As soon as the heat breaks in September and October, fall planting season begins. Trees do great when planted in fall because they have all winter to get their roots established for an early spring start in their new home. Perennials that have begun dormancy early don’t mind being divided and moved this time of year. It is a good idea to plant or transplant as much as possible in fall months just to lessen the load of spring gardening chores.
The one hazard of fall planting is that if a plant does not get its roots established quickly it can be popped out of the ground with the early frosts. In early winter scout new beds each morning to check for frost heaved plants. If a plant is exposed, simply replant it, and give it a little extra mulch to keep it in the ground. Well mulched fall planting beds experience less frost heave. Mulch, where needed, will also reduce weeding, and maintain moisture.
The seed collecting season wraps up in the fall with an explosion of ripe seeds to gather and store. Fall is when I tend to get behind on my seed collecting and forget to label everything of misplace seeds in random places around my house. If you leave seeds in your pocket and run them through the washing machine they will probably not germinate. To spread plants by seed into a new area the easy way, take the seed heads with the ripe seeds and crush them above the ground in the area you want them to grow, then lightly rake the area to promote soil contact.
Before the ground becomes hard with frost is the time to remove weeds and invasive species. Bush honeysuckle is easy to spot this time of year with it’s red berries and persistent leaves. Winter creeper and English ivy stay green all winter so once leaves come down, scout them out. Once the soil softens up from fall rains it is time to dig dandelions, clematis, clover, and small trees out of garden beds.
In November the garden is finally settling down for winter and many tools and garden features need to be cleaned and winterized. Clean out the bluebird and other bird houses so they are ready for spring. Bring in the garden hoses so they don’t freeze. Winterize all the rain barrels and water features. Protect container garden pots by bringing them into a protected area or emptying them before the freeze. Some garden sculptures will crack in the winter, so protect them as needed. Clean all the fresh fallen leaves out of the gutters, swales, etc. so they don’t clog up the rainwater system.
One thing you shouldn’t do in fall is to clean up the leaves and dormant plants. Fall is not the time to mow mulch the leaves, cut back all the flower stems, or burn the brush piles. Leave the leaves and stem in garden beds. Many overwintering beneficial garden critters are living in the leaves such as morning cloke butterfly, praying mantis egg cases, luna moths, toads, and salamanders. Thick piles of leaves call kill lawn, however, do not pile the leaves up against woody trunks or under evergreen shrubs because they can cause mold. If an area of lawn is being smothered by leaves it might be a sign that the area should be converted to garden bed. Thick piles of leaves also prevent spring annuals like blue eyed Mary so those areas will need some leaf removal. Flower stems can be left standing in the garden to provide egg laying spots of bees, beetles, and other pollinators. Brush piles and grass clumps are necessary hiding spots for birds during winter storms.
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