topic Re: Starting fall cleanup early in Home

Starting fall cleanup early

hoosieroriginal — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 17:07:32 GMT

Started depotting annuals and putting things away for the fall. (They had 8" mums for $2.99 at Aldis the other day - got them, then put them back - darn!) It has been so dry here nothing really looks good anymore, except my begonias, which still look great (will be getting more of those next year for sure!). Putting outdoor rugs away, painted my front deck chair, bagging the last of the limbs. In a couple of weeks I'll start cutting down my grasses (I cut them while they are still green because if I wait I can't cut through the dried stalks). My big chore (leaves) will go on for the next couple of months - so I'm not out of the wood yet! When do you start your cleanup for the fall?

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Mominohio — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 17:12:27 GMT

Wow, you are way ahead of the game!

It is beautiful here, sunny and in the 70's. Just now getting dry enough weather to enjoy the porch, deck and yard.

Traditionally September is our best month outdoors, so waiting a couple of months before dismantling here.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

ID2 — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 17:34:47 GMT

Nope, I'm not in any hurry to say goodbye to Summer. We don't start our Fall clean up till end of Sept and into Oct. We're still having fun with boating, jet skiing, etc. My flowers/plants are in their Summer glory right now so there's no way I'd begin cutting them back so soon!!

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

hoosieroriginal — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 18:08:28 GMT

@ID2 wrote:
Nope, I'm not in any hurry to say goodbye to Summer. We don't start our Fall clean up till end of Sept and into Oct. We're still having fun with boating, jet skiing, etc. My flowers/plants are in their Summer glory right now so there's no way I'd begin cutting them back so soon!!

@ID2 - my petunias always get so leggy and bare looking - just couldn't stand looking at them anymore!

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Allegheny — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 18:25:24 GMT

@hoosieroriginal

I understand. SW PA here, we're still really green for August but many of my in ground perennials are starting to lose their vibrancy and I'll probably be cutting them back earlier than usual. I only potted 4 containers (window box with geraniums, a cordyline, purple fountain grass and a dahlia). I am going to put the fountain grass in ground and let nature take it course as it is an annual here. I'll keep the geraniums until frost. Soon I'll unpot the dahlia bulbs and may try and overwinter the cordyline.

I may follow your path and cut my grasses down in late fall rather then in the spring. I need to put a coat of paint on my deck railing yet. We pressured washed our driveway already. I need to give my garden tools a good cleaning before storage. It feels good to do these tasks gradually, rather then trying and accomplish in a few days. However, I still may purchase a couple of potted mums in September.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Snicks1 — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 18:25:31 GMT

We usually close our pool around or right after Labor Day weekend, then a couple weeks after that the cleanup begins in earnest and the leaf raking lasts till around Thanksgiving.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Julie928 — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 19:12:06 GMT

@hoosieroriginal ~ I won't start until sometime in September. Like you, we have had little to no rain and the yard looks sad. I was just out back thinking to myself how I give up! Things are wilted, and I water! The mums at Aldi are nice! I purchased three for the front porch but that's it ~ normally I buy lots but just don't want to worry about watering pots. It's supposed to rain tomorrow ~ positive thoughts!!!!

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Mominohio — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 19:15:46 GMT

I have spent this week outside scrubbing the siding and windows, but that seems more like spring cleaning late, rather than fall cleaning early!!!

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

AuntG — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 19:18:41 GMT

It has to freeze before I pull anything out. By mid-October the outdoor stuff will be hauled back in.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Teddie — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 19:33:57 GMT

I've noticed some have been decorating for fall since the beginning of August. It's still summer here and fall doesn't officially begin until September 22. We're still enjoying summer.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

goldensrbest — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 19:43:41 GMT

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
@ID2 wrote:
Nope, I'm not in any hurry to say goodbye to Summer. We don't start our Fall clean up till end of Sept and into Oct. We're still having fun with boating, jet skiing, etc. My flowers/plants are in their Summer glory right now so there's no way I'd begin cutting them back so soon!!
@ID2 - my petunias always get so leggy and bare looking - just couldn't stand looking at them anymore!

