The growing season may be over, but you should think twice if you think your garden duties are finished for the year! While it may be tempting to pack things in until next year, accomplishing some tasks in the fall can set you up for an even better growing season come spring. If you’re looking for some landscaping tips after Labour Day, you’ve come to the right place!
Enrich Your Soil
Autumn is a great time to enrich your soil. Adding amendments now will give them time to break down and amalgamate with what you already have going for you. Compost, green manures or other natural fertilizers can be dug in or rototilled to get a head start for next year. You may also want to think about an overwintering crop such as hairy vetch, oats or field beans to protect your plot from erosion while naturally adding nitrogen to the soil.
Remove Diseased Plants
Allowing diseased plants to fester in your garden over the winter can lead to years-long problems. Make sure to properly dispose of any problematic plants you’ve had over the past season – especially diseased tomatoes, squash or potatoes. Keep them out of your compost bin and dispose of them by burning or removing them from your property altogether.
Set Yourself Up For A Blooming Spring
Now is the time to plant spring-blooming bulbs. A little work now can pay off with beautiful flowering dividends come spring. Pay attention to the bloom times of the various bulbs and try to place them so that you have continuous flowering throughout the spring.
Winterize The Lawn
A little lawn care in the fall will help your grass make it through the winter and give you a nice green patch come spring. When it comes to landscaping after Labour Day, it’s difficult to do better for your lawn than removing excess plant debris (aka dethatching,) aerating and fertilizing. You may also want to think about laying some seed over patchy areas or applying some weedkiller to problematic spots of your lawn.