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by Tropical John

Without question, fall is my favorite time of the year. After a long hot Texas summer there is nothing better for the soul than enjoying a morning cup of coffee outside in the garden during a brisk autumn morning. Even the plants can breathe a sigh of relief when the heat breaks. They get a fresh fall rain and reward us with one more burst of color and growth before they go to sleep for the winter.

Now, just because most of our plants go dormant in the fall and winter doesn’t mean you can too. There is way too much fun to be had this time of year out in the flower garden, vegetable garden, or your basic landscape. Too many of us wait until spring to get things going, but fall is the most important time of the year for garden tune-ups.

Let’s start with the perennial garden. I like to plant snapdragons (especially the taller varieties), pansies, violas, ornamental cabbage and kale, dianthus, alyssum, dusty miller, cyclamens, English daisies and decorative Swiss chard among the perennials. This will provide an absolute sea of color next spring as spring perennials begin to bloom. In order to get these plants established before it gets too cold, you need to make room in your perennial garden and get these planted no later than mid-November. It is also time to break out the hand shears and loppers. Don’t be afraid to cut back blooming perennials at this time—right down to the ground. Cut back the non-blooming ones as well. If you have spring-blooming shrubs like spirea, hydrangeas or Indian hawthorns, do not cut them back at this time. It will interfere with their spring bloom. Add a fresh layer of compost to your beds—one-quarter to one-half inch should be adequate. Do not turn into the soil because it will disturb the microbes and worms that are there. Under a good organic program, all good living organisms in the soil will turn it for you. At this point, put a light layer of soil food (fertilizer, if you must call it that) and dry molasses. As a general rule, apply it at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet. Remember, once you have been organic for two or three years you shouldn’t have to use as much soil food.

Now it’s time to plant all those wonderful winter plants. Mix them up, use lots of different varieties and have fun. Get creative and go against the grain. I am a firm believer that flower colors never clash. Make sure to top dress your perennial bed with shredded mulch whether you plant annuals or not. Use a fine shredded hardwood mulch for the dark color and the fact that it composts faster. Native mulches work best, or cedar is the next best thing. Just don’t forget this step because mulch will insulate your plants from the cold.

Speaking of compost, I really want to emphasize the benefits of spreading compost on your turf areas. This is something that needs to be practiced here in Texas. You won’t believe how good your turf will react to this next spring. You will use a lot less water and soil food next year—not to mention less weeds and little to no insects and disease. Just a quarter inch of compost will do the trick. The bag or the bulk compost both work well, just be sure and do it in November. I do this every year and my St. Augustine stays greener longer in the fall and greens up sooner in the spring as compared to the many non-organic yards around the neighborhood. As people comment on your wonderful yard, you can just say—"I’m Organic"!

Let’s move on to planting. If you are thinking about trees and shrubs, now is prime planting time. All trees and most shrubs and perennials need to get in the ground now. Plants will generally go through a cold winter much better than a long hot summer. By planting now you give your plants’ root systems more time to get established before next spring. During a normal winter here in Texas your plants’ roots are growing during 75% of the winter. Don’t forget to spend the extra time and money preparing your flower beds. When planting trees I want you to remember a few things:

Put back into the tree hole only what you took out. If it’s extremely rocky, look for some existing soil from somewhere on your property and mix it with the rocky stuff from the hole. Never amend the soil where you plant the tree. Eventually they are going to have to grow in the existing soil so let’s get them accustomed to it right from the start.

Dig the hole two to three times wider than your root ball, but never any deeper. Many trees end up getting planted too deep and that will cause problems down the road. Also remember to look for the tree’s root flare. Many container trees may already be too deep in the container right from the start. If this is the case, pull some of the dirt back and plant them a little high.

Do not stake the tree unless it is absolutely necessary. If you pick your trees right you shouldn’t have to stake them. The tree should grow a strong trunk and not rely on stakes to hold it up. Watch out for trees with large tops and a small root ball or container. I’d rather see a tree with a smaller top and a larger root system.

Top dress with compost or mulch, but be careful not to pile this up around the trunk—remember we don’t want the tree to wind up too deep. Put a small (no more than 3-4 inches) well around the trees with existing soil. It helps in watering the tree. Just be careful not to put the soil up close to the trunk. Watch the root flare.

Lastly, drench your tree with a good compost tea or some kind of organic liquid fertilizer. Personally, I like Maestro Gro Sea Mist. However any major organic soil food producers have good products.

One last important step to a healthy winter yard pertains to the watering patterns required for the colder periods of our climate. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, please turn it to a manual operation during the winter. Nothing makes me crazier then seeing a sprinkler system running right after, or even worse, during a fine winter rain. Plants will drown much faster when they are dormant during the winter. Again, pay attention and be responsible—water only when needed.

Yards and gardens do not need as much attention in the winter months, so rest and enjoy the fruits of your fall labor. Until then: Keep your hands in the dirt and always remember to "Live Natural First

Tropical John owned and operated Tropical John’s Garden Shop in Rockwall for 20 years.