6 Ways to Prepare Your Garden for Fall

September 13, 2012 by Cindy Eack Leave a comment

Consider planting native plants to your garden. False indigo is native to Illinois and can with stand drought.

6 Gardening To-Dos for September

With the cooler temperatures and a wide selection of fall plants at nursery centers,  this month is a great time to get your garden ready for next spring.    But don’t forget to enjoy the beauty of Autumn in Central Illinois.  Happy Gardening….

1. Plant new trees, shrubs and perennials.  Consider planting drought tolerant plants….Links include list of drought tolerant plants.  Morton Arboretum native Plant list; Birds and Blooms list; Highland Gardens
2. Plant annuals (ie. Mums, cabbages and kale) for fall color.
3. Rejuvenate Containers. Tidy up your summer containers, deadhead plants, prune back or remove spent foliage. For inspiration check out Garden Design for idea.
4. Core aerate and over seed lawn.
5. Continue to water the garden during dry spells.  Consistent watering in fall helps plants prepare for winter.
6. Pull weeds before they set seed to prevent even more weeds next spring.