Practice preventative pest control instead of reactive pest control. Identify and control problems before you act and take the least toxic approach. Restrain biological control agents such as predators and parasitoids that feed on insect pests.
Maintenance and cleaning
Harvest the winter squash when the "ground spot" turns from white to cream or gold.
Harvesting and storing winter squashes; Cover carrots, parsnips, and turnips for winter harvest.
Protect the tomatoes; Pick green tomatoes and let them ripen indoors if there is a risk of frost.
Reduce water on trees, shrubs, and vines to harden them off for the winter.
Plant tall flowers to prevent them from being blown away by the fall wind.
Dig up, clean and store tuberous begonias when there is danger of frost.
Harvest potatoes when the tops die off. Keep them in a dark place.
The best time to lay a new lawn is from August to mid-September.
Aerate the lawn.
Early September: Apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Reduce the risk of runoff into local waterways by not fertilizing just before it rains and not overwatering, causing water to run off the lawn onto the sidewalk or street.
Stop watering your lawn after Labor Day to suppress European leather jacket populations.
Recycle healthy plant matter and kitchen waste from vegetables and fruits into compost. Don't compost diseased plants unless you're using the "hot compost" method (120 degrees to 150 degrees Fahrenheit).
Planting/Propagation
Scatter the peonies and lilies.
Plant or transplant woody ornamental plants and mature perennials. Planting trees, shrubs, and perennials in the fall can encourage healthy root growth in the winter.
Plant daffodils, tulips and crocuses for spring blooms. At planting time, work up the calcium and phosphorus in the soil under the bulbs. When buying flower bulbs, remember that the size of the bulb directly correlates to the size of the next bloom in spring.
In a vegetable garden, plant a winter cover crop of annual rye or winter peas.
Pest Monitoring and Management
Use chemical controls only when necessary and only after carefully reading the pesticide label. Think cultural controls first, then physical and biological. Choose the least toxic options and use them wisely. Some examples include insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, botanical insecticides, and organic and synthetic pesticides.
Apply parasitic nematodes to damp soil under rhododendrons and azaleas showing root beetle damage (ragged leaves).
Control snails if necessary. Less toxic management options include barriers and traps. Bait is also available for snail control; Be careful with pets. Read and follow all label directions before using bait or other chemical controls.
Watch trailing berries on leaf spots and canes. If necessary, treat
Apply a peach and cherry copper spray if needed.
Spray juniper twig rot as needed after trimming dead and infected branches.
Keep an eye out for soft fruit and late season berries for spotted winged drosophila (SWD). If SWD is present, use an integrated, less toxic approach to pest control.
indoor gardening
Clean indoor plants, check for insects, repot and fertilize if necessary; then take her inside.
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