Prepping the lawn, taking care of plants in the fall

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) — A lot of people think of the spring time when they think yard work or yard prep.

However, fall is crucial for plant survival and getting your yard prepared for the next growing season.

Fall presents the best time to control weeds, overseed, aerate and fertilize, which will help your lawn come through the spring healthier than this year.

“Fall is a great time to aerate if you’d like. That gives these little plugs of aeration in the soil that seeds can settle down into,” explained Johanna George, landscape designer for Drummer’s Garden Center. “Fall is also a great time to fertilize. You can do it once, if not twice, between now and Halloween.”

In just one night of cold, some annuals will show signs of cold intolerance and possibly look wilted. Others, meanwhile, like mums and kale, can handle anything down to a light frost.

“As the nighttime temperatures dip to about 50 degrees, that’s when our tropicals, house plants and flowering annuals need protection,” said George. “Anything that you brought outside in the spring or summer season, 50 degrees is about our temperature barrier that we watch for.”

George says it’s also a good idea to hold off on pruning and cutting back branches until multiple frosts.

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