Archives

What To Do In The Fall

Aug9

A list of things to do in the Fall:

 

Start Compost Pile


Lawn

Fertilize with organic lawn fertilizer– helps root growth over winter

Apply pre emergent – corn gluten meal– prevents weed seeds from germinating

Remove leaves from lawn – mow,mulch, compost

Aerate

Topdress with compost

Seed or overseed lawn

Mow until the first frost

Lower mower height for the last mowing to 1 ½ – 2”

Water until first hard frost

Winterize sprinkler system – shutoff, drain

Drain and store hoses

 

Garden Beds, Shrubs, Trees

Cut back perennials if brown, remove annuals and weeds – add all except weeds to the compost pile (can be done in Spring if you prefer)

Clean out vegetable garden whenever you are done or around first frost/before first hard frost – pick,sell, preserve, or donate produce

Divide and/or transplant perennials

Plant perennials, shrubs, trees

Plant spring flowering bulbs

Plant fall flowers, vegetables, and annuals – pansies, mums, lettuce, spinach, peas, kale

Wrap bark of young trees – helps to prevent sunscald, cracking,  deer damage

Wrap evergreens with burlap if desired

Water trees, shrubs, perennials until the ground freezes

Trees and shrubs – Prune dead or broken only

After first frost – mulch plants which might frost heave – use straw or leaves

Remove fallen fruit – compost

Prepare Square Foot Garden beds

Overwinter geraniums indoors if you want to save them for next year – dig up and place in a brown paper bag, replant in the spring or grow inside in a pot all winter

Prepare tender plants to move indoors

 

Tools

Clean out underneath lawn mower – disconnect spark plug first

Add fuel stablizer to gas cans and gas powered equipment if there is gasoline inside

Check mower blades – need replaced or sharpened?

Check hand tools – need replaced or sharpened?

Wipe hand tools with steel wool or a damp cloth and apply oil or store in sand/motor oil mix

Be sure all batteries are charged

Check extension cords for cuts, frays,etc

 

House

Cedar shredded bark around foundation – insect prevention

Orange Guard or similar spray around foundation – insect prevention

Hang Christmas lights – before snow fall

Plan garden for next year

Write down successes, failures,varieties you liked, etc

Check online for catalogs – order those you want to receive

Learn from books, classes, pruning demonstrations so you are better prepared next year

Compost or Mulch?

Jun16

There is sometimes confusion between mulch and compost.

Mulch refers to material that goes on top of the ground. Mulch can be natural such as bark, gravel, or compost, or manmade such as landscape fabric or recycled tire rubber mulch. Never use regular plastic except on a temporary basis since water will pool, stink and breed mosquitoes. Mulches such as bark and compost can feed the soil but need to be renewed regularly. Gravel and landscape fabric can last longer although landscape fabric is usually covered with something such as bark or gravel. Gravel can collect trash and weeds and reflect heat back to the house or yard which may or may not be desirable.

The purposes of mulch can include water retention, soil cooling, soil warming, weed suppression, soil enrichment, and/or frost protection for plant roots or soil.

When using rock or rubber mulches I would recommend using heavy duty landscape fabric underneath. The cheaper plastic fabrics do not hold up as well and the rubber mulches will be difficult to remove if they get mixed in with your soil.

Landscape fabric does not prevent weeds – it just reduces them. Soil and weed seeds can accumulate on top allowing weeds to begin growing. As soon as you see a weed take care of it so you do not end up with a weed patch on top of your landscape fabric.

Compost is decomposed organic matter or manures. The best types of compost are those made with a variety of materials including manures of herbivores (chickens, sheep, rabbits, etc), leaves, straw, vegetable peelings, and other plant material. For more information on home composting see my blog entry.

Compost can be used as mulch but is often also mixed with soil or applied to the surface just for the purpose of improving soil. Since compost is organic matter it can improve your soil whether it is sandy, clay, or just lacking in nutrients. Peat moss is sometimes used but has no nutritional value, is usually more expensive, and non renewable so compost is a better choice. I like to add compost to my gardens, flower beds, lawn, and potted plants. Our soils in Utah are lacking in organic matter so compost is a wonderful thing to add for soil improvement. Compost is the main component of a Square Foot Garden mix.