To Do This Week

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Week of October 9th, 2010

• It's a great time to plant trees. Deciduous trees are getting ready to go dormant so it's a perfect time to plant them and let them concentrate on their roots. With winter rains and cooler temperatures, they have a great start for next year.
• Remember to make the planting hole at least twice as wide as the root ball, but absolutely no deeper. Be sure to keep the root flare above ground. This is the flaring shape at the bottom of the tree. It's better to plant too high than too low. Be sure to break apart any circling roots. Do not add compost to the soil underground, though you can add some on top. Water in deeply, and for the next year, be sure to give it slow, lengthy watering. Do not fertilize at this time.
• It's also a great time to plant shrubs, perennials, roses, and winter vegetables.
• Divide iris and perennials.
• Consider taking cuttings of cold-tender favorites to root and keep over winter to re-plant next spring.
• You can sow wildflower seeds any time now. Be sure to keep them watered in these dry, windy days.
• As you change out your seasonal vegetable beds, throw debris into the trash, not the compost pile, to reduce the number of overwintering pest eggs. Clean up the beds as you go.
• Fertilize the lawn this month with a high nitrogen fertilizer to encourage root growth over winter. Continue to mow high to shade out weed seeds that are beginning to germinate.
• Spring weed seeds are already germinating in flowerbeds, too. A little time to pull them out while small will save a lot of trouble in the future.
• Even though it seems cooler right now, hold off on winter annuals.

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