Create New Beginnings In Fall
As the leaves turn to quixotic shades of gold and orange and crunch deliciously between our feet, we know that fall has arrived. It’s a time to say goodbye to the old and make way for the new. We have all the magic of Christmas to look forward to, and the beauty of changing seasons. But now is not the time to forget about your back yard. Planting a garden is believing and dreaming of the future. It’s about nurturing what is there and willing it to grow into new life. And there is no time like the fall to get started on a few garden projects.
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Autumn Cuttings
Fall is the perfect season for transplanting and planting. Rain showers have hopefully made your soil moisture rich and while it is still warm from the summer months, plants will adapt better to their new home. Horticulturally wise, it is the ideal time for fresh starts. So don’t just tidy up your garden for winter, get cutting too. As part of your fall gardening, take hardwood cuttings of roses, grapes, mulberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants. In your bushes find the bright green plumpest stems and start cutting. There are plenty of horticultural and agricultural products you can buy that will help with this process. If you dip the ends of your cuttings into hormone rooting powder, you will give them the best chance of regrowing. Then pick out a new spot in the garden to plant your cuttings. Choose someone that is shady and sheltered and cover at least two thirds into the soil. Also, make sure that a few buds are visible on the top. By next autumn at least half of your cuttings should have grown into beautiful new plants, ensuring your garden looks beautiful all year round. It’s certainly worth the wait and is marvelous to watch the circle of life.
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Care for Lawns And Hedges
Also take the time this season to care for your lawn and hedges. Less sunshine and wet weather have a detrimental effect on your grass. Make sure to keep clearing the area free of leaves. Too many leaves will mean even less light for your lawn and cause it to turn brown and yellow in patches. Mow your lawn in November but leave at least 5cm of growth, so it has a better chance of getting much-needed sunlight. Also take the time to prune your hedges in fall, to prevent any decay and rot from the damp weather ahead.
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New Crops To Try
As well as your cuttings that have been prepared for next autumn you may also want to try some new crops this year. Fall gardening includes some delicious vegetables. The best things to plant in your garden are leafy vegetables and broad beans and peas. Leafy vegetables that germinate quickly include pak choi, winter cress, mizuna, and spinach. Get planting now, and you should be able to produce enough for warming stir fries come December. Broad beans and peas are also able to withstand harsher weather conditions. So sow now and until the middle of November, and they should flourish by early next year.