What we are doing in our gardens in the early Fall
Reseed your Lawn
Early fall is the absolute BEST time to grow grass from seed because the soil is still warm, but the air is starting to cool off, making it ideal for grass seed germination. In our Philadelphia area, this translates to any time after Labor Day but before October 15th so that the seed has time to come up before any chance of frost. Fall is also easier for homeowners because the irrigation burden is lightened with cooler temperatures and less chance of drought than in the hot summer months.
See our other blog post HERE for more information on repairing bare spots on your lawn.
Plant Bulbs
If you want spring blooming bulbs like tulips and daffodils, you must remember to purchase and plant them the previous fall. Bulb planting time in our area is mid-September through mid-November, so plan, order, and purchase bulbs by Labor Day for the best selections.
When planting your bulbs, it looks better and more natural to plant bulbs in groupings or clumps, rather than one per hole. Plus, grouping bulbs is easier because you can put several bulbs together in one large hole. Confirm suggested planting depths for the type of bulbs you have as different varieties like to be planted at various depths and add a little bit of a gentle organic fertilizer like bone meal or Dr. Earth Spectacular Bulb Food into the bottom of each hole. The hardest part is waiting until spring for your flowers!
Note: If you have problems with critters like deer, rabbits, or squirrels, try planting daffodils rather than tulips. All parts of daffodils are poisonous, so critters tend to leave them alone.
Plant Cool Season Crops
Often, the same cool weather vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, and cabbage can be planted again in late summer/early fall for a second harvest later in the fall because the plants can tolerate light frosts. Check seed packets for exact sowing time recommendations for the specific varieties you are thinking about planting, and enjoy extending your garden harvest into the late fall. Usually, frost-tolerant species will be noted on the seed packages or plant labels.
Garlic lover? Fall, or more specifically around Columbus day (October 10th), is the typical time to plant garlic for next year’s harvest. Garlic is then ready to be harvested seven to eight months later in May-June.
Yard & Garden Clean up
Gasper Home & Garden Showplace has all the tools to make those fall garden chores less of a chore…and maybe help you make fall clean-up even a little bit fun, such as making a big leaf pile for your kids or grandkids to jump in before completely cleaning up your yard.
Speaking of leaves. Shredded fall leaves are the best and easiest to obtain brown material for compost. Each fall, run over leaves with a lawnmower or a leaf shredder as whole leaves do not break down easily in the compost bin. Saving fall leaves to maintain proper compost brown to green ratios throughout the year. Not composting? It is not only good for your garden but good for the environment. Composting your organic waste can save it from being wasted in landfills. Want more information on how to start composting? Read our blog post on composting HERE.
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
