It’s time to start thinking about what needs to be done when it comes to preparing your garden for the fall, and while we have been talking about it a bit already, there may be a few to-do’s that you’ve forgotten. Make sure you don’t miss any fall prep essentials by following our simple checklist.
As your summer garden begins to falter, there are a few things you can start doing.
As your summer garden begins to falter, there are a few things you can start doing.
1. Clean around your plant bases, particularly any rose bushes, as any diseased debris will hold both insect eggs and fungus causing spores.
2. If you were thinking about shrub planting, now would be the time to do it. Get it in while the weather is still warm and the roots can establish before the first frost.
3. Water, water, water. Even though winter is coming, and fall is a rainy season, do not bank on that as your only source of water for your trees and shrubs.
4. After your plant bases and flower beds have been cleaned and tweaked, add some fertilizer or compost and manure to the beds to ensure the soil begins to amend itself. Till it right into the soil for the best effect.
5. Get your spring bulbs prepared for planting in the fall, now is the time to do it.
6. Rake, rake, rake. Set aside a few minutes every day or once a week, a set time that you know it will get done. You can shred your leaves and then use them for mulch. Yay!
7. Clean out your vegetable bed.
8. Now that you’ve done all the basics, and your garden is clean and fresh, your soils will be ready and primed for those spring bulbs. Go ahead and plant them, and make sure they are lightly fertilized.
If you can get all of these done, then when the time does come for spring gardening, your garden will be nice and ready and spring gardening will be SO much easier when the time comes.