The Best Time of Year is
NOW!!!
When I was a kid, I loved summer---no
school, warm sunshine and lots of fun and mischief to get into. Now that I’m a Grandma, my thoughts on the
seasons has also matured. Over the years,
I have come to enjoy all the offerings of fall.
The cool, crisp mornings that gives way to warm days and starry
nights. Fall color in Missouri is
exceptional with the turning of leaves on trees-colors so vivid and alive that
they jump out of the landscape. Driving
past fields of pumpkins gets the kids excited that Halloween candy is yet to
come. The treat of eating sweet grapes
fresh off the vine and juicy apples plucked from the trees comes to mind. And of course, fall sports begin soon.
There is no better time of year than
this abundant season to catch your bearings, reevaluate the year, enjoy the
harvest and relax. It is also the best
time to take a few moments to invest in your home. There are many simple tasks you can do now to
help save yourself time in spring when you are twice as busy.
PLANT, PLANT, PLANT
Fall in Missouri is the ideal time of
year to plant all kinds of things from cool-season vegetables to turf grasses,
and especially shrubs, evergreens and deciduous trees. Yet, when it comes to planting, many
gardeners only think of the spring. Why
is fall such an ideal time to plant?
First, the warm soil in the fall helps encourage root growth. The plants roots continue to grow through our
mild winters, and become well established by the spring. This makes fall plantings much better
equipped to handle our heat and drought once summer finally arrives. In addition, our fall and spring rains help
do all the work in establishing your plants so you don’t have too. There are also fewer pests and disease
problems to attack your plant while it is young.
When fall arrives, I want to see bright
oranges, vibrant yellows, and fiery reds.
These fall colors bring life back to our landscapes after the summer sun
has faded most of the blooms. The
natural turning of leaves into their disguised color of glory brings a new
energy to our yards and awakens our senses.
Right now, you can find selections of trees and shrubs especially bred
for fall color. There is no reason to
have hum-drum containers during fall when there are Garden Mums and Fall/Winter
Pansies to replace our burnt out summer annuals. Fall cool crops known as Fall Magic are also
great additions to beautiful fall containers.
Home decorating is great fun also to add
pumpkins, corn stalks, gourds and other harvest items to the landscape or porch
décor.
In addition, don’t forget fall
bulbs. Now you will find the best
selection, and you have till Christmas to get them into the ground for spring
blooming. Bulbs need 10 weeks of cold
weather to create their magnificent spring show. Many varieties and colors are popping up in
this category of plants as well. I will
spend more time on bulbs in October.
THE POST SEASON WRAP UP
One of the best-kept secrets
to the most lavish landscapes is autumn restoration. Just a few garden chores done in the fall
will lead to spring and summer pay-offs that are well worth the work. Things to do now include:
Pull Weeds: Clean up your yard by pulling weeds. Then apply a pre-emergent such as Preen
containing Trifluran. This will keep
your yard looking nice and weed free for months to come.
Fertilize: It is important to fertilize your evergreens
and conifers at this time because their root systems continue to grow throughout
the late fall and even into the winter till ground frost appears. An application of Osmocote or plants spikes
is ideal for this task. The plants take
up these nutrients and are ready to explode when the spring growing season
arrives.
Prepare Your Lawn: Were you disappointed in your lawn this
year? Well, now is the time to prepare
your lawn for next spring! Aerate and
thatch it if the soil is compacted. This
will allow the soil to drain better and give it much needed oxygen to the
roots. Seeding can be done as well as
fertilizing. Seeding in early fall will
give the roots plenty of time to become established before winter. Fertilize with a winter type fertilizer to
build nutrients up in the root system.
This will keep your lawn from going into the winter hungry and it will
help it take off much faster next spring.
Enjoy the cool crisp air and
I’ll………..see you in the Garden
Sandi Hillermann McDonald
