I know. It hasn’t felt like fall lately. I actually traveled all the way to the Maine coast last week for cooler weather and it was in the 80s there! But still, it is fall after all -- weather or not -- which means it’s time to focus on several things that need to be done in the garden -- and a few that don’t.

Now is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. In fact, it’s the best time, because as trees begin to go dormant, they divert more energy into root development rather than top growth, and that’s a good thing. Even conifers and evergreens, which never go fully dormant, can (and should) be planted now. And remember, if you don’t want to do the heavy lifting, we can do the planting for you.

For the most part, you don’t need your pruners this time of year. It’s too early to prune deciduous trees and shrubs (I usually wait until February), and it’s too late to prune conifers and evergreens (wait until spring). However, it’s okay to remove dead or diseased branches any time.

Tempting as it may be to remove the faded flowers of perennials, realize that many of them produce a bounty of seeds for birds, so it’s best to leave them be. Among the best seed producers in fall are aster, coneflower, bee balm, black-eyed Susan, blanket flower, coreopsis, and sedum. If you prefer to cut them back, wait until we’ve had a few frosts. And don’t forget, you can plant perennials this time of year.

Is it a good idea to fertilize most trees and shrubs this time of year? Well, it depends on who you ask. For the most part, plants take up the nutrients in fertilizers when they’re actively growing. In other words, spring. But plant roots continue to grow so long as soil temps remain above 40 degrees, although their growth rate is considerably slower. 

The consensus among folks whose opinions I value (fellow gardening geeks and the folks at OSU) is that if a tree or shrub struggled during the growing season, then applying fertilizer in fall can be beneficial. But timing the application is fairly critical -- wait until after leaf drop but before freezing weather arrives.

You definitely want to continue watering on a regular basis, especially since we haven’t had much measurable rainfall in the past few weeks. Just remember that it’s best to deep soak lawns and gardens each time you water rather than watering frequently and shallowly. 

But in the case of newly seeded fescue lawns, frequent and shallow is key. Water twice a day but only enough to keep the seed moist until it germinates (usually within 10 days), then switch to weekly watering.

Continue sowing seed through the end of the month, and fertilize fescue lawns in November. Try to keep leaves off the grass as best you can because they’ll prevent new seeds from emerging and can smother established lawns if allowed to form thick mats.

Don’t fertilize Bermudagrass this time of year. Doing so may stimulate late-season growth that could be damaged by winter weather. Besides, it’s already showing signs of dormancy and will be completely dormant soon.

Certain lawn weeds can be controlled with herbicides through the end of this month as well as November. But since I don’t use herbicides, you should chat with Jenn Smith in our Solution Center for advice on which products to use and the best time to apply them.

Oh what the heck. Go ahead and plant. I know some people recommend that you wait until soil temps are in the 50s, but I don’t see the point in waiting. Planting now means the bulbs will have more time to develop a good root system. Besides, bulbs tend to sell out quickly, so get ‘em while they last.

In the next 45 days or so, you’ll want to gradually decrease watering and fertilizing most houseplants because their growth rates will soon begin to slow. I’ll remind you about that when the time comes. In the meantime, be prepared to move plants closer to windows as the sun’s angle and intensity changes.

If you haven’t had your soil tested in five years, consider doing so this fall. Over time, the levels of nutrients, pH, and organic matter content can change, and not always for the better. For information on how to gather a soil sample and get a test, click below:

Remember, the most important time you can spend in the garden is the time you spend not gardening. So just enjoy the colors, the sounds, the smells, the pollinators, even the four-legged critters (I know, but you gotta admit rabbits are cute). Isn’t that why we garden, after all?

Fall color is just a few weeks away, so next week I’ll feature some of my favorite trees and shrubs for producing the best colors, all of which you can and should plant now.