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Fall: Now is the time to...
Annuals & Herbs
Start decorating for fall by pulling out all of your tired summer annuals and replacing them with colorful ornamental peppers and marigolds. Add some ornamental grasses and mums to those vivid colors and you have a festive fall display!
Begin to plant your herb and vegetable garden with plants that thrive in the cool temperatures: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, collards, kale and mustards.
Plant herbs that perform well in winter: parsley, rosemary, thyme, fennel, sage and chives. There is nothing like home garden veggies and herbs!
Fall is famous for college football. Show your team spirit by planting a container with your college colors to decorate for your football or tailgating parties.
Perennials
Plant perennials now through November. The plants will branch more freely and bloom more profusely in spring when planted in fall.
Cut back bearded iris foliage when it begins to flop over.
Keep watering if we don’t get a weekly inch of rain.
Exceptional perennials for fall color include: Joe Pye weed, Turk’s cap, swamp sunflowers, Mexican bush sage, angel’s trumpets, lemon marigold, confederate rose, autumn clematis, and coral vine.
Plant flowers for hummingbirds and butterflies: Asclepias, black and blue salvia, russellia and manettia vine.
Nursery
Fall is a great time to plant trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and most palms. Evaluate your garden spaces to see if the existing plants are performing the way you need them to or if its time to take them out and start anew.
Fertilize all trees, shrubs, groundcovers and palms during the month of September. There are general purpose fertilizers and plant specific fertilizers, see a salesperson for more information.
Typically the best time to trim flowering shrubs is when their bloom cycle has ended. Now is a good time to give summer blooming shrubs (Oleander, Abelia) a light trim to keep them in shape.
A couple notes about hydrangeas: If they have not been trimmed by September, only trim off spent blooms being careful not to trim into the branch. Most hydrangeas begin to set buds for next year in the fall, so trimming into the branch can inadvertently remove new buds which can decrease the number of blooms next year. The exception would be Endless Summer Hydrangeas which bloom on new and old growth. Trimming these varieties may still reduce the number of blooms next year. To change hydrangeas from pink to blue, add aluminum sulfate fall and spring. This slowly changes the pH to be more acidic.
Monitor your garden space for insect and disease problems. The sooner a problem is identified the better chance you have of successfully treating the plant.
As ornamental grasses turn brown for winter you have a choice to either cut them back immediately or wait until the middle of February to trim them back. Leaving them alone until February gives a nice texture to the winter landscape as well as having a gentle rustle sound in the wind. Don’t cut back your sweetgrass too soon though since fall is its time to shine!
Exceptional plants available for fall: sweet grass, citrus, fruits, berries, camellias (both sasanqua and japonica), and trees.
Lawns
Use a pre-emergent herbicide in September to help protect against cool season weeds that typically germinate during the fall.
Start cutting the grass a little shorter than what was done in the heat of summer to decrease the chances of disease. Minimum height should be 1 1/2 inches for Centipede and 2 1/2 to 3 inches for St. Augustine.
Monitor your grass closely for signs of disease and/or insects. If you suspect damage from either, bring in a sample for us to look at. The earlier a problem is caught, the better chance for quick recovery.
Houseplants
Prepare houseplants for moving back indoors. Check plants for signs of disease and insects and treat accordingly. Clean foliage off with lukewarm water. Clean off pots as well.
Move plants in when temperatures outside are similar to the temperature inside your house.
Decorate your home for fall by placing colorful crotons throughout your house. Another fall favorite is the Limelight Draceana which grows well in low light interiors. The chartreuse green foliage looks lovely when placed in a contrasting pot. We also carry fall colored blooming bromeliads that add a tropical flair to your home.
Time to repot your root bound houseplants with a good draining potting soil.
If your home is really dry during the cool months, add extra humidity by placing potted houseplants on trays filled with pebbles and water to increase air humidity. Avoid placing plants in front of draughts or in front of heat vents.
Most houseplants require less water during winter months, so decrease watering.
For specific product recommendations, or answers to additional questions you might have, please come by to speak with our sales staff or e-mail your questions to info@abideawhilegardencenter.com.
Plantsthatwork.com
Monrovia.com
Ballseed.com
Provenwinners.com
Espoma Organic Fertilizers
Clemson Extension Home and Garden Center
Charleston Horticultural Society
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Abide-A-While Garden Center • 1460 Highway 17 North • Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 • (843) 884-9738
