Fall plant preparations
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Fall is just about here. The colorful fall leaves will be falling soon, and it is a crucial time to prepare our outdoor plants for the winter.
Fall and spring are the two seasons where gardens can have the most trouble. This is a good time to pull lots of weeds, brown leaves and brown stems off our plants to keep them healthy.
We should also put lots of water on our flower beds and put down some fertilizer on our shrubs and trees. They need plenty of nutrients heading into the cold months. Freezes from cooler temperatures in the next few months can hurt our plants, but when we hear of a possible freeze warning, it’s time to get out the covers.
Town and County Garden’s Hardgoods Supervisor James Fleming says, “If you don't have access to frost cloth. My grandmother was a strong believer in a lightweight cotton wool blanket. She used to use old army blankets from the thrift shops. She'd throw it over them. And then basically the key to it is to pin it to the ground with our wind here. You want to make sure that that that holds through the through the evening.  You get a good wind, you know, 2:00 in the morning and your freezes. A lot of times we're, you know, from about 2:00 to six, that cover blows off. Your plants can still get nipped, even though you've taken the time to try to protect them."
Despite the recent rain, dry and warmer conditions are expected into October. Fleming is concerned about the possible warm ups followed by sudden cool downs. It’s always better for plants to slowly work their way into winter so they can properly store up nutrients.
