Fall is a season of harvest and preparation for the cold temperature that the winter season brings. Before the freezing temperatures arrive and the snow begins to fall, you should spend some time outdoors handling fall tasks for your lawn and garden.
Houseplants
October is a good month to move houseplants back indoors. The cold weather is liable to shock and kill them, particularly a good frost. Also dig up and pot any non-hardy flowers and plants and bring them inside. Sensitive bulbs should be dug up and stored in a warmer area, such as a garage or basement.
Clean out any remaining pots and store them in a safe, dry location. Bring all clay pots indoors. The cold weather could cause them to splinter and break.
Trees and Shrubs
Any container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees and shrubs should be planted now before the ground freezes. It’s best to plant these in mid-October, so that the roots can get established properly. Bare-root trees and shrubs can wait until mid-November to be planted.
Roots will only grow if the soil temperature is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, so those who live in warmer climates can wait a little later in the season before planting. After the first frost but before the ground freezes entirely, you should winterize your rose plants. Tie up climbing vines or prune them back to three or four feet. To protect the plant and roots, you need to mound soil at least 12-inches deep and 12-inches wide around the stem and crown. Mulch will not adequately protect the sensitive rose plant during the bitter cold months.
Once the leaves have fallen and you’re sure that the “Indian Summer” has passed, you can prune your deciduous trees, but be certain that no new growth is iminent and the tree is dormant for the season.
By mid-November, some people gather pruned branches that are berry covered or holly-like for decoration for the Christmas season. If you plan on purchasing a live Christmas tree in December and planting it on your property after the holidays, you may want to dig the hole now before the ground becomes solid. Simply cover the open hole with burlap to protect it from the rain and snow.
Annuals, Perennials, and Bulbs
In October, the ground temperature typically drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Now is a good time to plant any spring-flowering bulbs, such as hyacinth, daffodils, anemone, crocus, and tulips. If planted at the proper time, these beautiful flowering plants will bloom right on schedule in April or May. In November, you can plant colorful winter annuals like pansies or ornamental cabbages.
If you plan on making changes to your garden in the upcoming season, you may want to label your bulbs and perennials before they disappear with the cold temperatures. Labeling allows you to remember what is planted where so that there will be no surprises come summer.
Keep an eye on the weather and be prepared for the first killing frost. Fall-blooming perennial plants can be protected from early frosts with a wooden frame and an old sheet. If protected, these beauties can continue to bloom throughout the fall months. In frost-free zones, plant bulbs that don’t require a freeze, such as lilies, amaryllis, and freesia.
Now is the time to harvest seeds from your annuals, and perennials as well, if you so choose. Label and store the seeds for next spring in a cool, dry location. You might also want to take cuttings from perennials to root indoors and replant in the spring.
Tidy your yard by pruning woody perennials and cutting down any plants that die down in the winter months, such as hosta, sedum, and ornamental grasses.
Fruits and Vegetables
Your fruit and vegetable gardens should be winding down with their production at this point in the season, so it’s time to take care of each plant as required.
- Harvest all bell peppers before the first frost kills the plants.
- Divide and separate overcrowded rhubarb.
- Plant shallots, overwintering onions, and garlic.
- Lay a deep layer of mulch over your root vegetables. If kept warm enough and the ground does not freeze, the plants can continue producing throughout the winter. Prior to the first deep snow, cover the plants with a thick blanket or porous carpet that can be lifted back to access the plants in the snow.
- After they turn yellow, it’s time to cut back asparagus tops.
- Prune berry and grape vines. Remove all branches that produced fruit and leave the new growth to produce next season.
- Harvest fall vegetables, such as pumpkins, gourds, and multi-colored corn, and use them as decoration for the season.
- By November, you can harvest all final produce and then till the soil in your vegetable garden and add compost so that the land is ready for planting again in the spring.
Lawn
In early fall, you should mow and fertilize your lawn to prepare for the winter. Winterizing fertilizer typically has higher potassium and phosphorus content with lower nitrogen levels. Do not apply while the grass is still in its growing season, but be sure to apply at least a month before the ground freezes. Mid-November is usually a good time for fertilizing your lawn.
If you have bald spots, you can plant grass seed now so that it can grow and establish roots prior to the upcoming freeze.
Maintenance
Fall is a good time to tidy up your yard and do routine maintenance before the snow and freezing temperatures arrive. Take in any outdoor furniture for the winter, including summer decorations that may become damaged in the cold and snow.
Do a final weeding on any necessary areas and beds. Lay mulch on your garden beds and any naturalized areas on your property. Take the time to weed out any dead plants or plants that will die out with the season, including the dead stalks in your vegetable garden.
Stock up on firewood, if you have a fireplace or otherwise require it. Clean and store your gardening tools and make any repairs that are necessary. Begin the process of leaf removal. Ensure that all rakes or leaf blowers are handy and in working condition and leaf bags are easily accessible. You can use dead leaves as mulch, such as on your root plants, like carrots and potatoes.
If you have been putting off any digging, even for underground repairs or construction, be sure to complete it all in the fall before the ground freezes.
Put out fall or Halloween decorations to make your house stand out. Pumpkins, corn stalks, and even strands of colorful fall leaves make great natural highlights to your home’s facade.
Reduce or Stop These Chores
After trees and shrubs lose their leaves for the winter, you can stop watering them. Even indoor plants require less water through the colder months. Evergreens, on the other hand, should continue to receive plenty of water before the ground freezes. They use water all winter long and will benefit from the winter rains and melting snows.
Don’t trim hedges any more after October. If new growth is stunted and then freezes, it could affect the entire plant. Pruning jobs should also be delayed until the plants go dormant.
Relax and Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
Now that you’ve finished your fall lawn and garden chores, it’s time to sit back and relax a bit. Make yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and light a pumpkin spice candle. Sit out on your front porch and enjoy the clean, structured yard and beautifully decorated landscape. Don’t forget that fall is a good time to order seed and garden catalogs and plan for next year’s growing season!