Fall Is For Planting-What To Do Now!

The first cold front and rain of the fall season bring a relief from the summer heat. They also signal two things homeowners need to do:

1. Get that fall application of pre-emergent weed preventer down. Even though the ground may be wet, water it in right away to start it doing its job.
2. Turn off your automatic sprinkler system. That’s right. OFF! The shorter days and cooler weather will start plants into their dormant cycles, when they need much less water. Unless the weather turns really hot and dry again, you might not need to run the sprinklers until next spring. And who doesn’t want to save money on that water bill?

The exception to this will be if you have newly-planted trees or shrubs, or if you have small bedding plants, like pansies, that will need to be watered through the winter. But in those cases, there is no need to run your sprinkler system and water the entire landscape. Use water only where it is needed, and only when the soil is dry.

We always recommend three inches of bark mulch in your flowers beds and around new trees to conserve moisture. The mulch will also insulate and protect roots from freezing temperatures this winter and retard weed growth.

And remember FALL IS FOR PLANTING! This is the best time to install new trees and shrubs. You will give the plants a great head start and make them better prepared to face our next long, hot summer.