Fall Gardening Tips and Ideas

OUR GRANDMOTHER'S GARDEN
IN SALEM,OREGON 2008


By: Joanne Jones
Word Count: 686


Most people focus their attention on their gardens during late spring and summer. But fall is an important time for gardening as well. Not only is it a good time to prepare for winter, but you can still enjoy the plants in your garden and even add more plants if you wish to. Here are some things that you can do in your garden in the fall.

1: Add Some Plants

Even though it is fall, you can still plant things in your garden and your yard. Icicle pansies love the fall weather. Even with the cooler weather, they will bloom late into the season. Best of all, if you leave them in the ground over the winter, they will start to bloom again in early spring.

Trees and shrubs can still be planted in the fall. Evergreens should be planted about six weeks before the first frost of the season. Deciduous plants however, can be planted at anytime, as long as the ground isn't frozen. Be sure to read the labels on the trees and shrubs before you buy them and make note of how large the plant will grow. The plants may be small when you first buy them, but they will grow very quickly in just a few years. As well, the labels will often state what colour the leaves of deciduous plants will be during both the summer and the fall, giving you the perfect opportunity to add some colour during the fall months.

Six to eight weeks before the first frost of the season is the perfect time to plant bulbs in the ground. They will lie dormant all winter long and bloom in early spring, providing a splash of colour that will be greatly appreciated after a long winter. Make sure to follow the directions on the packages for how deep and far apart to plant the bulbs, in order to ensure that all the bulbs will bloom in the spring.

2: Remember To Water

Even though it's fall and the weather is cooler and possibly wetter, your plants still need water. The water will keep summer plants alive longer and nourish fall plants that keep your garden full of life during this season. As well, evergreen trees need water so that they can continue to grow during the fall, even if it is at a slower rate than they grew during the summer months.

Before the weather drops below the freezing point, make sure to disconnect all hoses and drain them of water. Roll up the hoses and store them away for the winter. Next, turn off the water to outdoor taps and then drain them as well. This will prevent the water from freezing and the pipes from bursting. If that happens, you could be facing a large flood and a messy clean up.

3: Rake The Lawn

It's important to rake up the leaves on your lawn because when the leaves become wet, they will mat and become very heavy. Leaves that have been raked up can be used as mulch, compost or as both. To use leaves as both mulch and compost, first harvest the food crops from your garden. Next, place the leaves on top of the garden. They will stay there all winter long and protect the soil from erosion and the harsh winter cold. In the spring, the leaves become compost when you till both the leaves and the dead plants into the ground.

4: Prepare For Winter

Get ready for winter by bringing everything indoors. Take a careful look at your yard and determine what needs to be brought inside for the winter. Look at plants in containers, furniture, tools, statues and everything else in your yard. Stone statues are fine to leave outside, but fountains will need to be drained and wrapped in a protective tarp. Tools need to be cleaned, oiled and put away into storage.

A lot of the work in the fall might seem tedious or even hard work, but it is well worth the rewards you will gain in the spring.

Please visit The Gardener's Escape at http://www.thegardenersescape.com/Articles/Articles.htm for more gardening tips and tricks. While you are there, check out our shopping pages at http://www.thegardenersescape.com/Shopping/Gardening/GardeningTools.htm for the latest gardening tools that are sure to make your gardening tasks easier and quicker.

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