Howdy, ya’ll. Hope everyone is blessed and well. Hope everyone’s lawns, trees, plants, and gardens are thriving. Those of you I had the pleasure of helping, I’d love to see photos.
Now, let’s get ready for winter. All that blood, sweat, tears and money needs to not be for nothing. Winter can be very harsh on your lawn, especially if no precautions have been taken. Fall is the best time to prepare our lawns for the diverse challenges endured through the winter. Come spring, we’ll be in bad shape if we don’t act now. Those of you who have laid sod or seeded new lawns this year will simply need to be applying a pre-emergent weed-n-feed fertilizer like Vigoro with weed stop or Scotts with halts and a winterizing fertilizer. Others of us will need to invest in a dethatcher (that’s a rake with tines on it that looks like Freddy Krueger’s finger blades) and an aerating tool. Thatch is the dead layer of grass and roots and litter that builds up just under the green surface of the lawn. This chokes the grass and suffocates the soil and can really damage the lawn. That is why it is especially important to dethatch before all the leaves fall. Living breathing soil will sustain the roots and thus bless us with a thick, plush lawn come spring. Aerating or plugging after dethatching will help water, air and fertilizer get down into the soil to prevent future thatch build up and promote the new growth. A healthy, unstressed lawn is also more insect and disease resistant. Just like us, if we stay healthy and keep our immune systems in check, we are less likely to succumb to the environment’s ails. Okay, that was the lawn.
A good idea. Before the leaves all fall off of the trees and before heavy pruning, remove the dead snags and leafless branches now why they are still easily seen. I always wait too late and have the hardest time. For us women, its kind of like our hair – the fried, dead ends are really visible before we wet it and color it.
Trees and shrubs, roses, etc. should be treated now with a systematic 3-in-1 (or 2-in-1) to get up into the system of the plant to protect them from the cold (stress) and the soil-harboring (root-feeding) insects.
By the way, I recently was forced to become familiar with heliciculture (the art and science of raising snails). Harlie Rene, bless her and her snails’ hearts. Okay, since you asked, yes snails are hermaphrodites. And they lay their eggs in our soil 1-2 inches below ground just before winter. After they eat enough of our plant friend’s roots, they emerge and their shell hardens. Then they dig down about a foot and hibernate for the winter, coming up again to feed in the spring! Aaaacckkk! Did you also know that they reproduce and some can even poop right out the side of their neck? Wow, there’s an attractive mating quality.
Anyway, I do recommend Bayer 3-in-1 Systemic for trees or roses, flowers, and shrubs. This is not only a food but also insecticide and fungicide as well.
Mulching is necessary especially to the newly planted, first season plants, etc. Their root systems have not yet completely established themselves and still require some protection. Complete acclimation cannot occur until the plant has endured all seasons. After two years, most are ready to take the training wheels off and recover just fine from the occasional bump, bruise and skinned knee. Mother Nature will always be there to kiss the boo boo and apply the band-aid. There are many types of mulch available: bark, cocoa mulch, rubber, straw, shredded redwood, and old corn cobs. Boy, my neighbors would love me. Apply 3-4 inches around the base of the plant or tree, starting 4-6 inches away from the trunk or stems, and cover the major area around the drip line. This helps insulation and moisture control.
For the new juvenile plantings, a type of windbreak should be planted (such as a larger canopied or taller shrub, which we have a great deal on 5 gallon shrubs at Home Depot. 2 for $15 and 5 for $10 for one gallon plants). Anything that will protect and shelter from the harsh, drying winter winds will help. Stakes and some 2 ft. lattice may also provide adequate protection. Which reminds me, those who have not yet signed up for the Home Depot Garden Club need to. www.homedepotgardenclub.com. You would really benefit from it, especially right now. Also, register for the free, do-it-yourself and do-it-herself clinics and come learn or hone your skills. I, myself, instruct them at the Antelope Home Depot. Good luck until next time.