October 10Don’t you love that crisp autumn air? Fall color is in full swing and plants are getting ready for the winter. Get outside and take care of some of these things before the snow flies.
- Plant trees and shrubs.
- Protect trees and shrubs from wildlife with trunk guards or chicken wire.
- Prepare new beds by incorporating plenty of organic matter. Beds will have time to settle before spring planting.
- Maintain mulch depths of 2 to 3 inches to conserve moisture and moderate winter soil temperatures.
- Irrigate the lawn and landscape beds if rainfall has been insufficient.
- Plant spring-flowering bulbs.
- Build a compost pile for autumn leaves. Chop leaves with a mower for faster decomposition.
- Harvest the last of the frost-tolerant vegetables as they ripen.
- Remove foliage and debris from the vegetable beds & annual planters. Sanitation is key to reduced disease next year.
- Empty the potting soil from planters to prevent freezing and cracking. Add it to the compost pile or use it as a soil amendment.
- Drain and cover birdbaths and fountains.
- Control perennial weeds in the lawn and landscape in early October.
- Winterize your lawnmower and prepare the snowblower with an oil change and tune-up.