placed in a more convenient watering pattern. Or you may want to plant more “drought tolerant” plant material. Fall is the perfect time to cut into your turf and sculpt your beds. It is also the best time to plant trees and shrubs. Garden centers carry a number of trees and plant material perfect for fall planting.

Beautiful bulbs
Watch for garden centers and local nurseries to bring out their spring-flowering bulbs. DON’T DIG YET! Wait for the soil temperature to cool down. Bulbs should be planted in 60 degrees or cooler. But buy them now while the selection is good.

If you are just not the do-it-yourself type or don’t have a successful green thumb, call a landscape professional or landscape architect for a complete design plan and/or installation. It is an excellent time to plan out your landscape and beat the rush.

Either way get ready to enjoy your outdoor living space when the nights turn cool and the leaves burst into fall colors.