When I sit down to write these articles in the fall, I always get the feeling that what I write about needs to be inspirational. Then, as I wrote that, it seems a bit dramatic. Now I am asking myself, “Why do I have to be inspirational?”
My answer to myself is because so many people forego all the benefits that can be achieved to the lawn and garden in the fall. This is when you can get the maximum benefits for your efforts in many cases. Today, I am going to give you a few tips related to the things you need to do now.
Tomorrow marks the middle of the month. This is the absolute best time of the year to plant grass seed to get the best results. It is the best time of the year because the soil is warm and the temperatures are cooling. This is the opposite of the conditions in the spring.
Fertilize and seed now
It is also the best time to fertilize. You can do both seeding and fertilizing. You don’t have to choose one or the other. If you postpone these until spring, I can promise you will not get the same results you will now.
Plant trees and shrubs
Fall is the best time of the year for planting trees and shrubs.
Fall is the best time of the year for planting trees and shrubs. For the same reason as planting grass seed: warm soil and cooling temperatures. The warm soil encourages faster root growth. The cooler temperatures will reduce the stress on the new plants.
When you plant in the spring, the reality is that every day gets us closer to summer. Summer is a hard time for plants, especially new plants lacking established roots. Trees and shrubs planted in the spring will require more maintenance through the summer than plants installed in the fall.
Fall planting sets you up for considerably less time required to maintain your new plants. Every week that goes by, the new plants will require less maintenance because the plants are headed to winter dormancy. Even as the tops are going dormant, the roots are continuing to grow. The new plants will be well established before experiencing their first summer, which is more than six months away.
When it comes to fall planting, there are a few exceptions that you should consider waiting until spring.
But wait to plant ‘borderline’ plants
One is planting what I refer to as “borderline” plants. These are plants that typically grow in warmer climates such as crape myrtles and camellias.
In these plant families, there are a few varieties cultivated to grow in our climate zone which is six. I have found that these need to be established through a full growing season, summer through fall, to have the best chance to survive a Zone 6 winter.
Herbaceous plants, commonly referred to as perennials have the potential for decreased survival rates when planted in late fall. This would be those planted past October. With these, the problem is their smaller size. They are vulnerable to what is known as frost heaving. This happens when repeated freezing and thawing cycles push plants and their roots out of the ground.
Avoid heavy pruning
At this point in the season, you also want to avoid heavy pruning. Pruning trees and shrubs in the fall can stimulate new, tender growth that won’t have time to harden before winter, making the plant vulnerable to damage. The best time to prune is typically late winter or early spring. The only exceptions are removing dead, diseased or hazardous branches.
Part of your fall garden clean up routine might also be to cut back your perennials. You can certainly do this if you choose, but it is more beneficial to leave the perennials through the winter. While cutting them back may look tidier, leaving spent perennial foliage, seed heads and dried stalks provides food and shelter for beneficial insects and birds throughout the winter. Just be sure to remove any plant material that was affected by pests or diseases.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why fall is actually the best season to fertilize, seed and plant
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