Whether you want to admit it or not, the fall season is just around the corner. This is the perfect time to do some gardening to prep your garden for a beautiful start next year. Many think that spring and summer are the times when gardening is the most important but fall season garden prep is critical for a healthy garden all year round.
1. Give your Grass Some Attention
Early in the fall, repair dead spots in the lawn by digging straight down and as deep as necessary to remove all soil containing the roots. Fill the hole with loamy topsoil and tamp down to level with the turf. Seed the area with a mix that matches your existing turf grass. Water regularly while the seeds germinate and sprout.
2. Make Use of All those Leaves
Leaves are your biggest assets. After they fall off trees, they break down to create essential nutrients that feed your plants. Dig a big hole and pile them in. They’ll break down eventually and give you wonderful leaf mould for mulching in the spring.
3. Feed your Bulbs
Combine one part blood meal, one part bone meal, and one part wood ash to scatter over bulb beds for beautiful blooms come spring.
4. Plant Some Trees
Fall is the ideal time to plant a deciduous tree. Plant your new addition about six weeks before the deep frost. Be sure to prepare a hole large enough, about five times the width of the root ball. Retain the soil you remove from the hole and use it as backfill to allow your new tree to adjust to its natural soil as quickly as possible.
5. Add Lighting
Add a little lighting to extend the beauty of your garden through the winter months. You could try adding light pale trees such as birches with back floodlighting, or sling tiny lights over your shrubs and trees to give your winter garden a whimsical aesthetic.
6. Pretty Up your Porch
Don’t forget to pick up some “mums” flowers (Chrysanthemum) for your front step… the perfect fall potted plant. Mums are the perfect porch plant for fall because they are readily available in our area and hold up well to our cool fall climate. They do well on hot days and on colder nights. Our favourite place to get mums is the Ritchie Feed & Seed on the corner of Eagleson Road and Ottawa Street in Richmond.
Checklist for Preparing Your Home for the Winter:
- Shut off exterior faucets and put aways hoses.
- Replace outdoor light bulbs.
- Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors – check expiry dates!
- Walk around your property and check for signs of damage to the exterior – organize repairs prior to winter’s arrival. Call us if you need any referrals to reputable companies!
- Clean gutters and downspouts.
- Check exhaust vents and dryer vent.
- Have your furnace serviced and gas fireplace if applicable.
- Schedule a chimney cleaning if you use a wood fireplace or woodstove.
- Stock up on winter supplies like ice melt, salt and snow shovels.