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By Vicki O'Neal, ASID, CID
 A beautiful garden next spring and summer means planning ahead. Fall is the very best time for planting almost anything in your landscape. The weather is much more forgiving this time of year, and Mother Nature provides many incentives which make the investment in your landscape pay extra dividends next spring and summer.
Trees and shrubs benefit from fall planting as they are given a chance to put down new roots and become established in their new home through the fall and winter months. Come next summer they have acclimated to their new location and don’t need as much care and maintenance as they would if planted in the spring. We generally have more rain in the fall, and the cooler temperatures ensure that new plants get off to the best start possible. Fall is also the best time for transplanting any trees or shrubs you feel may be more attractive in a different location.
Another advantage to fall planting is that inventory in the nurseries is at its peak just as it is in spring. If you have a specific plant bloom color in mind, for instance you would like a pink dogwood instead of white, it is generally recommended to purchase those items when they are in bloom to ensure getting the specific plant you wish. To that end, fall is a great time not only to plant but to plan your overall garden design. Imagine succession blooming and multi seasonal interest. The garden can be beautiful even in the dead of winter. A professional landscape designer can be of great value in this process.
 Think back to last March and recall those first daffodil blooms. There’s nothing like their wonderful glistening color and delightful fragrance to announce the arrival of spring. There is a wide assortment of spring flowering bulbs that require planting in the fall. Crocus, daffodils, and hyacinths are all ideally planted in October. Tulips are best planted a little later in the season as they prefer cooler temperatures, and perform best here when planted deeply (8-10”).
And of course, fall is the best time for starting a lawn from scratch, laying sod, or restoring an existing lawn. In September, the lawn should ideally be aerated, perhaps dethatched, over-seeded, and fertilized. Always aerate when the soil is moist, otherwise the ground cannot be penetrated and the aerator just bounces along the surface. Keep in mind that grass seed must be kept moist or it will not germinate. If you have an irrigation system, setting it to run for a short few minutes in the morning, early and late afternoon will accomplish this. It only needs to stay moist, so running the sprinkler for long periods not only may cause the seed to run off, but may cause it to rot from over-watering.
There are many clean up activities in the fall as well. The falling leaves need to be removed, as well as the dying foliage of summer annuals and perennials. Composting is a great way to dispose of this type of garden waste and builds beautiful, rich, organic soil for you garden. Compost is called “black gold” in gardening circles because it is such a highly valued commodity for amending the soil.
So enjoy the fall season and planting in your garden. It nurtures the soul and the rewards in the spring will more than repay all of your efforts.
DESIGN MATTERS
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