FALL PROJECTS TO PREPARE FOR WINTER
Starting in late August, plant grass seed or install sod. Keep damp; water every day if necessary. Detailed instructions for starting seed or sod lawns at available at all Dammanns stores. Early fall is also one of the best times to aerate lawns to reduce thatch and improve compacted soil. Apply fall lawn fertilizer to established lawns. Fertilize turf again in late fall just before the ground freezes with a winterizer lawn food to ensure a beautiful lawn in early spring. Rake leaves from the lawn and lower the mower blade to 2-2.5″ for the last mowing.
Plant spring flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, snowdrops etc.
Fall is an excellent time to plant trees and shrubs. Stake tall new plantings to protect from strong winds.
Set up bird feeders and stock up on seed.
Before temperatures fall below 55 degrees at night, treat houseplants that have summered outdoors with Safer Insect Killing Soap to get rid of any insects before bringing them into the house.
Dig summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias, cannas, tuberous begonias, caladiums and gladiolus after the frost kills the top growth. Dry thoroughly and treat with Bulb Dust, pack them in Peat Moss, and store them in an area that does not freeze.
Divide hosta, daylilies and spring-blooming perennials, including iris and peonies.
Clean up the vegetable garden, annual beds and cut back perennials after the first frost. Leave ornamental grasses for winter interest as well as perennial seed heads such as coneflower for songbird food.
Work fertilizer and composted organic matter into the soil before the ground freezes.
Apply winter mulch such as shredded hardwood, shredded tree branches, pine boughs and small leaves after the ground freezes. This will protect your tender plants from severe winters.
Clean out garden ponds. Place potted perennial pond plants at the bottom of the pond and cover pond with netting before the leaves start falling. Discontinue feeding fish when the average water temperature falls below 50 degrees.
Pruning shrubs should be limited to tidying the shape and removing dead branches. Don’t be tempted to prune spring flowering shrubs like forsythia, azaleas, holly, lilac, rhododendron, spiraea or viburnum since this season’s growth contains next year’s buds.
Fertilize your trees with Jobes Tree Spikes after the leaves fall. Fertilize azaleas, rhododendron, and evergreens with Espoma Holly-Tone and other shrubs with Plant-Tone.
Fall tilling the vegetable garden helps improve soil structure and usually leads to soilswarming up and drying faster in the spring.
Clean up and destroy diseased rose leaves and debris surrounding shrubs and perennials. Mound 10 – 12 inches of dirt around grafted roses to protect from winter damage.
