2024 has been particularly hard on our lovely landscape plants. The excessive heat coupled with drought, has left the majority of landscape plantings struggling to survive. It’s quite literally cooked shallow roots, regardless of the amount of supplemental water provided. Shallow-rooted trees began dropping leaves in August; shrubs are wilted and new growth is minimal; perennials struggled as well with disease and insects; numerous ground cover plants shriveled; and many plants either didn’t survive or are barely hanging on. Whether well-established or newly planted/transplanted a great deal of damage has occurred. Be sure to evaluate your landscape plantings thoroughly. If they’re still alive, feed them well and water regularly until winter dormancy sets in. After that, only water if there are long stretches with no rain. It’s very important to protect these vulnerable plants from the wind and cold over the winter with anti-desiccant sprays and/or burlap wind shields. Recovering plants will survive a potentially difficult winter better if they are brought back with intensive care this fall.
Feeding and Pruning of Landscape Plants in October – Trees and shrubs will greatly benefit from a dormant fall feeding. This should be done no earlier than mid-October, and normally coincides with a hard freeze. Granular, slow release fertilizers (Holly-tone, Plant-tone, Tree-tone) fortified with micronutirents and macronutirents are best for fall feeding. Fertilizing with tree spikes is another option, but may prove more difficult this fall since the ground may still be very hard and dry. If you can, create holes 12-15” deep into the soil at the plants’ driplines, then using 3 spikes for every 2” of trunk caliper (3’ off the ground) drop the spikes into the holes and leave them open for activation by rain/snowfall. It’s important that you pull back any existing mulch before applying granular fertilizer in order to get the nutrients to the root zone. Once applied and worked into the soil, put the mulch back in place. If there was no mulch in place, be sure to apply a 2-inch layer of mulch for winter protection. Be sure to water thoroughly after applying fertilizers. Espoma Organic’s Holly-tone, Plant-tone, Tree-tone and Evergreen-tone: 18# and 50# bags will be 30% off beginning October 11th through October 31st.
Pruning is important to keep plants healthy. Sometimes it’s just removing old wood, sometimes it’s to retain shape and sometimes it’s to reinvigorate. Removing old wood is essential to maintain good airflow and stop insects and diseases from taking up residence. For general or shape pruning, it’s best to remove no more than 1/3 of the plant branching structure overall. This limits the shock/stress to the plant. There are exceptions though. Some plants may need more drastic pruning when there is a lot of dead wood or it is grossly overgrown. This can reinvigorate the plant and allow for new growth to give a 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 October – October is fantastic for planting trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers. Our Garden Center is currently running a fall sale on perennials, shrubs and trees! And don’t forget Espoma Organic’s Bio-tone Starter Plus to ensure your new plants get the best start possible! Plus, we have a terrific selection of hardy mums, ornamental cabbage, kale and peppers, pansies, celosia to add some amazing fall color to your yards, porches and patios.
Systemic Control of Next Spring’s Insects NOW with BIOADVANCED TREE & SHRUB INSECT CONTROL – 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 this very effective BioAdvanced product. Applied as a soil drench, the insecticide is absorbed by the roots of the plant, and translocated throughout every branch of the plant, where it remains active for up to 12 months. As the plants’ growth resumes next spring, this systemic insecticide is there to eliminate feeding pests on the trunk, stems, branches and leaves.
Protecting Valuable Plants from Wildlife – Usually, wildlife feeding on our plants occurs more during the fall and winter months. This summer, though we saw excessive damage by deer, rabbits and voles in search of water, seeking out any moisture that could be derived from plants. Plants which are typically deemed resistant to deer and rabbits, were fair game in the quest for survival. This will continue as we head into a time of the year that food becomes scarce. If water becomes more readily available, they will most likely go back to their usual feeding habits and plants. 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. Another option is erecting a physical barrier such as burlap or deer netting, which can be very effective, but not so aesthetically pleasing. None of these products are harmful to animals and are safe for use around pets and children.
For the Birds – As cooler weather sets in, some birds migrate, others stay put and some migrate here to overwinter. Setting feeders out now will attract a wide variety of birds to your yard. Our garden center has a fantastic selection of feeders, food, suet, houses, hooks and many other accessories. Just about anything you’d want or need to make your yard a thriving winter homestead for our feathered friends!
It’s hard to believe October is here already. While the desire to wrap things up can be strong, it’s REALLY important to stay focused through the end of the growing season. There’s much to do before winter and 2 more months to repair and restore our lovely lawns and landscapes. We greatly appreciate your patronage and it’s been our pleasure to be your destination for all your lawn and garden needs for over 50 years. We’re enjoying celebrating our 50th Anniversary with you all this year. In keeping with this celebration, we have a number of great sales throughout October! Visit our website, Facebook or Instagram pages for specifics. As always, we look forward to seeing you a few more times before the snow flies. So, give us a call or stop by the store with any questions you have or information you need. We love what we do and are happy to help you get your lawn and landscapes back in tip top shape! Thanks for putting your trust in us all these years. See you soon.