In the Garden

Fall Bulbs

Bulbs should be planted in fall for the following year. Although you can't enjoy them now, they are worth the wait. Tulips emerging from the ground during early spring are breathtaking. Daffodils, hyacinth, Allium, Lycoris, and Blue Bells just to name a few other great bulbs.

Guide to selecting and planting fall bulbs.

Mums & Asters

We have over 50 varieties to choose from. Decorate your house with some color for fall. Learn how to plant and care for mums

Late Season Watering

Watering your landscape in fall is important especially for new plantings and plantings from the current year. Plants will need water up until frost and the ground freezing. Plants that have been installed during the current season will not have an established root system. They will need watering if Mother Nature doesn’t provide rainfall. Broadleaf evergreens and other types of evergreens are especially important. Watering them periodically will make sure they have enough moisture to make it through the winter months.

Fall Clean Up & Winter Protection

Most plants are going dormant and it is a great time to get the yard cleaned up. It’s time to prune, cover, and clean. Here is a list of winter preparations and clean up tasks to get your garden ready for winter.

Perennials

Most perennials can be cut down to the ground once the foliage has died back. Cut off and remove the dead foliage. Some perennials survive over winter as an evergreen. Make sure to leave plants that have retained foliage and color. Extra mulch can be lightly piled over the top of your perennials to protect roots.

Annuals

Spent annuals can be removed and composted.

Summer Bulbs

Keeping summer bulbs for the next year is simple. The best time to clean and store the plants is when foliage starts to change color and die off at the end of the year. Dig out the bulbs and wash off any soil. Dry the bulb and then store in a paper bag. Keep bulbs in a cool area where there is low humidity. If it is too warm or humid they may try to grow again indoors!

Roses

It is best to prune roses in spring, but there are winter preparations that can be made. Covering roses with a rose collar will help keep roots safe during the cold months. Fit the collar around the plant and fill it with topsoil that will provide the best protection for the graft. Keeping roses watered up until frost is also important. Rose collars can be taken off in March or April when the weather begins to warm up.

Shrubs

This is a good time to prune your plants. Make sure that the shrub does not have buds set before you prune. Lilacs, rhododendrons, and azaleas will have buds set for next years flowers, make sure you don’t prune these plants. Shrubs can be pruned for shape and structure. This will help the plants to fill out more the following season. 'Paniculata' hydrangeas (Limelight, Pinky Winky) can be pruned to improve structure, and big leaf hydrangeas (Endless Summer, Annabelle) can be cut back to 4-6" in fall or spring.

Broadleaf Evergreens

The broadleaf evergreens can be susceptible to winter winds, especially if they have been planted during the current growing season. Covering or protecting these plants with burlap or cut boughs is one way to protect them during winter. Wilt-Pruf and Wilt-Stop are two spray-on products that will seal in moisture. Boxwoods, Rhododendrons, Pieris, and holly are plants that should have extra protections for the first growing season.

Evergreens

Evergreens don’t require any special winter care outside of monitoring watering on new plantings. Evergreens will use water from the ground until it freezes. If weather in October and November is dry, additional watering may need to be done to prepare evergreens. Water once every two weeks if there is a lack of rainfall.

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