The first day of fall begins with the fall equinox on Saturday, September 23rd at 2:30am. When the sun moves directly across the equator from north to south, the days become shorter than the nights. This means that we will have less time to do things while working outside.
We need to manage our limited daylight hours carefully and wisely because we can do more to get our yards and landscapes ready for winter.
This week I wanted to give you some tips for next fall.
Our landscape and grass are thirsty. In recent years we have experienced weather conditions where it rains occasionally during the summer months. Then came September and the clouds dried up. September is usually one of the driest months of the year. It surprised me when I saw it a few years ago.
We need moisture in the soil and lawn to grow grass seeds. We also need it to activate the fertilizers we use. You should water the lawn thoroughly before seeding and/or fertilizing. Do this a day or two in advance so it has time to absorb the water. Then, after fertilizing and sowing, they are watered again to moisten the seeds and activate the fertilizer.
Moreover, regarding sowing and fertilizing, you should know that both can be done at the same time. I recommend a three-phase lawn program that includes a high-nitrogen fertilizer applied in September. This is also the best time of year to plant, and we get a lot of questions from careful gardeners because a build-up of compost will damage or burn the new grass. This will not happen if you apply the fertilizer correctly. In fact, the fertilizer will benefit the new grass as it begins to grow.
This week at the store we discovered that a woodchuck had entered some of our trees and was causing damage by rubbing its branches against the tree trunks. Anyone with a new plant should know this. Males do this as training to prepare for battles with other males during the next breeding season.
Any tree with a trunk diameter of less than 4 inches must be protected. You should use a deer guard made of strong plastic mesh that fits over the body. It should be securely fastened with a zipper. Make sure the fence covers the trunk from the base to the beginning of the branches.
If you have a multi-stemmed tree, such as a magnolia or a serviceberry, you should place what is known as a "deer fence" around the tree. A deer fence is a six-foot-high plastic netting supported by wooden posts.
A final tip. As we approach the beginning of October, flower availability is very limited. Most of the flowers were sold at the end of October. There is no harm in keeping your summer flowers growing as long as possible. However, if you want to see the beautiful fall flowers, plan your trip in early October.
This article appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Gardening Tips for the Fall in Equinox Magazine.
