Falling for Spring

Remember back at the beginning of the year when we were pinning pictures of beautiful lawns and gardens and all things spring?

and we woke up one day and everything had turned this beautiful bright green and was new and tender and refreshing?

and even though it was cool and rainy and muddy, we bought flowers, seeds and vegetables and dug and planted….

Because we wanted our yards and gardens to look pretty too and we wanted to be OUTSIDE!

Right now, I am Falling for Spring! I am going to have a beautiful spring by preparing my yard, flower beds and garden for winter and the spring to come!

I know you are tried of mowing and everything looks dry and brown and I have to admit that I fought the weeds all summer and the weeds won.

But that’s okay, it’s fall and we are having a great time with fall decor and pumpkins and getting ready for Halloween.

In the midst of all the fun here are  a few ways I am Falling for Spring…

One of the best things you can do for your yard is to aerate and reseed in the fall.  It really helps cut down on weeds and the new grass that comes in just looks beautiful!

Timing is the key to success. I aerate after a good soaking rain when more rain is expected and when the days are still quite warm with cooler nights. New grass coming up needs that cool break to develop strong roots deep roots.

Even though I get so excited to plant in the spring, fall is really the best time to plant shrubs, trees, bulbs and perennials. What is even better are the prices! Check the markdown areas in your favorite stores. One fall I scored tiny baby Arboretum for just a dollar a piece and 3 years later they are huge!

Dividing and transplanting is much easier in the fall and plants have a much better chance of not only surviving but flourishing. Again, after a good soaking rain dig up those Hostas, Day Lily, Creeping Phlox, Iris and other plants that can be divided and planted elsewhere. This spreads that spring beauty around and saves money! It’s also a great time to swap with friends or if you’re like me and have an abundance of something give to someone who is just starting their collection.

 Save those seeds! Don’t forget to save a few of those heirloom tomato, pumpkin and and other vegetable seeds.

Also some flower seeds like Marigold and Cosmos can be saved as well! The flower seeds that I save just get better and better every year.

 Nothing says spring like daffodils, tulips and all those other tender beautiful bulbs! If your ground is not frozen solid, you can plant bulbs!

Forsythia blooms are often the first sign that spring is on the way. You can dig up the lower limbs that have taken root into the ground and start a new bush easily in the fall!

 Fall is also a great time to plant and /or divide ground covers like Creeping Jenny and English Ivy.

 Do you Fall for Spring?

We would love to hear how you prepare for a beautiful and colorful spring!