Gardening Tips for a Frugal Fall

Frugal Fall Gardening Tips

This past weekend while flipping through the channels, an NBC special called Ultimate Cheapskates caught my eye. On the show, a man named Jeff Yeager admitted to various confessions on how he saves money, some of which even include weekly fiscal fasts where he and his wife go for a week without spending a single dime! While that seems impossible for most of us, we can use some of Jeff’s advice on fall gardening the frugal way. Below are tips for homeowners.

1.   1.    Deals on End of Season Nursery Stock- Jeff says if you're going to put down sod, fall is also generally the best and cheapest time to do so.

2.   2.   Best Prices on Garden Tools and Equipment- With the possible exclusion of snow blowers, chain saws, and snow shovels, he tells consumers to go hunting for used lawn mowers, weed trimmers, and other lawn and garden equipment, since many people dump their used equipment at thrift stores, flea markets and yard sales at the end of the season. Just last year, he scored a deal on a used lawn mower from a landscaping company.

3.     3.  Love Your Tools- Take great care of your tools to avoid having to purchase new ones next season. Some pieces of advice he offers are using aluminum foil to remove dirt and rust from shovels, hoes, and other metal gardening tools and to oil all metal surfaces on your tools – used motor oil works fine for that – and put the business ends of your gardening tools in a plastic bag along with a couple of pieces of leftover summer charcoal to keep tools from rusting. To clean equipment properly, air and fuel filters should be changed (along with the oil). Most experts agree, the gas tank should be kept filled with gasoline that has been treated with a stabilizer; this keeps the gas fresh and prevents condensation and deposits from developing in the engine (run the engine for about 10 minutes after adding the stabilized gasoline).

4.      4. Divide and Multiply Perennials- Jeff advises to first thoroughly water and then dig the entire plant out of the ground, with its root ball intact. The root ball should then be separated into smaller plants by pulling it apart with a pitch fork or, in some cases, even cutting it apart. The smaller plants should then be immediately replanted in the ground and watered again.

Do you have any gardening tips to save money?

Best Fall Flowers

What Flowers are Best for Fall?

With summer winding down, it's time to consider fall flowers..

Pansies

If done correctly in the fall, pansies will not only provide fall color, but will be ready to bloom when spring comes along and will radiate into the summertime.  

·       Best for sunny or partially shaded locations

·       Fertilize on a regular basis during the growing season

·       In the winter, some precaution must be taken to protect the flowers, such as a light mulch applied after the soil has frozen mid winter

Garden Mums

Garden mums are one of the best blooming plants for fall. They are so popular because of their great variety come of different colors and sizes. Mums may be planted anytime from spring through fall and grow best in areas receiving full sun for a half day or more.

·       Mums planted in the spring or those that have wintered over should be pinched back monthly to keep them to a height of 12". Make the final pinch no later than July 15

·       Fertilize with a high phosphorus formula from May 1 until August 15

·       To improve winter hardiness, mulch mums after the soil has frozen in late December or early January

·        Uh oh! If winter conditions are too cold or the mums were not planted at the correct time, leave chrysanthemums in a dark basement or closet. If the plants are in the ground and they must be converted to pots, include as much as the root as possible. Water well and place in an area 32ºF-50ºF. With the roots kept dampt, they will hibernate in the winter months. When spring comes, make sure to introduce the plants gradually to sunlight. 

Ornamental cabbage and kale

Both ornamental cabbage and kale can be planted in spring or fall in a location that receives a half day or more of full sun. As the autumn weather grows cooler, the leaf colors intensify, making these plants a great companion planting for garden mums and evergreens.

·       Start in the late summer to early fall to get the best blooming

·       Plant the seeds six to eight weeks before the first frost is expected. Use eight-inch pots and fill them with commercial potting soil that retains water. Space the seeds five inches apart and do not cover them with soil, as they require light to germinate. Your Ornamental cabbage should begin growing in just ten days. Wait for night temperatures to fall in to the range of forty to fifty degrees; the blooms will not turn colors until temperatures are consistently below sixty degrees.

·       Click here for a cultural guide to growing Ornamental Cabbage and Kale ( University of Mass. )

Hardy Asters are easy to grow perennials that can be planted in spring or fall. They vary in color and height from pink to purple to white, adding color to your garden.

·       Require a location that will provide 6 hours or more full sun a day

·       Use a regular perennial fertilizer applied according to label directions from May 1 until mid August

Planting Fall Flowers

·       Once out of the pot, you must loosen the roots all the way around, even on the bottom due to the root structure changes once placed in a pot

·       Dig the planting hole twice as wide as the diameter of the root system and just slightly shallower than the height of the root system

·       Use a plant starter fertilizer with Vitamin B1 for the first few feedings

·       Condition the soil where you intend to plant with peat moss, compost, or cow manure

·       Mix soil conditioner at one part conditioner to two parts soil. Always using the soil you removed from the hole!

·       Water plants immediately after planting

·       Apply mulch as desired to minimize weeds, maintain soil moisture and to keep the soil cool. TIP: Mulch should't be more than 2" thick

What is your favorite fall flower?

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