Late Summer Gardening Tips
As summer begins its annual transition to fall, here are a few chores that may need attention in the garden and landscape:
- Summer planters will soon need a fall pick-me-up! Within the next few weeks, expect hardy mums, pansies, ornamental grasses, cabbage, kale to make an appearance at Heritage.
- It’s been a tough year for home lawns. Crabgrass and other weeds, coupled with diseases and insects have left many lawns in need of repair. Late August through early October is the best time to renovate the lawn on Long Island. Whether you’re repairing a few spots or totally ripping out the old and reseeding, now is the time!
- Stinging insects – bees, wasps, and hornets – make their presence known in late summer! Here are a few helpful hints to deal with these pests: carefully locate the nest (when possible) and treat it after dark with an insecticide labeled for their control. Another option – contact an exterminator to do the job for you. If the nest is in an out-of-the-way location and you can wait, a killing frost will do the job for you. Then the nest could be safely removed and disposed of.
4. Did you know that ‘Fall is for Planting?” The next few months are an ideal time to plant bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs in the home landscape. Long Island typically enjoys an extended fall growing season – warm days, cool nights, and the hopeful return of adequate rainfall for newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials to adapt to new planting sites.
5. Vegetables and herbs: late summer is an abundant time in the edible garden. It’s time to harvest and enjoy the fruits of your labor! Too much of a good thing? Donate surplus to a local soup kitchen.
