Shrubs with Great Fall Color

Fall planting season is in full swing, and plants with autumn color are about to put on their glorious show. So, not surprisingly, it's a perfect time to plan and plant new landscaping, and at the top of the list are plants with great fall color. Here are a few of the most spectacular shrubs to look for:

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) generally grows 4 to 6 feet tall and equally as wide. The small leaves, which in some varieties are purplish or red during the growing season, turn yellow, orange and red before dropping in fall. Bright red berries add to the autumn show. Japanese barberry is a durable foundation shrub and can also be clipped as a hedge.

Cotoneasters (Cotoneaster sp.) are a diverse group of plants, most of which have showy spring flowers followed by colorful berries. The deciduous species also have glowing orange to red fall color. Many are taller shrubs, but among the most useful deciduous species are types that can be used as ground covers, such as rock cotoneaster (C. horizontalis). It grows just 2 to 3 feet high but spreads up to 15 feet wide.

Witch Hazels (Hamamelis sp.) are well known for their small, fragrant, yellow to red flowers that appear on bare branches in early spring. They also have excellent yellow to orange or red fall color. There are several species to choose from, most of which are taller shrubs that reach 10 to 15 feet high.

Spiraeas (Spiraea sp.) are another large group of flowering shrubs, many with excellent fall color. Some of the best known include varieties of the Japanese spiraea (S. japonica) like 'Bumalda,’ which grows 3 feet high, has pink summer flowers and orange-red fall color. Vanhouttei spiraea (V. x vanhouttei) bears large clusters of white, spring flowers on an arching 6-foot-high plant. Leaves turn purplish in fall.

The Deciduous Viburnums (Viburnum sp.) offer many useful shrubs with large clusters of spring to summer flowers (often followed by colorful berries) as well as good fall color. Ones to look for include the European cranberry bush (V. opulus), Japanese snowbell (V. plicatum) and cranberry bush (V. trilobum). All are larger shrubs that can grow up to 12 to 15 feet high and have yellow to purplish-red fall color.

Check with your local nurseryman to see how these shrubs perform in your area. And to get them off to a strong start, use Bayer Advanced™ Tree & Shrub Insect Control Concentrate. One application provides up to 12 months of protection.

Garlic is King

Few herbs are as versatile and beloved as garlic. It has been grown since ancient times and is a key ingredient in diverse cuisines from Italy to China to Mexico and back again. Garlic is easy to grow as long as you plant it at the right time of year. In mild-winter areas where the ground doesn't freeze, garlic is best planted in fall and harvested in early summer. In colder areas, plant in early spring for late-summer harvest.

You may think that "garlic is garlic," but there are actually many varieties. Nurseries and mail-order catalogs offer selections with names like 'Inchellium Red,' 'Chet's Italian Red,' 'Susanville' and 'Chinese Purple.' Varieties vary in flavor, size and color, and perform differently under varying climate conditions. Experiment with different varieties to see which ones do best for you. Elephant garlic is actually more closely related to leeks. It produces huge bulbs with mild flavor.

Plant garlic in full sun and well-drained soil. Purchase disease-free cloves (often called sets) from nurseries or mail-order catalogs. Plant them about 1 inch deep and 3 to 4 inches apart with the pointed side up. Leave 12 to 15 inches between rows. Fertilize the planting bed with Bayer Advanced™ Triple Action All Purpose Plant Food Granules and water thoroughly.

Garlic is ready to harvest when the tops start to dry out and fall over. Gently lift the bulbs with a spading fork and allow them to air dry (if its very hot move the bulbs to a shady spot to dry). When dry, cut off most of the tops and store in a cool, dry spot out of direct sun.

Fall Care for Young Trees

Fall is a good time to repot houseplants. Fresh soil and room for new root growth will help keep plants healthy through winter.

