Late August through Early October is a perfect time to get things done in your garden. The summer flowers have passed and the conditions are just right for refreshing your landscape and getting a head-start on spring. Cooler air and ample rain help to stimulate a period of rapid root growth, making fall a perfect time plant new trees, shrubs and cold tolerant annuals. Here are some tips on what you can do right now to dress up your yard and get a jump on spring.

Clean Up

Many diseases can overwinter in the stems of perennials and the fallen leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs. To prevent your plants from becoming re-infected in the spring it is important to rake up leaves and cut down any diseased stems of perennials.

Water

Winter survival of woody plants depends largely on the moisture of the soil in the fall. Water needs to be applied to ensure that woody plants have taken up sufficient amounts of moisture to prevent stress related to desiccation, that is, plant water loss in winter. When soils are dry in late summer and early fall, water should be applied once per week or so, depending upon soil moisture levels, through October. Click here for some tips for watering

Fertilize

It is widely assumed that fertilizing in the fall will promote late season growth that is prone to winter damage. However, recent studies have shown that the nutrients that support spring growth in woody plants are those that were taken up in the previous year and stored over winter.

Mulch

Fall is a great time to apply mulch to garden beds. By adding a 3-4 inch layer of mulch will buffer plants’ root systems from fluctuating temperatures and moisture levels throughout the fall and winter. Additionally it will help suppress weed growth.

Prune

Fall is the best time to prune deciduous trees and shrubs because after the leaves have fallen it’s much easier to see which limbs need pruning and how it will affect the overall shape of the plant. Another reason to prune in the fall is that insects and diseases are far less prevalent this time of year.

Plant

Planting trees and shrubs in the fall gives them a chance to start spreading some roots in the cool moist soil. The cooler soil and air temperatures along with the increased rainfall also take away much of the shock that plants incur during the planting process

Starting in early September, the stressful heat and humidty that encourage weeds and fungus to run rampant have passed. During this time of year your lawn takes advantage of the improved conditions by increasing root growth and storing energy. There are several things that should be done in the fall to maintain a lawn’s health throughout the late fall and winter.

Aerate

Aerating your lawn will allow light, moisture, air and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the root system, creating healthier, stronger roots and improving drainage.

Fertilize

The best way to keep a full, disease and drought resistant lawn is to maintain a healthy root system. In the fall, lawns should be fertilized twice to encourage continuous root growth and good color throughout the season. Feed once in early September and then follow up with a second feeding in mid-October to encourage rooting and carbohydrate storage for winter survival.

Overseed

Overseeding your lawn in the fall is one of the most effective ways of reducing weeds in the spring. By simply increasing the thickness and desity of your lawn, there is less available space for weeds to grow. It’s important to use a seed with an aggressive juvenile stage so it will reach maturity before the winter.

When they’re flowering, hydrangeas be one of the most beautiful and rewarding landscape plants, but they can also be one of the most frustrating when they refuse to bloom. Here are some simple but important tips to help your hydrangea perform it’s best.

Growing Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas do best in morning sun with afternoon or dappled shade. Too much sun and they’ll need frequent watering, too little sun and they’ll have fewer flowers. They prefer an organic, dark, loamy soil. Amend soil with a good quality compost planting mix to increase organic matter in the soil. Top dress with a 2-3 inch layer of mulch to insulate the roots an to help retain moisture in the soil. For more growth and more flowers, fertilize with a balanced fertilizer every spring.

Pruning hydrangeas

Any pruning of macrophylla hydrangeas should always be done by the end of July to prevent cutting off next years flower buds. To revitalize older plants, thin them out by cutting some of the older stems. To reduce the overall size, cut above a set of leaves.

Winterizing Hydrangeas

The flower buds on both traditional and reblooming hydrangeasneed protection from winter and early-spring freezes. Mound straw, mulch or leaves around the base and stems. Remove this mound at the end of April.

Hydrangea Color

For many macrophylla and lacecap hydrangeas, their flower color depends on the acidity of the soil.

• For blue flowers, the soil needs to acidic. Aluminum Sulfate can be added to increase the acidity of the soil.
• For pink and red flowers, the soil needs to be alkaline. Lime can be added to decrease the acidity of the soil.

Why go organic?

If you have kids or pets it’s an easy decision, but if not, here are a few reasons: an organic lawn will save you time, energy and money. In a nutshell, organic lawns require half as much maintenance, are less habitable for weeds, require less water and keep harmful chemicals out of water supplies.

The basic approach

Organic lawn care is as much about changing your lawncare practices and expectations as it is about choosing the right products. The goal is to create an environment that allows your grass to become more self sufficient and less reliant on chemical fertilizers and control products. The key to creating a healthy, self-sufficient lawn is revitilizing the soil.

Soil biology-The key to a healthy, self sufficient Lawn

Over the last 500 million years plants and beneficial soil microorganisms have developed a symbiotic relationship. When a plant photosynthesizes it releases a carbon exudate into the soil, which microorganisms utilize as a food source. The microbes then surround the root to feed on the carbon and in return protect the plant roots, recycle nutrients, improve nutrient availability, improve nutrient absorption, minimize nutrient leaching and improve the soil structure over time. As you can see this truly is a “symbiotic relationship”.

Today many soils are out of balance and are virtually devoid of beneficial microbial populations due primarily to an over reliance on “quick fix” cultural practices, which rely on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to manage turf. Synthetic fertilizers push excessive plant growth which actually weakens the plant and makes it a target for insects and disease. Pesticides applied to control lawn insects elevate the problem by killing beneficial soil microorganisms. When the microbes are no longer there to protect the roots you are forced to apply more pesticides and the cycle continues.

So creating a healthy, self-sufficient lawn starts by revitalizing the soil biology and re-establishing beneficial microbial populations. This can be achieved through the use of quality organic lawn care products along with responsible lawn care maintenance practices.

Organic Lawn Care Products

Organica 4 Step Lawn Program

Organica’s 4 Step Program is a back to basics approach to plant management designed to revitalize soil biology and provide a foundation for healthy turf growth. Organica’s “Natural Lawn Program” is designed to re-establish beneficial microbial populations and provide the soil with the necessary components to promote healthy controlled growth and reduce plant stress.

Organica 4 Step Program

Plant-tone® 5-3-3

All Natural, All Purpose Plant Food with Bio-tone® Microbes

Plant-tone is the original all natural plant food made from quality organic ingredients. Plant-tone’s natural organics breakdown gradually, providing a safe, long lasting food reservoir activated throughout the growing season. Plant-tone’s all natural formula contains Bio-tone®, our patented blend of beneficial microbes. Bio-tone biologically enhances our natural plant food to ensure superior plant growth. Plant-tone is approved for organic gardening.

For established lawns, apply 20 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. 3 times a year – Spring, Summer and Fall.

Plant-tone

Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fish and Seaweed Fertilizer 2-3-1

Neptune’s Harvest is an organic fertilizer made from fresh North Atlantic fish and seaweed. It’s made by a unique cold process that protects the vitamins, amino acids, enzymes and growth hormones.

It also contains all the micro and macro nutrients naturally found in fish. The nitrogen and other nutrients are chelated, so they are readily available for plants consumption. Unlike fish emulsions, Neptune’s Harvest retains the fish proteins and oils and has no unpleasant odor. University studies have shown Neptune’s Harvest to outperform chemical fertilizers.

Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Fertilizer

Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Fertilizer is 100% Organic and contains kelp, feather, bone and blood meals, amino acids and humates. These ingredients help to rejuvenate your lawn with a slow, gentle feeding. They promote green-up without excessive top-growth. It won’t burn your lawn so it can be applied at any time of the year.