Cool temps means it is time to get out in the garden!  Fall is a great time to plant new perennials or divide and transplant others already in your garden.  If an area of your garden dsc_0021 was missing something or you noticed plants need to be shifted around, tackle those change now.  Here is a list of a few other tasks you can accomplish while the leaves are falling.

  • Toss your spent annuals or those that have been hit by frost.  Remove faded plants from the gardens and empty your annual pots.  Containers can be sanitized by cleaning with a 10% bleach solution.  Spray or soak for about 10 minutes, rinse and allow to air dry for fresh, disease free containers next spring.
  • Trim back any faded perennials.  Consider leaving grasses, coneflowers and upright sedums for early spring pruning.  All make for nice winter interest in the garden plus the birds can enjoy the seeds.
  • Avoid pruning trees and shrubs at this time.  Fresh cuts usually don’t have enough time to heal before the drying winter winds and temps.  Save pruning for late winter or early spring for best results.  Also avoid pruning any spring flowering shrubs since the flowers have already formed and pruning now can reduce the blooms for next year.
  • Plant bulbs for an early pop of color in spring.  Read our post on Planting Bulbs for Spring to learn more.