Leaves are dropping, the air is crisp, growing season is over and this is the month to prepare your landscape for winter and the next growing season. Taking the time to for some final chores really pays off.
October is Time to:
1) Plant bulbs: Wake up your garden next spring with colorful daffodils, hyacinths, crocus and tulips. Plant bulbs any time in October and enjoy pops of color for years to come.
2) Water: A cold dry fall can be deadly for many ornamental plants. Well-hydrated roots increase a plant’s chance of survival before our seasonal blanket of snow covers the ground. Water trees, shrubs and flower beds every week or two (depending on the weather) until the snow stays on the ground. Fall watering is especially important for evergreens as they continually loose moisture through their needles.
3) Spray evergreens with Wilt Pruf™: Wilt Pruf™ is an anti-desiccant that gets sprayed on evergreens late fall to protect from winter burn. Winter burn happens to newly planted evergreens that don’t have deep roots to draw moisture from. Evergreens continually transpire (give off water vapor) through their needles, even in winter. If a tree is unable to replenish the water in its needles, winter burn damage will result. Wilt Pruf™ coats needles with a clear film that slows transpiration resulting in less winter burn.
4) Spread wildflower and grass seed: Fall is the best time for seeding. Many wildflowers require a period of freezing temperatures to germinate. Wildflower and grass seed will lay dormant until spring.
5) Replenish veggie beds: Fall is a great time to 'feed' the soil in your veggie garden. After harvesting and cleaning up plant debris, spread a 2-4 inch layer of compost (we like Happy Frog or Black Gold) over top and work it into the top 6 inches or so with a spade or digging fork. Rake smooth and your beds will be ready to rock next season!
Note: Do this when the soil is dry to avoid a clumpy, muddy mess and to keep the soil from becoming compact.
6) Protect from critters: Protect trees and shrubs from browsing deer and moose by spraying with Plantskydd™ repellent and fencing with DeerBlock™. Plastic trunk protectors will keep chewing animals like voles from damaging the trunks of your trees. Broadcast a granular repellent like Repellex™ or Molemax™ over your lawn to reduce the tunneling of voles. Although these measures don’t guarantee a damage-free landscape, they can reduce the extent of winter damage.
7) Fertilize your lawn: A late application of fall lawn fertilizer will give your lawn a boost next spring with a quick green-up and faster new growth. Fall fertilizer has the addition of potassium for strong root development and overall health.
Need some help? From spraying to fencing, our maintenance department can do it for you!
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