It’s not a season many people automatically think of when it
comes to gardening, but did you know that autumn is really a great time to
plant? It’s true—and for a variety of reasons, it may well be the best time of
year for you to get out in your yard. So how can you make the most of what the
season has to offer and enjoy gardening success?
For starters, autumn in the Northwest gives us one great
advantage when it comes to planting: free water! If you’ve lived here very
long, you know that sunny September days all too quickly fade into October
rain. As a gardener, use it to your advantage! Plant now and you’ve only got a
month of watering before you can let the rain take over. Add to that cooler,
shorter days and even during dry weather your watering will be minimal.
With autumn approaching, transplanting shrubs and trees into
your yard is also easier in terms of transplant stress. With our mild weather,
we can plant just about year-round but the times when plants will experience
the least potential stress in transplant are in early spring and again in fall.
Most plants will soon start to shut down (go dormant) for the season, so as
they go to sleep, get them in the ground!
To reduce the chance of transplant stress—and more
importantly, to encourage plants to root out before winter—it’s highly
advisable to treat new plantings with Vitamin B-1. Now, don’t go scrounging
through your medicine cabinet; this is a horticultural product. Simply mix up a
bucket of it and water your plants with it right after transplant. Repeat in 10
days and your shrubs will quickly root out into the surrounding soil. For an
even easier option, use Bayer Tree & Shrub Starter throw packs. Just place
a couple in the hole before you plant and they’ll feed, reduce transplant
stress and even provide insect protection.
Since autumn doesn’t officially
start for another couple of weeks, it will be some time before we can really begin
fall yard clean-up. In the interim—and while you’re outside doing some planting
anyway—take stock of what needs your yard and garden may have. Have you battled
bugs in some of your shrubs or perennials? Don’t think that just because the
season is almost over that your worries are behind you. Spray your plants or
treat with a systemic insecticide now (your local nursery can advise on the
best options dependent on plants and your skill level!) to prevent insects from
overwintering.
Likewise, now is the time to treat your plants once more for
any diseases they may have battled this year. As the berry growers around here
can attest to, it was a rough summer battling many types of fungus. A cool, wet
June and humid July made mold, mildew and other fungi grow prolifically. As
with bugs, fungi can overwinter, so take care of your plants now to avoid
headaches next season.
Finally, make some time to assess your lawn. It’s far too
early to apply a “winterizing” fertilizer—put that on your calendar for
November—but if your lawn could use a feeding, don’t hesitate to do so.
Fertilizing will not only green up your turf but also help alleviate fungus
problems you may have noticed.
September is a great month to get back out in the yard. The
new season is great for planting, and with fall sales starting at Vander Giessen's, your garden dollars will go even further. Enjoy what the month has
to offer!
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