A Fresh Start for Fall

Tania Kegyes, 2011 President, Lorain County Association of REALTORS®

Tania Kegyes 2011 LoCAR President

What you do to your garden in the fall can directly affect its success next season.

According to many lawn professionals, autumn is not merely a time to plant trees, grass and spring-blooming bulbs. It's also the time to "regroup" and fortify lawns and gardens in preparation for cool winter temperatures and spring blossoms.

Clean up
Now is the time to remove dying annuals and dead branches and leaves from trees and shrubs and toss them into the compost pile. Don't add diseased or insect-infected foliage to compost, as it can spread. Be sure to leave live material undisturbed, as pruning may produce new buds that will die during a winter freeze.

Protect
In areas that receive winter snow and ice storms, fall is a good time to wrap shrub branches with twine, to prevent them from breaking under the weight of a winter wonderland. Simply secure twine to the shrub trunk and wrap upward in a spiral. Do the same in a downward spiral from the top and tie to the tree trunk.

Hedges can be protected by lightly clipping the sides to taper upward, so snow will not fall between branches.

Divide and conquer
Many plants benefit from being divided every few years. Spring- and summer-blooming plants can be divided in the fall. Perennials with roots that spread or produce shoots from their base are the best candidates for division. Those that have dead growth in the center and young, healthy growth on the outside are ready to be divided and replanted as new and separate plants.

Love your lawn
Yes, summer is over, but mowing is not. Warm-season lawns Depending on a lawn's condition, it will benefit from aeration (holes created to make soil less compact and encourage growth) once a year to once every few years. The job is made easier by renting a core aerator from a garden center.

After aerating, re-seed fescue and add lime if necessary -- a soil sample can be taken to your county extension service for testing -- followed by a slow-release fertilizer. Use a spade or shovel to apply top-dressing (a mixture of loam, horticultural sand and organic matter) evenly over a new lawn or stressed lawn. Top-dressing improves the consistency of the soil and can be purchased pre-mixed.

When half an inch of thatch (debris that forms at the base of grass stems) builds up, remove it with a rake. This process, known as de-thatching, allows water, air and fertilizer to reach grass roots easily. It's best to de-thatch on an autumn day when the ground is moist. Don't worry if the lawn looks worse afterwards, as the benefits will be visible in a few months.

After aerating and de-thatching, feed with a starter fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and iron. The rate and frequency of fertilizing depends on soil and grass types as well as manufacturer instructions. Autumn is also the time to sod or sow any patches of lawn that are bare or need repairing. And finally, rake fallen leaves off grass regularly (add them to the compost bin) so they won't block sunlight or trap water.

Whenever possible it is best to anticipate and prevent problems in the garden. Fall's mild conditions provide the perfect opportunity to have the lawnmower serviced and to clean garden tools (try a solution of one-part bleach to nine-parts water). Also lubricate, tighten and sharpen tool parts as needed.

Grub control should be applied to lawns in the fall to kill grub larvae before they mature. And finally, apply a pre-emergent to warm-season grass to prevent weeds from popping up in the spring.

It's that time of year -- so sip cider, go on a hayride and get busy on your fall gardening "to-do" list.

If you're in the market for a new home...or thinking about selling your current home, contact a REALTOR. Their value and expertise will ensure a professional home buying/selling experience.

The Lorain County Association of REALTORS® is one of more than 1,200 local boards and associations of REALTORS® nationwide that comprise the National Association of REALTORS®. The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing more than one million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all real estate sales agents are REALTORS®. All REALTORS® are members of NAR along with their State and Local Associations.