By Nancy Bauer
End-of-season Project:
We’re now in the best “zone” for planting bulbs — when nighttime lows are in the 40- to 50-degree range and when the soil temperature at planting depth hits 55 degrees. You can test the soil with a soil probe or even a meat thermometer if you can push it 3 to 6 inches deep into the soil.
• Plant several pockets of bulbs in the most visible areas of your beds. Next spring, an emerging group of tulips or daffodils will create a bright pop of color nestled among still-dormant perennials.
• Avoid planting bulbs all in a row like little soldiers. Instead, plant groups of 10-12 bulbs together with a few inches between each bulb. Leave more space between larger bulbs.
Fertilize and aerate your lawn:
Fertilize one more time in the last half of October. Ironically, it’s the two fall-ish fertilizations — the one around Labor Day and the one in late October — that are two of the three most important times to fertilize the lawn.
Use a lawn fertilizer that has plenty of nitrogen, less phosphorous and potassium. Some examples would be 20-10-5, 11-5-5, or 21-7-11. After the stresses of summer, grasses need to build carbohydrate reserves to endure the winter; it is nitrogen that is needed to promote carbohydrate production.
Don’t prune trees and shrubs:
Avoid the temptation to prune trees and shrubs in late fall. Deciduous trees and shrubs, as well as evergreens, do not have the ability or time to close up wounds when they are dormant or semi-dormant. Heavy pruning should be accomplished in mid-to-late spring, when plants can rapidly heal pruning cuts.
Protect trees from sunscald damage:
‘Sunscald’ is a term referring to dead tree tissue occurring from direct sunrays heating up tree tissue in mid-winter and freezing nighttime temperatures that kill the activated tissue. This is a severe threat to newly planted trees; consequently, they should receive protection for at least (2) years.
Commercial tree wraps are an effective method of preventing sunscald damage. Starting at the trunk’s base, overlap the wrap as it is applied upward to a point above the second branch. Attach the wrap at the top and bottom with a single tack or electric tape. This wrap will need to be removed in mid April to prevent insect damage.
Early Frosts:
Now is the time to begin paying attention to the weather forecasts for predictions of early frosts. Cover plants if necessary.
How to protect the backflow device from freeze damage:
• Turn the valve handle at a 45-degree angle.
• Wrap the device with a towel to provide insulation.
• To keep moisture out, cover the whole device with a plastic bag that you secure with duct tape around the bottom.
If you have not yet scheduled having your sprinkler system winterized by blowing out the lines with compressed air, schedule your service appointment soon.
Don’t Forget to Water:
Especially new plantings, but also anything in your landscape, water every 3-4 weeks throughout fall and winter if we have no snow cover. Our soils can become extremely dry during winter and roots still need to have moisture to survive.
Evergreens can also benefit from a ‘water scrub’. Use a nozzle that will let you apply a strong, full force spray; start at the top of the plant and work downward. Scrubbing will remove summer’s build up of dust and pollution, freeing the little ‘breathing holes (stoma) in the needles. That leads to healthier trees with less stress. Water scrubbing also washes off insects such as aphids and spider mites, loose scale insects and eggs along with dead brown needles.