July 30, 2013
Spring is the time when most of us dust off our gardening tools and head outside to beautify our yards in time for the new blooms of the season.
By fall, you may be ready to hang up your tools. But as cooler weather sets in, this may be the best season of all to fine tune your garden.
The feature article "Field of Greens," in the summer issue of The Catholic University of America Magazine , offers readers a look inside the University's new community garden. If that story has you excited about gardening, you don't need to wait until next spring. In this "Web Extra," we've got some tips for fall gardening from Chris Vetick , assistant director of landscape and grounds at the University. Vetick is a certified horticulturist and arborist.
Save Money Most nurseries and garden centers discount their plants as they approach winter. They want to clean out their stock in order to start fresh in the spring. You won't get as wide a selection as you would in the summer, but you can get 50 percent or more in discounts. Fall is also a great time to find discounts on gardening tools and equipment.
Plant New Trees and Shrubs Cooler weather and still-warm soil are ideal conditions for root development in most plants and trees. They have the fall and the following spring to establish themselves before the harsh conditions of summer. Plant in well-drained soil. Use a slow-release organic fertilizer. A full-balance fertilizer will push up too much growth instead of allowing the plant to reserve energy for root establishment. For any new tree, you will need three years of consistent watering to allow roots to establish for a long life.
Buy Bulbs Early, Plant in October You will find the best selection of bulbs in late summer or early fall. So shop early but wait until mid-to-late October, when warm weather has passed, to plant them.
Rejuvenate Your Lawn In the mid-Atlantic region, early September is the best time of year to aerate, overseed, and fertilize your lawn, especially grass such as fescue, blue grass, and rye grass. (Bermuda grass thrives in the summer.) Warm soil and fall moisture provide ideal conditions for establishing most kinds of cool-season turf in the mid-Atlantic region (and along most of the East Coast).
Keep Your Vegetable Garden Going As the summer winds down, clear out your vegetable garden and plant a new crop for fall. Beets, radishes, carrots, leafy greens, cauliflower, and broccoli are all great fall garden vegetables. To find the best time to plant them, work backwards from the average date of the first frost in your area and figure in the time it takes for the vegetables to mature. Your local garden center can help you determine the best time to plant for your area and your chosen crop.