Typically this is not our rainy season so now is a good time to take care of some things which resulted from the warmer and wetter spring and summer months.
Also, many of our plants are going to start slowing down (Although, some will bloom.) and getting ready for a little rest this winter. Not simply because they will be experiencing cooler temperatures, but because they have their own biological clocks and respond to other environmental changes.
It's autumn, but this is the Columbia area in South Carolina, not Columbia, Illinois. Although some leaves are falling it doesn't mean there is no plant activity.
Tour Your Property
A lot of homeowners are not lawn or plant people, buy they usually do want for their property and its landscape to be in good condition and attractive.
Get out there and walk around and get to know your property again if you don't frequently check things out or tend to focus on a few areas more often such as your favorite plant bed(s), the front lawn, the potted plants around your back deck, etc., and not the big picture.
Take a gander at or for the following (among other things):
- Uneven areas of the lawn (depressions, divots, acutely raised areas).
- Yellowing or brown grass.
- Tree/shrub branches encroaching a neighbor's property or vice versa.
- Loose or warping deck and fence boards.
- Cracks, separation or misalignment in the foundation.
- Staining from nature's debris, pitch/resin and sap on horizontal surfaces such as decks, driveways and walkways.
- Trees with an unusual amount of suckers and/or water sprouts, particularly if you or a utility company hacked it back in the last few years. If so, there's usually a problem.
- Algae/moss on the exterior of your home, particularly in areas which receive ample sunlight. (I once discovered a leaking water heater by seeing algae forming below a crawl space vent that began by just a simple misting from a slight opening in a supply line. I had to replace about 300 square feet of insulation and treat for mildew.)
- Bulging concrete or asphalt which may be occurring from a nearby large shrub or tree root system.
- Check out your crawl space or if the fear factor is too high, send someone else (your least favorite child or a neighbor, ha) down there. Check for high moisture, standing water, foul odors, etc. (I usually take a flashlight, wear a hat and use a knee pad(s) depending on height.)
Growing up, the father of our neighbors and good friends, walked around his property regularly - seemed like daily. It was good fodder for some jokes over the years, but hey, their property did look great and I rarely saw any major projects or repairs being made.
The above list is just a few items of possible concern, but just get out there and look around occasionally.
Keep Watering
Many people assume if it is not hot they need not water their lawn and plants. Lawns and plants still need and want water during milder, cooler temps. Most of us in the Midlands have warm season turf grasses in our lawns and most of these can still use an inch of water a week - preferably a deep watering a few hours before dawn or just after sunlight is off your lawn later in the day.
Mowing
You may want to slowly lower your mower cutting height over the fall and then to its lowest height on the last mow. If you have, but don't always use a grass catcher bag, use it on the last mow to collect as many clipping as possible. Also, don't forget to drain the gas from your mower or use a stabilizer in the tank before storing away for winter. This might also be a good time to clean your mower, particularly under its deck - follow all manufacturer recommended safety precautions.
Prune and Trim
Depending on the plant and whether it blooms on old or new wood, fall is a wonderful time to prune and/or trim for health and aesthetic reasons.
You probably trimmed or had many of your shrubs trimmed during spring and summer to control size and for aesthetics, yet trimming without occasional proper pruning can lead to out-of-control and unhealthy shrubs, which definitely detracts from their beauty.
The same applies to trees, particularly those young ones and those with mature crowns, but overlooked below the canopy.
Extend Your Bed Borders
Chances are good many of your trees, shrubs and other plants gained some height and girth during the spring and summer. If in a bed, it may be a good time to extend the borders respectively and add some mulch.
Split/Divide Perennials
If you have some herbaceous perennials getting out of hand you may want to go ahead and split or divide them and transplant or give some away. (Two years ago I divided about ten monster hostas and gave away roughly 30 cuts.)
Plant Spring-flowering Bulbs
Check the best time to do so based on the specific plant. 'Nuff said.
Transplant
Fall is a perfect time to transplant most plants - not threatened by extreme heat and production, yet in time enough for the roots to establish before the coldest winter temperatures.
Core aerating your lawn every two to three years is a way to keep the soil happy, releasing any compaction and allowing for better movement of air, nutrients and water. Afterwards you may want to add a top dressing of a soil or sand which closely resembles the texture of your lawns soil.
Rake Often
Raking leaves, even blowing them, is not the highlight of anyone's day; however, waiting for all leaves to drop before addressing them may lead to other not-so-exciting tasks later. Allow your lawn to get all the light, water and air it deserves. You may want to add leaves to your compost if that's your thing.
Also, you are probably going to get some leaves, berries and blooms on your concrete surfaces and wooden decks. Get these off, particularly before any rain, to reduce the chance of staining.
Pressure Wash, and Restore Decks
For the most part, typically, the frequent and heavy rains are over (Yes, I remember October 2015.) and most (not all) of the plants have done their reproductive thing, so most of what they send or let fall on all the horizontal man-made surfaces of your property is done. Now is a good time to pressure wash your drive and walkways, decks and perhaps any pavers or other masonry.
And, the temperatures are still just about right to go ahead and restore (seal or stain) your wooden surfaces without having too long of a drying time. You may wish to wait awhile if you have overhead or nearby trees or large shrubs which still have dying or dead flowers or fruit on them.
Check and Clean Gutters
You probably want to do this every season, or more often, particularly now if you are taking the time to do some clean-up and restoration near your home's foundation. That gutter goo can do a number on freshly laid mulch or a deck or patio.
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