Autumn in the Garden

Although the season is winding down, the many warm days are allowing the season to end in grand blooming fashion!

Let’s talk FROST

The first frost date in our area is typically 10/7.

There are three type of frosts that affect the garden.

-Light Frost @ 36 Degrees

-Freeze @ 32 Degrees

-Killing Frost @ 28 Degrees

Frosts will finish off the annuals, but if you LOVE your plants as much as we do prepare buckets/pots and blankets to protect your plants and extend the growing season.

When do I stop watering in the fall?

Plants begin to go dormant when the temperatures hit 40’s at night. However, autumn is when perennials stregthen their root system and it can’t hurt to continue watering them during a particularly dry (or windy) autumn. We like to foritfy our plants root systems (especially our south-facing beds) with healthy hydration, so while you may have turned off your spirnkler system, keep your hose handy.

Conclusion: Watering in the fall season is a good gardening practice - especially if your plants are new this season.

Should I cut back my perennials?

As long as your perennials look good, leave them alone. Some may die back after the first frost, but we love the winter interest of coneflowers, grasses, astilbe, liatris, clematis, bee balm, black eyed susan, sedum . . . gosh we could go on. Don’t underestimate how cute a coneflower looks with a snow hat!

Leaving the foliage and seed heads of plants intact until warmer weather offers food and shelter for animals. **If your plants had disease this year, do remove the foliage and throw it into the trash, not the compost.

Conclusion: We take our cues from nature. The natural world has old stems and leaves on it every Winter. We say leave them for Spring!