AND SO IT BEGINS
Autumn begins the gardening year!
This is our theme for the next several weeks as we continue to make videos, and host our live events.
Far too often we think of Autumn or Fall as being the end of gardening year. We are beginning harvest season, our plants are winding down their summer fruiting, and the trees begin to drop their leaves in anticipation of their winter dormancy. We also begin the activities surrounding cleaning up our landscapes, and getting it ready for winter.
I would like you to reconsider this “ending” however...
As an Arborist and Horticulturalist that has been answering “when is the best time to…” questions for years, let me summarize.
Autumn is really the beginning. It is the time we lay the foundation for our gardens and landscapes for the Spring to come.
Autumn is the best time to plant trees. It is the best time to plant shrubs. Yes, they may be going into a period of dormancy for the winter, but this makes root establishment much easier for trees… as roots don’t go dormant, but continue to grow as long as the soil temperatures are sufficient. This gives autumn planted trees a huge advantage over spring planting, especially when it comes to dealing with the heat stress of summer.
September is the best time to plant or over-seed your lawn. Yes - you want to install a lawn and have it healthy and strong. Get to planting now. The soil temperature is right and the days are not so hot as to stress new grass.
One of the most delightful colors of spring, bulbs, are a result of planting in October. I love to returned home to Oregon during the tulip festival, and see the vast fields of tulips in bloom throughout April and May. If you haven’t ordered your bulbs for delivery this Autumn, then get into your local garden center, grocery store, or maybe even hardware store, as everyone is selling bulbs!
(I will have another upcoming video with all the fall planting tips I can.)
Now, back to all this fall clean-up tradition.
It’s a myth.
Oh I know, I know, I am going to get push back… but hear me out. We have learned a thing or two since my dad had me raking up massive piles of oak leaves in the fall to burn, while mom sat on the porch drinking warm cider, and Norman Rockwell painted the whole scene.
Beneficial insects over winter in fallen leaves. You can get them off the lawns (in fact I would recommend it to avoid mildew and lawn disease), but don’t be in a rush to clean them out of your beds.
Also, DON’T prune spring and summer flowering shrubs. Doing so in the fall typically cuts off most of the new growth, which hold all of the blossoms for the next flowering season. The time to prune these is usually best as soon as they finish blooming, so they can establish the new growth you want to keep.
Remember that seasons are different throughout the nation and of course the world, but in a four season climate these tips hold true.
September happens to be the month I was born. It has always been a month of beginnings for me… school years, planting, and celebrating one more trip around the Sun. For me, it’s Happy New Year, and welcome to the next. 🌳
WEEKLY VIDEO:
Tulip bulbs are planted in the autumn before the ground freezes. By planting varieties with different bloom times, you can have tulips blooming from early to late spring. Some types are good for forcing into bloom indoors, and most are excellent for use as cut flowers, too. Tulip flowers are usually cup-shaped with three petals and three sepals. There's a tulip for every setting, from small species tulips in naturalized woodland areas, to larger tulips that fit formal garden plantings from beds to borders.
LIVE Q&A EVENT:
Joins us on Facebook for a LIVE Q&A, every Thursday, 6:00PM - 6:30PM MDT.
Bring James your Tree, Garden, and General Horticultural questions! He would love to interact, and share some of his answers.
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