Tips for Planting and Protecting Your Fall Landscape

As the crisp fall air ushers in a new season, many gardeners may be left wondering: what now? Handyman Matters expert craftsmen offer these tips on the best things you can do this fall for a fabulous garden next year. Plant now, bloom later First off, plan ahead for next spring – fall is the time to take stock of your garden and plan for next year. You can see what worked and what didn't, where you have holes and what needs to be replaced or moved. Once you know what you want to add, plant new perennials and shrubs in the fall, and you will have larger, stronger plants with better blossoms next spring. Give your containers a fall facelift By summer's end, container plantings have often seen their day. Give your tired containers a fresh look by adding bright fall annuals and colorful foliage in bold fall colors of red, orange, deep purple and gold. There are still plenty of plants available at your local garden center that will see your containers through the cooler months of fall. There are plenty of pansies, mums and asters available, but don't stop there.  You can create wonderful unique fall flower pots using foliage and flowering plants in the colors of autumn. Some favorites are yellow, red and rust colored snapdragons that will keep blooming through a bit of frost, and orange and rust coleus. Everything's coming up roses Establishing roses in the fall is easy, the weather and soil conditions are better in the fall, as opposed to spring when it tends to be cold, muddy and wet. For fall color, we recommend planting the new Drift groundcover roses. Continuously blooming from spring to early frost, they are naturally dwarf, with very attractive foliage. Just remember to give them plenty of water and lots of sun. Frost protector No matter what you're growing, a sudden frost or freeze is deadly, spelling doom to your garden and landscape. Protect your lush flowering baskets, vegetables, herbs and favorite plants from frost with non-toxic sprays that increase tolerance to cold and protect the plants.  This means you can get a couple more weeks of growing and harvesting - at least two weeks earlier in spring and two weeks later in the fall. Just imagine tomatoes in October and mums still blooming after Thanksgiving. Deer-proof your garden Winter months are some of the deadliest times for deer destruction in the garden. Deer are creatures of habit and stay near a good food source, like your backyard.  They like a lush garden and lawn for munching on, especially in the winter. To keep deer out, look for all-natural products that use taste and scent aversion to turn animals off your plants and make them unappetizing to common garden-munchers. Winterize your accessories Mother Nature "naturalizes" cast stone and terra cotta garden accessories, but the harsh forces of winter can cause fine planters, birdbaths and statuary to crack and crumble. According to the "garden accessory connoisseurs" at Campania International, a little care will help your garden "art" last for generations. Cast stone planters and statuary should be raised off any surface which freezes and thaws. Terra cotta planters, which can absorb moisture and are subject to winter freeze-thaw cycles, should be stored indoors for winter. If your planters are left planted outside over the winter, raise them off the ground so they will drain and not freeze to the surface. To winterize both cast stone and terra cotta accessories, simply place them on two pressure-treated wood strips, making sure not to block the drainage hole. For birdbaths and fountains, bring tops in for the winter. All bases, bench legs and statuary should be raised up off the ground, so as not to freeze to the ground's surface. Remember, fall is for more than watching football games and raking leaves. It's the best time to protect your investment, so you can have a glorious spring garden. Handyman Matters craftsmen can help get your garden winterized along with the rest of your home. Click here to find a location near you or call our local Office at 281-358-6666 today to take care of your biggest investment, your home! Courtesy of ARAcontent