As most of the country has begun to see the leaves turn, in Southern California we are still having hot days. Do not worry, fall is looming on the horizon, you can tell because our sycamore trees are starting to drop leaves. Fire danger becomes very real during the windy Santa Ana winds. You may have had some regrowth of vegetation in your fire protection zone. It is a good idea to do one last cleanup. While you are at it, look for plants that have grown wildly over summer and are now under eves, touching roofs, or otherwise create fire ladders. Prune as necessary. The winds also wreak havoc on young trees with thick canopies, so prepare by thinning any overly heavy tree, and checking the integrity of tree stakes on young or newly planted trees. It is best to have a licensed tree care professional certified by the International Society of Aboriculture trimming your mature trees; Call them now to get on the schedule. September is a great time to check your yard drains and clear them out before the coming fall and winter rains. Just remember that after a good wind event you will have a buildup of leaves again, so check your drains often until spring. We should fertilize our lawn after Labor Day. Use a fertilizer labeled for fall, numbers 16-6-8 or similar. It will have less nitrogen and more potassium and phosphorus to help strengthen the root system and food storage capacity of your lawn. This will help your turf thrive over winter. Generally we can resume planting now, but hold off if we have an errant heat wave. Now through November we can plant shrubs and trees so they have time to get established before the freeze of winter. We can also plant our fall annual plants like snap dragons and pansies. If crabgrass had taken over areas of your lawn, dig it out and loosen the soil in any thin spots as well and seed or sod. To rejuvenate a typical tall fescue lawn (Marathon type), it is best to over seed with a mix of 70% tall fescue and 30% perennial rye grass seed. If you have a Bermuda or other winter dormant lawn, you should over seed with 100% perennial rye grass, but it can be a mix of types. Never use the cheaper “annual” rye grass. It becomes a weed in our warm climate. You will need to keep the seeds moist by watering 2-3 minutes, 3-4 times a day, for two or three weeks. If you are not over seeding, reduce your irrigation as the weather cools down to 4 days a week, and still 5-9 minutes each day.
Bonus Tip: You will see fall planted spring bulbs like tulips, hyacinths, crocus, and daffodils appear in home centers now. In our climate it is way too early to plant and they will benefit from an artificial chill anyhow. Buy your bulbs now and place in a paper bag away from fruits in your refrigerator for several (up to sixteen) weeks. Plant them in December for a stunning spring display.
Bonus Tip: You will see fall planted spring bulbs like tulips, hyacinths, crocus, and daffodils appear in home centers now. In our climate it is way too early to plant and they will benefit from an artificial chill anyhow. Buy your bulbs now and place in a paper bag away from fruits in your refrigerator for several (up to sixteen) weeks. Plant them in December for a stunning spring display.
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