Fall is just around the corner. What should I do in my garden as the season shifts?
As the sun crosses the celestial equator on the fall equinox—typically around September 22—the garden begins its slow, graceful descent into dormancy. Days shorten, temperatures cool, and plants shift their energy from vibrant growth to quiet rest. This seasonal turning point offers the perfect moment to tend to both practical tasks and the more meditative aspects of gardening. Here’s a guide to what you can do in your garden now to support a beautiful, healthy landscape through fall and into next spring.
1. Plant Cool-Season Crops
Early fall is prime time for growing a second round of vegetables. Lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes, kale, and turnips all thrive in cooler weather and can be sown directly into well-prepared soil. In fact, some crops—like spinach—taste sweeter after a light frost. Keep soil evenly moist and consider using row covers if a sudden cold snap threatens tender seedlings.
2. Divide and Replant Perennials
Late September is ideal for dividing spring- and summer-blooming perennials like daylilies, irises, hostas, and coneflowers. Dividing not only rejuvenates aging plants but also gives you free new plants to spread around your garden or share with neighbors. Aim to divide on a cool, cloudy day and water new divisions well.
3. Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs
Think ahead to March and April now by planting daffodils, crocuses, and tulips. Bulbs should be planted about three times as deep as their height, in well-draining soil with full to partial sun. For a natural look, scatter bulbs by hand and plant where they land.
4. Rejuvenate Your Lawn
September is the best time in the DC area to seed or overseed cool-season grasses like tall fescue. Aerate compacted soil, rake in a thin layer of compost, and sow seed evenly. Keep the area moist until germination and consider applying a balanced fertilizer to give the lawn a strong start before winter.
5. Refresh Containers with Fall Flair
Container gardens don’t need to fade just because summer’s over. Replace tired annuals with ornamental kale, pansies, mums, asters, or even small pumpkins and gourds. Group pots by the front door or patio for an easy seasonal lift.
Leaving seed heads on coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and ornamental grasses provides food for birds throughout the fall, photo: Dare Wenzler
6. Support Pollinators and Wildlife
Don’t be too quick to tidy. Leaving seed heads on coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and ornamental grasses provides food for birds throughout the fall. If possible, leave leaf litter in garden beds—many beneficial insects and native bees overwinter there. These small acts can have a big impact on local ecosystems.
7. Start a Compost Pile
With all the garden cleanup happening, fall is an excellent time to begin composting if you haven’t already. Mix green (grass clippings, vegetable scraps) and brown (dry leaves, shredded newspaper) materials, and keep your pile moist and turned regularly. By spring, you’ll have rich compost to feed your beds.
8. Take Stock and Reflect
Before everything disappears under a layer of leaves, take a walk through your garden with a notebook or phone. What thrived? What flopped? Where is there too much shade—or not enough? Autumn is a reflective season, and capturing your observations now can help you plan smarter for next year.
Gardening advice, information and commentary from the Capitol Hill Garden Club. Send your questions to capitolhillgardenclub@gmail.com. Want to learn more about gardening or spend time with people who like plants? Join the Capitol Hill Garden Club, more information on the club website at capitolhillgardenclub.org.
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