Now is the time to think about fall color.

A lot of the summer annuals have bitten the dust or just look tired. There are several plants you can put out now for beautiful fall color. Chrysanthemums, or just plain Mums, are the obvious choice. Mums come in assorted colors; red, yellow, pink, lavender, white and bronze. Their blooms can come in several forms or shapes; daisy, decorative, button or pom pom. The best thing about them is they will bloom throughout the fall and after a winters rest, they come back again next year.
Some other exciting fall flowers are snapdragons, dianthus, ornamental kale and cabbage, and pansies.

Plant trees and shrubs now!

Fall is actually the best time of the year to plant shrubs and trees. Why you ask? Anything planted now, will spend all its time rooting in this fall, and will be better established come growing season next spring.

Trees perform especially well when fall planted. Good fall colored trees are: Red Oak, Red Sunset Maple, Autumn Flame Maple, Autumn Purple Ash and Pear trees. Good fall colored shrubs include Burning Bush, Nandinas and Viburnums. So, finish off those beds you never completed this last spring and fill in with azaleas, hollies and nandinas, now!

Fescue lawns should be seeded this month.

Whether you are over-seeding an old lawn or seeding a newly established lawn, now is the best time of year to sow. There are literally dozens of varieties of fescue grass. There is actually very little if any difference between them, but some people have their favorites. Rebel and Tulsa are two popular fescues. Be sure to apply a Seed and Sod fertilizer, to insure good rapid root development and better established grasses.

Purchase spring flowering bulbs now!

Notice I said purchase, not plant! The best time to plant them is in November/December. However, if you wait to buy them then, the selection will be minimal. The best selection is now. For something new and exciting try " naked ladies".  These are plants that come up in the spring, die back, then bloom on naked stalks in the fall.

Other Things To Remember...

Bermuda lawns need to be fertilized again this month with a high nitrogen fertilizer. We recommend Schultz Expert Gardener®  Winterizer along with an application of Betasan. Another option is Schultz Expert Gardener® Crabgrass Preventer plus Fertilizer. Fall feeding helps keep lawns greener longer and promotes vigorous root growth for a fast green-up in spring.

Don't forget basic plant care. Fertilize your plants. Spray and kill weeds. Spray  any insects or diseases that may have infested your landscape. Clean up your beds and start thinking about replacing those annuals with fall mums or winter pansies.

Soon, you will bringing those tropicals back inside. Don't forget to check them for insects or disease problems and treat appropriately before bringing them in the house. 

With the school season back upon us, how about adding a tropical plant in the home, dorm or schoolroom. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from. They can add beauty and color to the room, plants also act as air filters in the house, cleaning debris from the air and making it cleaner to breathe.