Summer is nearing its end which means it is time for fall garden preparations. There are many steps you must take during this time to ensure the health and longevity of your garden. Colder months are ahead, and it is time to prepare your lawn and landscaping.
To make sure your landscape is ready, make sure to tackle these tasks before the snow starts falling:
Clean Weeds
Go through any plant beds around your home and clean out all of the weeds that they contain. You can either use a weed killing spray, but it is recommended to just pull them by the root. This can be a long back-breaking task, but it is safer than using chemicals that could potentially be harmful to both you and your garden. Once that is complete you can go ahead and turn the soil. This well help break up any hard soil, help control weeds, and allows your plants to root much deeper into the soil. By doing this in the fall, you will save yourself a ton of work in the spring as the soil will be clean and ready for you to take care of your spring planting.
Plant Spring Bulbs
To get ahead of your spring planting, go ahead and plant any springtime bulb plants in your gardens now. Doing this before mulching the beds will help to ensure they’re protected under the soil and mulch to make it through the winter and will give your garden plants a jump start when spring rolls around.
Seed Your Lawn
Much like the spring bulbs, it’s a good idea to seed your lawn in the fall. Drop grass seed in any worn or thin places on the lawn now, and watch the fresh green grass sprout up once the weather breaks.
Trim and Prune
Go around your lawn and prune or trim back any long or dead branches on bushes or trees. Pay special attention to leaves and stems and check for any rotting or diseased plants. Be sure to remove any of these pieces. This prevents these weak or damaged portions of the plant from falling or posing a problem in the winter weather and will help the plants to grow fresh and new in the spring.
Mulch, Mulch, & More Mulch
Once you have cleaned all remaining debris and pulled up the weeds, go through and cover the flower beds with mulch. You should also look at putting a layer of mulch around any trees or shrubs in your yard to protect them from freezing and frost damage during the winter. This will help provide insulation and protect them during the upcoming cold months. Mulch also helps to retain moisture in the soil and suppress the growth of weeds. Certain mulches also help provide nutrients for your soil and help your plants grow stronger.
Rake Leaves
Raking leaves is very important to get done in the fall. If you leave leaves on your lawn during the winter, it can lead to health problems with your lawn. This can include discoloration of grass, mildew or mold growth or even dead patches of lawn in areas with heavy leaf coverage.
With these fall preparation garden tips, you can ensure a health lawn throughout the cold seasons, and a blooming garden during spring!
Whether you’re planting now before the season ends or are looking for fresh plants in the spring, Cold Stream Farm can help. We specialize in offering a wide variety of trees, shrubs and more that will make a great addition to any yard. Place an order online now or call us today at 231-464-5809 to learn more! Check out our planting supplies for help with maintaining your garden!
