Fall is an ideal time for many lawn maintenance practices such as weed control. In the fall, perennial broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, creeping Charlie and thistle are transporting food (carbohydrates) from their foliage to their roots in preparation for winter.
Bothered by small black bugs this fall? Learn more about what these bugs are and how to control them.
For audio versions of this article, see the Small Farm Sustainability Podcast where we discuss return bloom, soil sampling, and interpreting soil reports over three separate podcast. The following discussion represents a snapshot in time as a lot can happen between now and next spring.
Every year we seem to get the same questions from the public on lawn care, specifically this time of year when people are disappointed in how their yard held up. While not all of these questions will fit your yard, some of them might. It is our goal that these points help address those questions, and give the knowledge to have a successful growing season.
Seeds germinate fast when the soil is already nice and warm, which makes late summer a good time to rejuvenate lawns and plant fall vegetable crops of spinach, lettuce, peas and kale. Or plant a new tree.
While it may seem a little odd to be dreaming of fresh strawberries on a cloudy, cool November day in Iowa, those delicious thoughts are an excellent incentive. To insure a bountiful crop next year, home gardeners need to mulch their strawberry plantings in the fall.
