EDDIE SEAGLE: Fall is in the air

“October, baptize me with leaves! Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse me with split pea soup. October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins. O autumn! O teakettle! O grace!”

— Rainbow Rowell

Welcome October with all of its colorful and climatic glamour. The weather is most comfortable (minus the humidity) with coloration just around the corner. Fall is in the air. This is the month that initiates seasonal activity in your landscape from color enjoyment and curb appeal to activity resolution and evening moments sitting around the outside fireplace or wood burner. And, don’t forget about football (high school and college) and baseball (as the men of October start to shine). Wow! Lots going on!

It’s time to work with your plants, modify the landscape, and prepare the site for the selected planting of herbaceous and woody plant materials. Your landscape checklist this month should include the following items as they pertain to your individual needs.

Birds: Make the necessary preparations to help our feathered friends in the hunt for food this winter season. Start by cleaning existing feeders and placing them in strategic locations for bird activity and window viewing this winter which will provide much enjoyment from the comfort of your home. Replace bird food as necessary to insure an adequate supply for their survival. Also left undisturbed, the dry seed heads on many of your plants is another great way to supply winter food for birds.

Composting: The easiest way to dispose of fallen leaves and expired plants is to dig them directly into the garden soil. To speed the rate of decomposition, sprinkle the material with urea, sodium nitrate, or other fast release nitrogen fertilizer before working the debris into the soil. Turn the soil every two to three weeks until decomposition is complete. The soil will be ready for use in the spring. Composting bins can also be very helpful as you plan your composting needs.

Cuttings: Make cuttings of impatiens, geraniums, coleus, and chrysanthemums to root for next spring’s garden. Fill your nursery flats or other well-drained containers with a moist mixture of equal parts of perlite and peat moss (or a commercial mix like ProMix). Take three- or four-inch cuttings from healthy plants, and remove the leaves from the bottom half of each cutting. Dip the end of each cutting in a rooting hormone and insert in rooting medium. Place flats in the greenhouse or other warm, sunny location. Once roots have formed (three to six weeks), transplant seedlings into four-inch or comparable pots. Overwinter in the greenhouse or other sunny, indoor location.

Houseplants: Plan to bring houseplants indoors (that summered outdoors) as the temps begin to cool down. After months of humidity and sufficient light outdoors, they must now adapt to the drier air and lower light levels inside the home. Proper acclimatization is critical in that the plants should be slowly transitioned from the outdoors to a one- to two-week holding area (carport or garage) before placement indoors. Before leaving their outdoor environment, check each plant for problems such as insect or disease activity, fertilizer deficiencies, and general plant health. The problem is easier addressed outdoors rather than indoors later. Also, clean exterior of each pot thoroughly along sides and bottom using garden hose and scrub brush. Use pruning shears to snip any root activity exiting the pot. If the plant is root- or pot-bound, then transplant to next larger pot size while outdoors.

Irrigation: Don’t forget the water! The weather may be cooler, but your landscape can still be exposed to long spans of dry, sunny weather. It’s particularly important that all newly planted perennials, groundcovers, trees and shrubs don’t dry out. The strategy is to water deeply (not a light surface application) to establish self-sufficient plants. Plants use less water during cooler weather.

Leaves: As fall color approaches, we will all enjoy the leaf color and arrangement given to us by nature. However, as fall color plays its course, the leaves will eventually drop from the trees and accumulate all over the ground on the lawn and bed areas alike. We must take measures to clean up the leaf debri and properly dispose of our collection. A small price to pay for the beauty and curb appeal of deciduous tree leaves in the fall.

Overseeding: Overseeding with cool season turgrasses is the practice to achieve winter color on your warm season lawn during host dormancy. While it is cosmetically beneficial, it also offers some competitiveness which may reduce the density of your host turfgrass come spring. Upon evaluation of turfgrass texture and density, bermudagrass is more overseeding-friendly than other lawn grasses. Centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysia, and paspalums are not as overseeding-friendly. It is very important to understand the end result on your host turfgrass come spring and next season. Overseeding of bermudagrass can be effectively achieved using mixtures or blends of ryegrass and other cool season grasses between now and late November. An alternate approach to overseeding for winter coloration of your lawn is the application of color pigments that match the natural color of your host turfgrass. These pigments will last throughout the season with one to two applications and are turfgrass- and environmentally friendly.

Perennials: Fall is the best season to plant such perennials as iris, daylilies, Shasta daisies, plantain lilies (hosta), carpet bugleweed (ajuga), and perennial phlox. If established perennials have become overcrowded, dig and divide them. Complete planting and transplanting as early as possible to allow plants enough time to become established before cold weather arrives. The first killing frost is usually about Nov. 15, but varies each year (even into December).

Planting: Planted now, container-grown and b&b (balled and burlapped) trees and shrubs will have plenty of time to become established before cold weather begins. Next spring, the plants will get off to a strong start, as the roots will be established and plant energy can be spent on leaf and flower production.

Root pruning: Young trees and shrubs to be moved this winter should be root pruned now. Insert a spade into the ground in a circular pattern around the plant (18- to 24-inches from the trunk pending size of transplant) with minimal disturbance to the rootstock soil. This severs the roots and encourages new feeder roots which minimizes suffering and stress during the transplanting process. Maintain optimal cultural practices, especially sufficient watering.

Seeds: Harvest, dry, clean and store seeds from desirable annuals such as zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, and marigolds before the gardening season comes to an end. The drying process includes placement into a paper bag in a cool environment for two to three weeks. Then, tap and lightly shake bag to release seeds from their pods. The cleaning process requires separation of the seeds from chafe, debris and trash of the seed casings using strainers or sieves. The storage process involves placement of seeds into a sealed container and placed in a refrigerator (not freezer) until spring.

May the results of your immediate efforts be long-lasting so that you can enjoy the fruits of your labor for seasons to come. Think sustainability! Keep your hanging baskets and potted plants refreshed with water and food. Select awesome mums for fall color. Plan a road trip to enjoy fall colors in the mountains with all that splendor and beauty designed by nature. Remember to feed and water the songbirds, and give your pets the care they need (do not leave them unattended in a hot car or tied to a tree all day long). Also, be on lookout for children playing along the streets and roadways throughout our communities. Don’t drive distracted or impaired, and don’t text while driving. Let’s keep everyone safe! And, by the way, don’t forget about the upcoming football games! It’s going to be an awesome season!

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” Colossians 1:13.

Eddie Seagle is a sustainability associate, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland); agronomist and horticulturalist, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International); professor emeritus and honorary alumnus, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and associate editor of The Golf Course, International Journal of Golf Science. Direct inquiries to [email protected].