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Even though the cold appears to be setting in quicker than usual this year, it is still very important to take the necessary steps to clean-up around your yard. Here are our recommendations:

For Lawns:

1.) Lower your mower's cutting height to approximately 2 inches for the last couple cuts of the Fall. This will leave more nutrients in the soil and allow the leaf tissue that is present be more prepared for the winter dormancy. The lawn will also green up faster in the spring as a result!

2.) Rake all leaves up around perennials and throughout the lawn. Leaves can trap moisture, block sunlight, and cause winter-born fungus and disease to develop, so it is very important to pick up the leaves throughout your yard before the end of November.

3.) It is not too late to apply fall/winter lawn food. There may not be much benefit to the grass blades you see, but the nutrients will remain in the soil for early spring and will be utilized at that time.

For Garden Areas:

1.) Cut back perennials, shrubs, and trees to prevent winter damage. Snow and ice can weigh on plant branches and cause them to break. Shorter branches will make them more sturdy and will help the plant to return nutrients through the winter.

2.) Cover evergreens that might suffer winter damage from cold wind and ice melters. We sell lots of burlap this time of the year and it is a great material to use to break the wind and keep plant leaves from dying through extreme temperatures. Plants close to roadways can suffer dieback from road salt as well, so these are areas that you might want to pay attention to and cover. The other option is to use a product such as Wilt Stop from Bonide. This product is sprayed on plant leaves in the Fall to prevent moisture loss through the winter. This is a way to protect your evergreens without losing their appearance.

3.) Dig up summer-blooming flower bulbs, such as canna lily, dahlia, anemone, and others so that the roots do not freeze through the winter. Even though the temperatures are getting cold, the ground is still dig-able and you will want to rescue these plants now, before it is too late. After digging them up, you will want to place them in a cold dry place to survive the winter at a dormant state.

We hope that these tips help this Fall. Thanks for reading!