Give Landscape Plants a Helpful Fall Feeding – When it comes to fall feeding, timing is everything: wait until your trees, shrubs, and perennials have finished their seasonal growth and are preparing for winter dormancy. Feeding them from mid-October through late November supports strong root growth, helping plants weather the winter and get off to a healthy start next spring. For best results, choose a granular, slow-release fertilizer with macro- and micronutrients, such as Holly-tone, Plant-tone, or Tree-tone. Before applying, gently pull back any existing mulch so the fertilizer can reach the root zone. Work it into the soil, replace the mulch, and water thoroughly to help activate the nutrients. If the area isn’t already mulched, add a 2-inch layer for extra winter protection. Espoma’s Holly-tone, Plant-tone, Tree-tone, and Evergreen-tone will be 30% off from October 8th through October 31st.
Pruning Shrubs and Trees; Cutting Back Perennials – Pruning is essential for plant health. Whether it’s for removing old wood, retaining shape and or reinvigorating. Removing old wood helps maintain good airflow and stop insects and diseases from taking up residence. For general or shape pruning, DO NOT remove than 1/3 of the plant branching structure overall. This limits the shock/stress to the plant. Exceptions to this are plants with a lot of dead wood or that are grossly overgrown. This reinvigorates the plant and allows for new growth to provide better shape and improve overall health. Perennials should be cut back at the end of the growing season or before growth starts in the spring. Some prefer to leave perennials untouched with attractive foliage that stays all winter or seed heads that feed the birds and other wildlife.
Planting in the Fall – October is unbeatable for planting! Our nursery is currently running an end of season sale on perennials, shrubs and trees! Stop by and get yours now! And don’t forget Espoma’s Bio-tone Starter Plus to give your new plants the best possible start. Plus, we have a terrific selection of hardy mums, ornamental cabbage, kale and peppers, pansies and celosia to add some amazing fall color to your yards, porches and patios.
Systemic Control of Next Spring’s Insects NOW – Aphids, leaf miners, lace bugs, adelgids, spotted lanternfly and many more sucking insects can be controlled for 12 months by treating trees and shrubs NOW with Monterey Lawn and Gardens’ – Once A Year Insect Control. Applied as a soil drench, the insecticide is absorbed by the roots and translocated throughout the plant, where it remains active for up to 12 months. When the plants’ growth resumes next spring, this systemic insecticide is there to eliminate feeding pests on the trunk, stems, branches and leaves.
Protect Vulnerable Trees and Shrubs from Hungry Deer and Other Pests – As the weather cools and food becomes scarce for our animal friends, they tend to become more brazen in their search for food, and our landscape plantings look even more delicious to them as winter closes in. Since most are nocturnal in their scavenging and feeding, shooing them off becomes ineffective. To protect valuable landscape plants, we recommend REGULAR applications (every 14 days initially and then every 30 days once damage has ceased) of one of our several lines of repellent products (available in granular or liquid) on and around trees, shrubs, and other plants that appeal to our animal friends. All of which are pet friendly and safe for children. Another option is erecting a physical barrier such as burlap or deer netting, which can be very effective, but not so aesthetically pleasing. Whichever option you choose, we’ve got you covered.
For the Birds – Birdwatching can help reduce stress and brighten your day. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while watching these colorful visitors. As natural food becomes scarce, offering a dependable food source gives birds a welcome boost and encourages them to stay nearby, providing lively entertainment throughout the winter. Birds fed during winter may also return to nest in your area next spring. Our birding products make thoughtful gifts for bird enthusiasts. Explore our selection of birdseed, feeders, and accessories—including squirrel-deterrent feeders—and let us guide you in choosing the food and feeders that work best for your yard.
Newsletters – Did you know that you can find all the great information in our newsletters on our website under the NEWS tab? Help us Go Green by signing up to receive our newsletters by email, which provide direct links to the exact information that you’re reading in the paper version, plus extras about current sales and promotions. You can sign up for our email newsletters by going to our website (www.lawndepotinc.com), calling or stopping by to provide the email address you’d like to receive them at.
October, being a transitional month in nature, is very important when it comes to in lawn and garden maintenance. Remember, there are 6-8 weeks left in the fall season. There’s still much to accomplish with lawns and landscapes. The benefits of completing these tasks will be self-evident next spring. As always, you can look to The Lawn Depot as your complete source for everything lawn and garden related. Also, be on the lookout via email, Facebook, Instagram or at the garden center for our amazing fall sales and specials! We look forward to seeing all of you several more times this year. Really! We can’t wait to help you accomplish all your lawn and landscape goals this fall.