- Mid to late September is a great time to add accent plants, like vivid mums and starry asters, that will provide autumn colors in the landscape. Use them along with cool-colored ornamental cabbages and kales to replace bedraggled annuals in containers as well.
- Lawns can be renovated or repaired between late August and mid- September for best results. New grass should started well before fall leaf drop.
- Watch for frost warnings and cover tender plants.
- Examine houseplants carefully for insect pests before bringing them back inside. Give them a good grooming if necessary. You may want to spray plants with insecticidal soap after hosing off the foliage. Let the plants dry before applying the soap.
- Remove and compost spent annuals and fallen leaves.
- Weed and mulch perennial beds using a loose organic material such as bark chips or leaves to keep down weeds, preserve moisture, and give roots a longer time to grow before the soil freezes.
- Outwit hungry squirrels and chipmunks by planting hardy bulbs in established ground covers.
- Lift and store tender bulbs, such as cannas, dahlias and gladiolus, after first frost.
- Perennials like day lilies and bearded irises can still be dug up and divided.
- Visit a local nursery or garden center and select spring flowering bulbs to add to your gardens. Plant the bulbs among perennials, under trees and shrubs, or in larger groups for a splendid spring show. Choose colors that complement other spring flowering plants as well as nearby plantings. Work a little Bulb Booster or 5-10-10 into the bottom of the planting holes.
|
|
