Transitioning your Garden for Fall

Summer is almost over, and fall is practically here. You enjoyed your garden all season long, now it’s time to focus on transitioning it for autumn. Below are some helpful tips to keep your garden healthy throughout the changing temperatures.

Remove your summer annuals

Annuals are only good for one gardening season and then die away. This means you’ll want to remove them and replace them with fall friendly plants. Remember to turn the soil and add fresh mulch.

Inspect your perennials

Be sure to check on your perennials, trim any bushes and prune what needs maintenance. If they seem to be getting too large, consider splitting them in half and replanting elsewhere.

Add mulch

One way to help prevent weeds, keep moisture, and insulate your garden, is to add mulch. This is also a great way to extend the growing season of your garden.

Layer your compost

If you have a compost or keep a rot pot, layering organics into your soil is a great way to fertilize your garden. A great mixture of compost includes kitchen scraps, leaves, and spent plants. Your compost mixture should consist of old and new material.

Start planning for spring

Fall hasn’t even arrived yet; however, you should be thinking ahead for spring. Fall is a great time to start prepping for spring as most bulbs need a pre-chilling period before they bloom. Planting these now, will save you a lot of time. The best time to plant bulbs would be 6-weeks prior to our first frost.

Bring your outdoor plants in

Plants that thrived in hotter temperatures, now won’t be able to withstand the cold. A great tip to help transition these plants, is to place them in a shadier spot in your yard so that they can get used to the dimmer indoor light. When you bring them inside, be sure to give them plenty of light and fertilizer to keep them healthy.