You don't have to batten down the hatches just yet, there are still a few months of outdoor living to do! The fall months are all about planting, feeding, and cleaning your outdoor space to ensure a beautiful and healthy garden in The Spring.
Lawn Care
Aerate and vigorously thatch - aeration allows greater movement of water, fertilizer, and air which stimulates healthy turf. Aerating also increases the speed of decomposition of the grass clippings and enhances deep root growth.
Seed - make sure this is done by the end of October. Feed - ask a garden expert at your local nursery what fertilizer works best in your area.
Water - if you are in an area where the fall season is dry, make sure you water even though the weather feels much cooler
Planting
Now is the time to plan out your spring garden and plant your spring-blooming bulbs. You may want to choose this time to dig up tender bulbs like canna, elephant's ear, gladiolus, and dahlia before the first frost.
Storing tender bulbs - check for any rotting and discard if any. Squeeze, (gently), if the bulb is firm it's healthy, if it's mushy - discard. Store healthy bulbs in a cool and dry place and replant them in the spring. Now is a great time to plant annuals like chrysanthemums, impatiens, ornamental cabbage, and pansies.
Plant cool season vegetables early in October like cabbage, carrots, chard, lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach, sugar peas, and turnips.
Fall is also a good time to plant trees and shrubs. Soon after planting the wet months will take over your watering responsibilities.
Maintenance
Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!
Mulch will protect your plants' roots from freezing it will also help to prevent weeds from growing. Make sure you add clippings and fallen leaves to compost piles.
You can get one more bloom from roses by cutting any dead flowers that remain.
Stop deadheading late season.
Colorful Fall Foilage
Here is a list of trees you can plant to set your garden ablaze with color :
Japanese Maples - Acer Palmatum
Ornamental Pears - Pyrus Calleryana
Chinese Pistache - Pistacia Chinesis
Scarlet Maples - Acer Rubrum
Chinese Tallow Tree - Sapium Sebifer