By Nancy Bauer
The calendar may still say summer. But in Colorado, the thermometer is already saying fall-ish.
We’ve noticed daily highs getting cooler and the daylight hours getting shorter. But did you notice the much cooler nights? Right now, average nighttime low temps are more than 10 degrees cooler than they were on August 1. Cooler nights combined with fewer hours of daylight slows lawn growth considerably. That means it’s time to crank down the water and soon, and slow down the mowing.
Goodbye petunias, Hello pansies!
With fall in the air, it is time to think about replacing petunias and other summer annuals with something more seasonal. Fortunately, there are many colorful plants that can get us in the mood for Halloween and the pumpkin season.
Start with pansies. They are always a good choice because you get a lot of value for your dollar — they will come back for three seasons!
Other plant choices for fall interest include a variety of non-flowering plants:
Ornamental Kale is another favorite because it works well as a mounding plant in containers. Plant these in pots between groups of pansies.
Biennial flowers sown now, biennial flowers usually will bloom next spring or summer. Foliage rosettes will emerge in autumn or late winter.
Perennials can be divided or moved if you’re making new beds this fall or renovating existing ones. Use a digging fork or shovel to lift a clump. It is also a good time to plant new perennials.
Spring flowering bulbs need to get their roots established before subfreezing weather sets in for good. Water all bulbs in well as you plant to stimulate root growth.
Grass Seed can be sowed in now to renovate your lawn damaged from insects, drought stress, dog damage, or disease. The seed must stay moist for germination about 21-28 days.
Trees and shrubs can be planted through October. With the soil still warm but the night temperatures declining, now is a great time to plant! Did you know that 80% of a tree’s new root growth occurs from late summer until the ground freezes? The sooner things are planted in the fall, the more time is allowed for strong and healthy root development.
What to Clean Up
After frost, most annuals and vegetables look pretty sad. Pull them up and compost them, unless they have pretty seed heads you want to enjoy in winter.
Tools: Give tools a thorough cleaning before you store them in a dry place for the winter. Rusty blades will benefit from steel wool, light oil, and elbow grease. Fall is a good time to replace those beyond repair, as many stores will have tools on sale.
Sprinklers and hoses: Sprinkling systems need to be shut down and cleared. Hoses should be coiled and stored to prevent winter cracking. Keep one handy, however, for winter watering.
Pots: Empty soil out of pots. Store them upside down, under a tarp is preferable, or in a shed or garage. This helps prevent damage from alternate winter freezing and thawing.
Tree limbs: If you notice any limbs that vulnerable to snow damage, pedestrians or cars, deal with them now.
Roses: Roses are susceptible to late pruning and can often be killed by such treatment. Hybrid tea roses, however, will benefit from a mound of soil around the base of the plant. You can use potting soil from your patio containers.
What to Leave Alone:
Pruning: keep your fingers off the pruners and loppers. Perennials should be cut back or trimmed in late winter. Flowering shrubs should be pruned right after they bloom. Pruning now not only would cut off new buds that have formed but stimulate new growth, which is vulnerable to cold.
Tree limbs: An exception to the pruning rule: If you notice any limbs that vulnerable to snow damage, pedestrians or cars, deal with them now.
Roses: Roses are susceptible to late pruning and can often be killed by such treatment. Hybrid tea roses, however, will benefit from a mound of soil around the base of the plant. You can use potting soil from your patio container.
Leaves: Although fallen leaves should be removed from walks, drives and gutters, there’s no need to rake them out of perennial gardens. Fallen leaves enrich shade plants and soil beneath trees. Come spring, you might want to do a bit of additional removal.