Fall is here in full force...are your gardens ready?

Image by Cedar Grove Composting via Flickr

Have you ever driven up to your house and realized your flower beds have changed seasons without you? I had that lovely epiphany on Sunday. I looked around my yard and all my beautiful summer flowers were spent, my trees are turning colors, and my lawn looks tired!
 

How I could let this happen in the span of a few short weeks? To remedy my malaise with these withering blossoms, I pulled the cover off my pile of Cedar Grove's NW Garden Mulch and then drove to my neighborhood garden center. Right now you can find a lot of great fall colors and summer stock was on clearance (I got a dahlia for $2.50 that I would have paid triple for earlier in the year!). I replaced my summer containers with vibrant mums and purple asters. Another great pick up is the new ruffled winter pansies, lime green heuchera, and purple plume grass.

After planting my new plants and putting a good 3" layer of the NW Garden Mulch down around my plants, my landscape looks like a shiny penny!!

Now for my lawn. I picked up 1/2 yard of Cedar Grove Compost and raked it into my lawn, check out our how-to video on You Tube. I covered the grass and then raked vigorously until I could still see the blades of my grass. Now all I have to wait for is Mother Nature to take over and work it in. The grass will stay healthy through the fall and come back lush and green next spring.

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Remember: Fall is the second gardening season. Stay tuned for our next blog post when we talk about bulb planting season and dividing your plants before winter!

Late Summer/Early Fall tips

With the recent heat wave, I am dreading working outside in my yard. Staying indoors with the air conditioner on seems more enjoyable than doing yard work in the scorching sun. I then take a look outside and remind myself of how beautiful my yard is when my flowers are bloomed, shrubs are neatly trimmed, and my lawn is free from weeds.

If you are like me and want to enjoy what little summer we have left, here are a few tips you can do to make sure your garden is looking its best for the upcoming fall.

Be sure to dead head and nip back your annuals. Give them a dose of organic, water-soluble fertilizer so they will come back again next year.

Dead head your rose bushes. They will be good for one or two more blooms, especially if we have another Indian summer. Some perennials will give you a second blooming if you cut them back.

How's your lawn surviving this summer? September is a great month to work on your lawn, regardless if it survived the heat or wilted away. If your lawn is still in tact, spread out some compost to amend the soil or to top dress it. If you plan on installing a brand new lawn, try using Cedar Grove Two-way Topsoil. It's ideal for installation of news lawns or even maintaining existing landscapes.

Happy gardening!