- Consider dwarf autumn asters to brighten the flower garden.
- Autumn is a good time to apply lime to the lawn and garden if a soil test recommends it.
- Harvest gourds and squashes when they mature and before they are exposed to frost.
- Weed and edge your gardens.
- Plant tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs and crocus corms.
- Plant garlic, rhubarb and shallots.
- Plant hardy spring-blooming perennials and biennials in the garden early in the month.
- Store leftover flower and vegetable seeds in a cool, dry place.
- Provide food and water for the birds.
- Repair garden fences, trellises and accessories.
- Call a certified arborist for a serious tree problem.
- Continue to mow the lawn at a height of 2-1/2 to 3 inches until the grass stops growing.
- Start a wish list of plants and tools for next year’s gardening season.
- Spread humus (composted organic matter) two inches deep and work it into your garden soil.
- Note where autumn color is needed in the landscape and plan to add an appropriate plant next year.
- Clean and store lawn furniture.
- Rake fallen leaves to prevent them from smothering the lawn.
- Form a compost pile of garden debris.
- Make leaf mould
- Wait until the ground freezes to apply mulch around perennials.
- Plant and transplant deciduous trees and shrubs after leaf fall.
- Prune trees and shrubs after they go dormant.
- Keep mulch away from the trunks of trees and shrubs.
- Store garden stakes, hoses and tools before winter sets in.
- Remove dead chrysanthemum tops from the garden.
- Dig root crops before the ground freezes. Carrots, beets, leeks, turnips and parsnips can be harvested from the garden all winter long.
- Be sure to harvest your tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes and other tender crops before the first frost.
- Plant a cover crop of winter rye or hairy vetch on your vegetable garden.
- Transplant strawberries.
- Harvest pears before they are fully ripe.
- Harvest apples when the stem separates from the branch with a slight pull.
- And, enjoy this first full month of autumn!
Adapted from “Seeds of Hope… Harvest of Pride!” – Gardener’s Checklist, www.bright.net/~gardens/index.html