That is why i don't really like petunias.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

CelticCrafter — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 19:59:26 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
It has to freeze before I pull anything out. By mid-October the outdoor stuff will be hauled back in.

I used to do that with Impatiens but by then it was like pulling snot and slime out!

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Lilysmom — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 20:36:57 GMT

@hoosieroriginal, I am starting to do a few things. I pitched three hanging baskets and one big planter full of annuals. Still have several left that are looking good.

I have cut down spent perennials. My beebalm is next. I am consolidating a few gardens and giving some grasses away. After the mess I had this past spring with huge grasses all over the yard, I will be taking them down in the Fall.

Still lots left to do. LM

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

hoosieroriginal — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 20:55:29 GMT

@Lilysmom wrote:
@hoosieroriginal, I am starting to do a few things. I pitched three hanging baskets and one big planter full of annuals. Still have several left that are looking good.

I have cut down spent perennials. My beebalm is next. I am consolidating a few gardens and giving some grasses away. After the mess I had this past spring with huge grasses all over the yard, I will be taking them down in the Fall.

Still lots left to do. LM

@Lilysmom - speaking of grasses - my neighbor told me her husband burns his mom's grasses in the fall. So dumb me, I decided that would be quicker. That thing went up so quickly, if I had not backed away I would have been severely burned. I will never do that again. But mine are very tall and difficult to cut when they get dry, so I like to do it while they are still green.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

blackhole99 — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 22:50:54 GMT

I put my Mums from last fall in the ground and they came back this year, but they are small and skimpy looking. I won't do that again. I just planted collard and kale seeds and spinach and arugala seeds about 10 days ago and they have sprouted and are growing nicely. I still have basil growing and I have not pulled my hot pepper or zucchini plants yet. It's cool at night now where I live and it was only 69 degrees here today.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Carmie — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 23:01:41 GMT

We have had way too much rain here this summer and it has been hot. Right now it is getting cool at night and my plants are telling me that we will have an early fall this year.

I have cleaned up some of my potted annuals because they dried up, were leggy or just awful looking. My tomato plants are starting to dry up too. My DH had to blow some leaves into a pile and pick them up. Our trees are staring to show some red, orange and yellow.... way too soon for all of that around here. I cut my tall Lilly plants back to the ground because they were done blooming.

We need to plant some grass and will do that next week. I am planning and ordering bulbs to be planted this fall to bloom next spring and summer.

i hate to see Summer go, but Mother Nature is kicking it to the curb about a month early this year.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

SilleeMee — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 00:00:33 GMT

I've been helping some friends stack wood. One friend just built a wood shed to store the split cords to keep them out of the rain and snow. I'm glad I don't have to worry about having enough wood for the winter. It's a lot of work! TG for gas furnaces. Right now I'm just waiting for the leaves to fall so I can get them bagged up. Not much in the way of outdoor plants. Just have to trim off some bushes so they don't get snapped off when the heavy snow comes down on them. Just had my furnace inspected and cleaned. Probably change the filter in a few weeks before the furnace kicks on...won't be long.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

GCR18 — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 01:14:59 GMT

I only planted geraniums this year. They are looking pretty good right now. I hope to keep them through September.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

AuntG — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 01:19:13 GMT

@CelticCrafter wrote:
@AuntG wrote:
It has to freeze before I pull anything out. By mid-October the outdoor stuff will be hauled back in.
I used to do that with Impatiens but by then it was like pulling snot and slime out!

@CelticCrafter, that is funny. I know just what you mean about frozen impatiens. The texture is gross.

Re: Starting fall cleanup early

Lilysmom — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 11:53:58 GMT

@hoosieroriginal, my grasses are the same height as yours. I wouldn't burn them as they are too close to other shrubbery. Tempting though, I must admit! LM