As the summer slips into fall and daylight hours shorten, many Michigan homeowners are giving their lawns and gardens a final push before winter.
According to English Gardens, a Michigan-based business, autumn landscapes can be just as vibrant as summer’s, with warm tones, unique textures, and plants that shine late in the season.
Fall is more than just raking leaves and putting away patio furniture, it’s also a season to refresh your yard, protect your landscape, and even add new color.
“This is my happy place,” said Pat Zacharias, 79, of Farmington Hills, as she picked out fall flowers at Farmer John’s Home Garden and Fashion in Farmington Hills.
The Detroit Free Press turned to the Michigan State University Extension, which connects researchers with the community in areas including agriculture, farming, and gardening, as well as English Gardens for tips on making the most of the season:
Clean up garden beds
Clear out annuals, vegetable plants, and diseased leaves from perennials. This not only improves the look of your yard but helps prevent fungal and bacterial issues carrying over to next year’s garden.
Add a pop of seasonal color
For many homeowners, mums are the go-to for fall porches and patios. While they add instant color, they rarely survive Michigan winters. Lindsey Kerr, consumer horticulture educator at MSU Extension, explained that the lack of water is the No. 1 cause of mums dying prematurely.
For longer-lasting blooms, Kerr recommended native asters, such as the New England aster. Their purple, pink, and blue flowers last until the first hard frost and provide vital nectar for migrating monarchs and other pollinators, and they return each year when planted in the ground. Other aster varieties include heart-leaved aster, sky-blue aster, and calico aster.
Other hardy fall choices include ornamental cabbage, kale, pansies, and snapdragons, black-eyed susans, coneflowers, Montauk daisies, and Japanese anemones.
“Combine heights, colors, and textures,” English Gardens recommended in a recent release.
For reliable foliage color, consider perennials like heuchera, heucherella, and tiarella.
“They come in a wide variety of color and really pop in the fall garden. Depending on the variety, they might bloom white or pink during the spring and summer,” Kerr said.
Divide and transplant perennials
Fall is an ideal time to divide and transplant perennials, which return year after year. After replanting, water thoroughly and add mulch to help protect roots through winter.
Protect perennials and shrubs
Boxwoods, rhododendrons, and other broadleaf evergreens benefit from the extra protection from deer and harsh winds. Use cages or burlap wraps to shield them, especially in areas where deer are common.
“If deer are prone to eating or rubbing on your shrubs or trees, now is the time to cage them,” Kerr said.
Avoid common mistakes
Don’t prune roses, hydrangeas, or other shrubs in fall.
“Pruning causes a wound,” Kerr explained. “As winter sets in wounds are often not able to properly close off and the plant is further damaged by below freezing temperatures.” Wait until late winter or early spring.
Also, don’t bag up every fallen leaf.
“They’re free fertilizer,” Kerr said. Mulched leaves add nitrogen to lawns, while compost leaves are a beneficial source of carbon and can serve as mulch to protect flower beds and around trees. Just remember to pull leaves back in early spring to give bulbs and perennials room to grow.
Plant bulbs now for spring
Late September through October is prime time to plant tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and other spring-flowering bulbs. Plant before the ground freezes so roots can take hold.
Strengthen the lawn
September is prime time to reseed bare spots, treat grub damage, aerate, and fertilize. Consistent watering now helps lawns recover from summer stress and build stronger roots for winter.
Kerr leaves with one guiding principle:
“Right plant, right place.” Choosing plants that match your yard’s soil, light, pH, and water conditions sets the stage for healthy gardens, even through Michigan’s toughest winters.
Detroit Free Press photographer Finn Gomez contributed to this article.
Brendel Clark (previously published as Brendel Hightower) writes about real estate and other topics for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bclark@freepress.com.
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