Fall Planting Season
Fall is almost here. The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler. We are starting to see a little bit of fall color on a few of the trees at the nursery.
THAT MEANS FALL PLANTING SEASON IS HERE!
Fall is the best time for planting just about everything, paritcularly trees. Plants that are planted in fall get the cooler weather to get roots established without the stress of the heat and transplant shock and continue to establish roots even after they lose their leaves. They will continue root devlopment with the fall and winter rains. The roots then are established and the tree or shrub is ready to take off and grow next spring and is well established before the heat of the summer and can tolerate the summer heat much better than the same plant put out in the spring.
The inventory here at the nursery looks great. It is full and is ready for fall planting. If you are planning on planting trees this fall, don’t wait too late in the season. The inventory is full right now but we are not overstocked like the past couple of years. So as the season progresses the inventory will become more limited than in the past. We can always special order if we don’t have it but since we grow most of our trees here at the nursery, the price is generally higher if we special order it than the inventory we have on hand. If you would like a current tree inventory and price list let me know and I can send one via email. If we don’t have in stock what you are looking for we can usually get it within 1 or 2 weeks.
FERTILIZING
Fall fertilizing should be done this month. This is an important fertilizing because the plants will be going dormant soon and will store the food for next spring so they can thrive in the spring. Be sure to get it done before the fall color starts to show, for the plant to fully utilize the fertilizer. If fall color is showing then it is beginning to go dormant and will not use all the fertilzer you give it. Fertilize your evergreen plants in the fall as well to give them food to go through the winter.
FALL WEED CONTROL
Use Remuda or other non-selective herbicide to kill most growing weeds and grasses. Mix a preemergent with the weed killer to stop seeds from sprouting thus reducing the need to spray again in a few weeks. Remember, don’t use a preemergent in areas where you want to plant seeds. Be sure to spray the grasses before they start going dormant, particularly bermuda grass. If grass has invaded a flower bed, Monterey Grass Getter can be used to kill grasses in broad leafed plants. Always test on a small spot first. Not good to spray the whole area and find out that it killed one of the things you wanted.
WINTER ANNUALS AND VEGGIES
Our first shipment of winter veggies just arrived this week. They can be planted anytime now and have plenty of time to get well established before the weather becomes cold. Although not in yet, we should have onion sets and garlic soon. Winter annual flowers are now available. Daffodil and tulip bulbs will be in soon.
FALL WATERING
Don’t stop watering your plants after the first couple of showers. We need to have significant amount of rain to keep the ground moist before you can stop watering altogether. The amount of water can be reduced as the temperatures go down but makes sure you keep things watered until we get good reliable rainfall. When we do get the rainy season going, put a cut in the side of the basin around trees if you have them so that they do not stand in water through the winter that could damage the tree.
