Many people work diligently during the spring and summer to ensure that their yards and gardens are ship-
shape. The grass is regularly mowed, the flower beds are kept weed-free and ripe, luscious fruits and vegetables from the garden are nurtured. When the fall colors begin to appear, though, many give their yard and garden one final tending before heading inside for the winter. But don’t pack up your mower and gardening tools just yet because according to experts, there is still a lot of work to be done. “As much as we don’t want to think about getting out in the drizzly, cold weather to take care of our lawn and gardens, doing so really will pave the way to a much healthier start in the spring,” says Daniel Chimeno, general manager at Greengate Garden Center and Landscaping. “Take the leaves on the ground, for instance. Raking them up can be a fun way to spend some time out doors with the family and if you bag them up and compost them afterwards, you can use them as mulch for your plants to provide valuable nutrients. Even just mowing over them a few times to create a thin coating will help give your grass a boost when it begins to grow again in the spring.” Chimeno also says it’s important not to stop mowing your grass just because the weather is cooler. Raise the height on your lawn mower to leave a blade that is two and a half to three inches tall throughout the fall. This is the optimum height for preventing diseases in the winter while still providing your grass the self-sufficiency it needs to store food for the coming months. When it comes to fertilizing, weed control and seeding or sodding, Chimeno provides these tips. Fertilizing: Take this task on from October to December to promote root growth over the winter months. Be sure not to use a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. Weed Control: Win the battle against clover, dandelions and other broadleaf weeds by using an herbicide to spot-treat your lawn before temperatures
September 2012
drop below 50 degrees. Don’t apply it to your entire lawn unless you have weeds throughout. Seeding and Sodding: If you plan to seed or sod your lawn, mid-September is the latest you can put it off. Plan ahead by loosening the soil no deeper than a half-inch and then water it for several weeks to help the seeds settle. What about a fall vegetable garden? Chimeno says fall garden planting should begin in August of each year and be complete by early October. “The mid-to-late summer months bring special gardening problems in this part of the state,” adds Chimeno. “The high heat makes droughts a real possibility and insects are a problem. Late in the season we tend to find several generations of insect pests, each one bigger than the last.” According to Chimeno there are some fall crops that can be planted in the second part of the fall gardening season, which begins in September and runs through early October. “This time period is the prime time to seed carrots, endive, lettuce, onions, parsley, English peas, bulbing shallots and radish,” Chimeno adds. “Be sure to hold off on planting garlic until October, though.” For more information on preparing your yard or garden for the upcoming fall season, call Greengate Garden Center and Landscaping at (337) 477-6080 or visit www.ggate.com.
Thrive Magazine for Better Living
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