The fall is a wonderful season with so much for the whole family to enjoy. Crisp, sunny mornings. Hot, spied cider and caramel lattes. Cable knit sweaters and snuggling by the fire. Walking on a sidewalk bedecked with crunchy autumnal leaves. And that ever so slightly smoky smell that’s always in the air, bringing with it a strange sense of excitement and optimism.
Maybe it’s the fact that the kids are back at school. Maybe it’s the fact that college campuses are starting to fill with students again bringing their sense of zeal and hope with them. But there’s something optimistic and hopeful about the fall season, even though the leaves on the trees may be falling and dying. Yet it doesn't mean that your garden should be neglected or not worth putting some work into.
There's plenty of herbs and plants that thrive in the Fall.
Image by Flora Westbrook via Pixabay
And while fall is a great time to curl up indoors with someone you love, it’s also a wonderful time to spend in your garden. There’s nothing as nourishing to your mental wellbeing as enjoying a hot drink in your garden on a misty, crisp and bright fall morning. At a time when our outdoor spaces represent an even greater degree of safety and stress relief, we can look forward to relying on them even more this fall season. But many of us aren’t quite sure what to do in the garden when summer draws to a close. Here are some fall gardening tips to help you make the most of your outdoor space this season...
Taking care of your lawn
Over summer, you likely allowed your grass to grow a little longer because you were worried about the effects of scalping in the summer sun. But when the colder, more moist fall weather hits, you can afford to cut that lawn a little shorter. You might even want to treat yourself to a new mower that’ll give you more control over how short you clip your lawn. Click to read more. Your lawn is going to be dormant for the rest of the year, so you can afford to cut it down to around 1.5 inches. Be careful not to remove more than a third of the blade, though.
Get proactive with weed control
You’ve probably been spending the whole summer battling against weeds. But if there are any that have survived the purge, now is your last chance to get them under control before falling leaves and snow make weeding virtually impossible. While your grass is less active, weeds can grow more aggressive, which is why it’s important to be proactive now at the start of fall.
Aerate your soil
Part of fall gardening is preparing your garden for the challenges of winter and giving it a fighting chance to bounce back stronger than ever in spring. One of the best ways to guarantee this is to aerate your soil. This prevents the soil from becoming compacted and preventing your grass, shrubs, flowers and other small plants from getting access to the moisture they need.
Keep on top of those leaves
Finally, walking on a carpet of crunchy bronze-colored leaves is one of the most enjoyable things about the season. But when fallen leaves grow out of control in your garden they can start to decompose, sapping moisture out of your garden’s soil and providing a potential refuge to all kinds of insects that could prove damaging to your lawn. Diligent raking / blowing is the best way to keep on top of those leaves.
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