What should you consider when choosing a new container? There are several important things. Naturally, a new pot should be attractive, highlighting the plant or the surroundings. But you should also consider size, color and the material the pot is made of. These factors influence how easy the container is to move and how often the plant needs to be watered.

If you are potting up a household or other plant that has gotten root bound, the new pot should be at least 2 to 4 inches larger in diameter. That's enough space for new root growth without making the pot a great deal heavier. In general, it's best to move up gradually in pot size.

Also consider the weight and porosity of the pot. Lightweight plastic pots will be easier to move than heavier ceramic or terra cotta pots. Terra cotta pots are also porous, so water evaporates through the sides. While this is good for aerating the soil, it causes the pot to dry out faster than plastic or ceramic pots. Dark-colored pots situated in sunny spots also warm up and dry out faster than light-colored ones.

To repot houseplants, gently remove the plant from the existing pot. This will probably be easiest if you water the plant several days before transplanting so the soil is moist. To remove smaller plants from the pot, place your hand over the top so you can catch the root ball. Tip the entire plant upside down and tap the rim of the pot on a hard surface until the root ball releases. With larger pots, you may have to run an old knife around the edges before the root ball can be gently pulled out. If the plant still won't come out of a clay or ceramic pot, you may have to break the pot. To do so, place it in a bag or wrap it in an old sheet. Tap the pot with a hammer until it breaks.

Place enough potting soil in the bottom of the new pot so the top of the root ball is at least an inch below the rim. For a lightweight potting soil that includes a premium timed-release fertilizer, moisture control and four months of insect protection, use Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Potting Mix Potting Mix (product discontinued). Put the plant in the pot and fill around the edges with potting soil. Water well. If necessary, add more soil.

Fall Lawn Tune-Up

Fall is the most important time of the year when it comes to caring for cool season lawns. The work you do now on your bluegrass or fescue lawns will really pay off later this fall and next spring.

Test Your Soil. A soil test will reveal serious nutrient imbalances and recommend whether you need to add lime or sulfur to adjust the pH. Your local cooperative extension can provide assistance in analyzing your soil for any deficiencies or will put you in touch with a private soil lab that can.

Control grubs. Late summer and fall can be the most active time for grubs. If you have seen those irregular brown spots or have found grubs, apply Bayer Advanced™ 24-Hour Grub Killer Plus Granules. Its highly effective formula offers overnight results against grubs.

Fertilize. Fall is the most important time to fertilize cool season lawns. Follow label instructions for amounts of fertilizer to apply and how to set your fertilizer spreader correctly.

Control weeds. Weeds compete with grasses for water and nutrients and make your lawn look lousy. A well-cared-for lawn will resist weed invasions, but if you’re having problems, use Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Weed Killer for Lawns Ready-To-Use. It will kill all your broadleaf lawn weeds, including clover, dandelion, plantain, nutsedge and your grass weeds, such as crabgrass, at one time with one application. This one product kills over 200 lawn weeds now and will help minimize problems next spring. Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Weed Killer for Lawns Ready-To-Use in the convenient, ready-to-use form contains SmartTrack® red dye, which shows you exactly which weeds you’ve already sprayed before it naturally fades away. To treat larger areas, purchase the concentrated formulation. Now you can control all your weeds in your lawn at one time – saving you money and time. Apply only when daytime temperatures will remain below 85 degrees.

Aerate. Aerating, which removes small cores of soil, is one of the best things you can do for your lawn. It improves water and nutrient penetration, increases the amount of air that reaches the roots and helps reduce thatch (a dense layer of organic matter that forms between the leaves and roots; if it gets over a 1/2-inch thick, it prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching the roots and the lawn begins to suffer). You can hire a lawn service to aerate your lawn, or rent a power aerator from a local rental yard and do it yourself. Once a year is usually often enough.

Plant. Fall is also the best time to plant cool season lawns from sod or seed, so start a new lawn or repair thin areas of your existing turf. You can also overseed warm season lawns with cool season grasses to keep them green all winter in southern areas.