Homes Plus
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Special to Homes Plus WAUKESHA — Now that the cal- endar has turned to October, it's time for the annual autumn yard cleanup. Yet, it doesn't have to be a huge project, according to mem- bers of the Milwaukee chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. "I have chosen a simpler approach to my fall gardening, to make the yard and garden chores a bit less daunting," said Susan Radke of Innovative Exteriors in Genesee Depot. "Give yourself permission to let your fall be a lit- tle less stressed by letting nature do a little more, and you a little less." Keep track The task is easier each spring and fall if homeowners write down what they do. "Make a note of this for next year's growing season, if you're not already doing it," Radke said. Without a small garden notebook, it may be hard to remember what was pruned and when. Homeown- ers should jot down what they do in fall, and what they plan to do in spring, to take the guesswork out of gardening. Leave the perennials Homeowners don't have to cut everything down if they don't want to, Radke said. It's a time- saver. "Leaving sturdy perennials up for winter creates wonderful win- ter interest and provides food for birds too. I like to leave almost everything up, though some plants don't always look so great." However, there are a few plants that should be cut down to fight off pests or diseases — Radke named bearded Iris, in order to eliminate some of the threat of iris borer. Daylilies, hostas and peonies can also be cut back in the fall. Healthy lawns Milwaukee/NARI members say for a healthy lawn in spring, home- owners should continue to water the lawn throughout autumn. Autumn rain and temperatures are ideal for grass seed germina- tion, so homeowners are encour- aged to use the season to fill in the bare spots in the lawn. There are two good times to fer- tilize the lawn in autumn — at the start of the season, and once more after the final mow, around November, so that plants absorb the nutrients for next spring. Ryan Fillinger, president of A. Fillinger Inc. in Milwaukee, rec- ommended using a fertilizer in early fall that stimulates root growth. "In late fall, use a winterizing fertilizer that builds resistance to the cold and provides nutrients to extend the green period." He added, "If you're going to pull or spray weeds, it will be easi- er and have better results when the ground is wet." Experts agree that the longer grass of summer should be cut shorter in the fall to prevent the grass from matting down under leaves and snow. "Fall is the time to gradually bring the grass down to about two, two and a half inches," Radke said. "This will reduce the space available for voles to make runs under the snow in your lawn." For homeowners who are seri- ous about healthy lawns, Tom Ball of Ground Affects Landscaping in Sullivan recommended aerating the lawn once every fall, especially after a hot and dry summer. "It alleviates soil compaction and opens up the soil to let nutri- ents and water down to the root system," he said. Just like with weed pulling, lawn aeration is easier when the ground is wet. The easiest method for homeowners is buying or rent- ing a machine that removes plugs of soil, perhaps sharing the cost with a neighbor. Mulch and leaves Although mulch shields frost, protects plant roots and keeps soil temperatures stable, homeowners don't have to rush to cover or mulch over the plants. "It is less important to keep the plants warm than to keep the ground frozen, especially around shallow-rooted perennials such as coralbells," Radke said. "Let the ground freeze — often around Thanksgiving time — before lay- ing your pine boughs or other cov- ering over coralbells and pachysandra. This keeps them from heaving out of the ground during thaw cycles in midwinter." Despite the fact that too many fallen leaves can smother the grass, block sunlight and lead to insect or disease problems, Radke described leaves as nature's wood- land fertilizer. "If you have leaves that fall into your plant beds and they are not too thick, consider letting them stay," she said. "They will decom- pose over the winter, and in early spring, you can gently cultivate them into the soil around your plants and trees." Homeowners who have a mulching mower with a bag attachment can use the shredded leaves as mulch or top-dressing in flower and vegetable gardens. "This adds excellent organic material to your soil," she said. Winter interest Radke recommends selecting some of the plants to prune before flowering, to delay blooming. "Echinaceo purpurea, known as purple cone flower, is a perfect candidate," she said. "You can extend your bloom time on purple cone flower well into October by cutting them back by one-half in early June, or when they are about 2 1/2 feet tall. Then you'll have those wonderful 'cones' to leave up to catch the snow and feed the finches next year." Doing this with a portion of the garden will encourage longer blooming periods or staggering the blooming. For shrub roses, Radke said to cut them back in spring, not the fall. "Hardy shrub roses don't need to be covered like tea roses, so they're the ones I prefer to grow. Leave them up and cut back to new growth in the spring." HOMES PLUS OCTOBER 2014 2 Distributed by: ©2011 by Conley Media LLC Waukesha County Homes Plus is published monthly by Conley Media - Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. A publication of Conley Media Sales Director: Jim Baumgart 262/513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com Editor: Dwayne Butler 262/513-2626 dbutler@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com Homes Plus Volume 4 ■ Number 9 ■ October 2014 2 3 6 2 8 5 0 0 3 Keep your fall yard cleanup from becoming too taxing Submitted photo Fall is a season of colors, but that also means raking and mulching many leaves.