Check out these easy and effective end of summer landscaping tips, designed to extend the season and keep your outdoor living area healthy and comfortable.
- Watering your lawn and garden can be problematic, depending on local limitations. About 1-inch of water is all that your lawn needs to push through the dog days of summer.
- If you planted late or plan to water late in the season, get a backflow wrap to protect your backflow preventer from mild freezes.
- Deadhead your flowers to encourage growth and maintain a neat appearance. Annuals like petunias and pansies take just a few minutes to deadhead, while other annuals and many perennials require cutting.
- Fall aerations are recommended to break up soil, redistribute nutrients, and improve air transfer between soil and atmosphere.
- Most plants require pruning in early spring and mid-winter, but summer provides a good opportunity for light pruning. Trimming roses helps to promote an additional series of blooms, and many flowering shrubs and trees could use a quick pruning at this time. Be sure your pruners are clean and sharpened; otherwise you risk harming vulnerable plants. Always clean your tools after dealing with diseased plants, and keep the blades free from debris and sap.
Credit: ALCC