Fall is a good time to address weeds, along with invasive or undesired plants. This will also help to minimize next year’s issues with bugs, worms, and other pests and diseases. Some herbicides are most effective in fall, and removing those unwanted plants now means a clean slate to start next year. It’s also a good time to mulch or add organic matter to your beds which will both protect and amend the soil over the cold season and through frost or thaw cycles.
October is also a good month to cut back all the spent plants in the yard … such as Black-Eyed Susan, cone flowers etc. This will help tidy the garden, and to allow the plants to focus energy on root growth for the following year.
Do an honest evaluation of your garden. What worked this year? What wouldn’t you repeat next year? Start a list now that you can use when you’re ready to start gardening next spring.
Fall is also a good time of year to evaluate:
• Which plants should be moved to a better spot in the garden (does something need more shade or sun?)
• Where you could use more plants with that will last until fall providing some extra color?
If your cannas are spent, dry off the tubers and store them in cool dark conditions until spring.
Planting shrubs in the fall while the soil is still warm is ideal because the warm soil promotes root growth while the cooler air reduces stress on the plants. This combination allows the shrubs to develop strong root systems before winter dormancy, benefiting from increased moisture from fall rains and reduced pest pressure. Plant when there is about six weeks before the first hard frost to give the roots time to establish.
Divide perennials as needed … make sure to water the plant thoroughly after dividing and planting. You may want to add compost in the planting hole. Some perennials you can divide are: Hostas, day lilies, phlox, salvia, coneflowers or Iris.
Don’t forget to continue to water the garden. While it might look like your plants are going to sleep, their roots are still actively growing in fall. Evergreen perennials, shrubs and trees, as well as anything you’ve recently planted, will all still need to be watered until the ground starts to freeze.