Fall Checklist

Planting

• Container Tips:  Accessorize with twigs or sculpture; Edit throughout the season replacing spent summer blooms with fall decor; store in a dry location
• Planting Perennials, Shrubs, Trees:  Best to plant in spring, Plant at least 6 weeks before ground freezes to give them a chance to establish roots, Water well until ground freezes, Do not fertilize
• Bulbs: When and Where to Plant:  When temps are consistently cool (55 degrees) and until ground freezes, Most bulbs prefer moist, well-drained soil in growing season and drier soil when dormant, Remove all debris and/or cover area to discourage squirrels

• ​Garlic:  Plant in October when soil temp is >50⁰; Select largest bulbs and plant each clove about 6-8” apart; Cover with mulch for winter protection and leave on in spring/summer for weed barrier

Storing

• Early September
  1. Begin collecting cuttings & seeds
  2. Bring houseplants inside (when night temps get into the 40’s), Acclimate to indoors by moving to a shady spot, reducing water, no fertilizer, wash before bringing inside
  3. Stop using fertilizer except for containers
     
• Seeds    Seed-longevity chart at www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/seed_saving.htm
  
• Dry Corms & Bulb Storage  (Gladiolus)  Dig after first frost and after foliage dies, brush off soil and trim off all foliage; Let dry for 2-3 weeks; Place in a paper bag or onion sack and hang in dark, dry place
  

• Tuber Storage (Dahlia, Canna, Caladium, Calla Lily, Elephant Ear, Tara)   Dig up after first frost, trim so just the tuber is left; Allow plants to cure to one to two days in warm, dry place; Place in a damp (not wet) peat moss, inside a storage container that will exclude light and place in cool, dark place.
  

• Tools  Keep them sharp; Store them dry; Keep them clean; drain hoses
  
  

Clean-up & Maintenance

• Vegetables and Annuals
  • Prune vines of squash, melons, cucumbers and tomatoes 3-4 weeks before first frost so existing fruit ripens faster
  • Clean up annuals and compost or if diseased dispose
    
• Perennials
  Don’t deadhead for self-seeders you want or for winter interest (studies show that perennials do better through the winter if left standing), Pinch off faded blooms for plants you want to avoid self-seeding
  Resource:  The Well-Tended Perennial Garden, Tracy DiSabato-Aust
  
• Fall Lawn Care

1. Mow 3 ½ to 4 inches, longer grass shades roots reducing water loss and outcompete annual weeds, in the fall mow shorter to 1 inch to avoid snow mold, diseases
2. Let clipping fall to recycle nutrients, they do not lead to thatch problems
3. Remove or mow to mulch leaves in the fall
4. Fertilize:
   1. Low quality – mid-fall
   2. Medium quality – late May, early Sept
   3. High quality – late May, early July, early Sept (can skip July if using a mulching mower)
      

• Shrub & Tree Maintenance
  1. Spring – Prune non-flowering shrubs including Pine & Spruce
  2. Summer – Prune spring flowering shrubs after flowers have faded
  3. Late Winter – Prune dormant trees and summer-flowering shrubs
     
     

• Winter Protection
  Once the ground has frozen, protection for tender plants can be applied. The protection is intended to prevent plants from responding to warm weather too early.  Cover with mulched leaves, compost, cut evergreen branches or other organic material.