Top fall gardening tips for every region of the U.S.
We asked experts for fall gardening tips to spruce up your landscape this autumn and get it set for next spring
While many of us are welcoming fall with pumpkin spice lattes and scary movies, our landscapes are acknowledging the season with dying grass and wilted plantings. But as it turns out, autumn is a very important season when it comes to your yard.
A little TLC now can keep your yard and garden looking lush throughout the fall season. Plus, October is a great time to plant new bulbs for next spring. We’ve rounded up advice from the landscape industry’s leading experts — in various parts of the country — so you can keep your plants healthy and thriving, even when the temperatures dip.
Free from harsh winters, West Coast dwellers can keep their gardens going through the cool season with a little extra care, says California’s Trilling Landscape Design & Build’s Heather Trilling.
In the fall, she recommends cleaning out summer vegetables and planting varieties that can thrive in cooler weather, including radishes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnips, collard greens, lettuce, and spinach. Trilling also says this is an optimal time to plant trees, since the milder weather can help roots establish. You’ll also want to mulch and aerate your soil as well as adjust irrigation and lighting timers.
Finally, look forward to the spring. “Start ordering the spring bulbs you are hoping to see in your garden/yard,” she says. Her recommendations for the West Coast include: pansies and violas, sweet peas, and sweet alyssum.