Create Animal Habitats
Also think about pollinators during your fall plant selection process. Select native plants known to draw in bees, butterflies, and birds. These animals spread seeds, enjoy the nectar, and pollinate nearby food and other plants, enhancing your garden and flower harvest.
Divide and Conquer Fall and spring are the best times to divide plants. Daylilies can be divided once the blooms fade. Simply drive a sharp-edged spade into the grouping and work a clump away. Alternately, dig out the entire group and cut away sections, making sure to leave a good root system for each division. Hostas are another plant that divide well in the late summer. A hearty hosta may have 70 or more “eyes.” Leaving them in groups of at least 12 can provide at least five new plants to share or plant elsewhere. Plus, it gives the original plant more vigor to grow. Sometimes, you’re looking to drive animals away from your yard, like pesky insects or munching deer. Other times, you may want to provide a haven from bitter weather. Providing habitat for wildlife in your yard is as easy as cleaning and filling bird feeders and sweeping out bird, butterfly and bat houses. If you have space away from your home, stack larger branches in a messy pile, especially those you’ve gathered while deadheading. Small animals will use the pile to take up residence for the winter.
Order Fall Bulbs They are called fall bulbs, but that’s only because they are planted in the fall. These flowers will bless you in the spring. Most bulbs need to go in the ground shortly before the freeze hits. You’re monitoring for a time when the ground temperature is consistently cool but not yet frozen. Order your bulbs in advance and store them in a cool place until you’re ready to plant them. Common fall bulbs include crocus, daffodil, tulips, iris and hyacinth.
Continue to Plant In addition to bulbs, there are a plethora of other plantings calling for attention in late summer. Create a plan for your trees, shrubs and perennials so they are in the ground and ready for next season. Evergreens can go in the soil during the late summer and early fall so they can get an established root system before the first freeze. Deciduous trees can be planted throughout the late summer and into mid-fall. Avoid planting slow- rooting varieties until spring. If they don’t have time to get established, the cold will kill them off.
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