Plant Shade-Loving Perennials in Lieu of Grass

Fall is here! And that means time to plant and transplant your Spruce Trees! With cooler temps above ground and prime root development conditions below, autumn is a great time to relocate or install some more of your favorite Spruce and Pine trees. Nurseries found that if you water the soil well, or dig after a rain so the ground is moist - September/October is an excellent time to dig and transplant, or purchase new and get them planted now into that nice warm soil! Why Transplanting in the Fall is Best Regional Considerations Transplanting Coniferous Evergreens Evergreen Tree After Care Spruce Tree Relocation Time! Spruce, Fir, and Pines are incredible bird-friendly shelters and perfect for including in your windbreaks, shelterbelts, hedgerows that stop the drifting snow, and privacy screens! Providing pinpoint shade and year-round screening, these trees may be a bit on the slower-growing side, but a specimen planting in your front yard will be a lasting legacy for generations to come! Whether you are planting for any of these reasons, having a gorgeous focal point that doubles as a holiday feature that you can decorate during the winter months! Why Transplanting in the Fall is Best The new growth on Spruce and Pines has typically expanded and hardened off by later in August. So the trees are not growing anymore by late summer. The plants can now focus on putting on new roots in the warm and moist soil before winter comes! Whether you have a new tree you are planting, transplanting a container tree you’ve enjoyed as a thriller planting on a patio or porch planter that is ready to move into its permanent location in your yard, or you have a young in-ground tree that needs to be relocated - the fall is a great time to move that Spruce tree or shrub! For Pines and Fir Trees - spring can sometimes be best for transplanting many Fir trees, Jack Pine, and Austrian Pine may be best transplanted in the spring in colder zones, or if it gets too late in the fall. You want the Evergreens to have enough time to make new roots before the ground freezes in the colder hardiness zones. Fall Planting is Best For - Smaller Bareroot Evergreens Container-grown Evergreens (can transplant throughout the year but now is an excellent time) Balled and Burlapped Evergreens fresh dug and planted right back in the ground for great success. Without the need to fight the summer heat and drought conditions, autumn gives Spruce the entire winter season to reestablish root systems. Giving you a tree that is far less stressed and grows faster in spring. You can plant at any time when the ground isn’t frozen, but fall gives plants all autumn, winter, and spring to establish before summer's heat and drought kick in. The key is to be sure you do not plant too deep, and give your plants a really thorough soaking. As with all evergreens, but sure the soil has good moisture right up until the plants go dormant and the ground freezes in your yard! This is vital for many coniferous evergreens and Broadleaved Evergreen plants alike! Regional Considerations Your local County Extension Office can be an amazing resource when researching specifics regarding when to plant certain evergreens. Northeast - Typically has cool, wet springs, hot summers, long autumns, and cold winters. Evergreens are typically planted here in spring or fall. Southeast - Fall is a great time to plant anything since summers can be incredibly hot and humid. Northwest - Higher rainfall and mild temperatures mean planting at about any time can be successful. Southwest - Hot dry summers and arid conditions mean planting in the fall or winter is preferred allowing the plants to root in before the heat arrives. Midwest - Cold winters and sluggish springs, plus unpredictable weather mean planting evergreens early fall or spring is best for this region. Transplanting Coniferous Evergreens Call your local Diggers Hotline to locate any underground structures before digging! Water your soon-to-transplant tree well or soak its container until the bubbles stop Find a location in full sun all day in well-drained soil Dig a hole twice as wide but just as deep as the root ball/container of your tree If you see water pooling at the bottom of your planting site… consider relocating or ‘mound up’ and create a berm 18-24 inches above the ground. Then plant in that hole. Set your tree into the hole and fan its roots out gently Fill the hole with water and let it drain away Backfill with the soil you removed from the planting site and tamp down gently Ensure your tree's roots are just below the soil surface and it is planted at the same depth it was previously in its container or planting site. Water again and saturate the area well, tamping down again to remove air pockets Top with a 3-4 thick layer of mulch, spread out about 2-3 feet away from the trunk Avoid ‘mulch volcanoes’ and keep the mulch/soil from piling up against the trunk Water regularly using the Finger Test method Evergreen Tree After Care In cold exposed locations you may consider treating your tree with anti-desiccant to prevent the winter’s drying northern winds from drying them out. Spray on according to the product directions. Protect these trees from drying out further by watering them regularly - right up until the ground freezes. Break out the hose again during extended warm bouts throughout the winter. To prevent deer browsing, from the first day and as often as the product directs, spray your tree regularly to train deer in your area to avoid your tree, teaching them that it tastes bad. Spruce Tree Relocation Time! When it’s time to put down roots in a new location, your Spruce tree will appreciate moving in the autumn months when they can focus on getting established best! You’ll appreciate the cooler fall weather to perform this garden chore too! Happy Planting!

Fall is here! While you are taking care of your Fall cleanup checklist, don’t skip an important garden chore that some plants require! Fall Pruning! Pruning In The Fall Pruning This Fall - Why or Why Not Plants That Showed Disease/Pest Issues Warm-Season Ornamental Grass Spring-Planted Bulbs To Prune or Not to Prune Not all plants need a fall haircut, but for some - it is essential! Nights will start getting cooler and some plants have already started shutting down for the year anyway. Seedheads that can make messes and self-sow, or branches that hold disease, insect, or fungal issues need to be removed now before they can become bigger problems in the future. Pruning In The Fall Depending on your plants and where you live, it is usually recommended that you not prune plants in the autumn - with a few exceptions... Perennials and Grasses in cold climates benefit from having the foliage intact, not only to protect their crowns but also to provide winter interest as their seed pods or dried flowers sculpt the snow and feed birds and wildlife! A plant’s crown (where the stem meets the roots) usually sits at, slightly above, or slightly below the soil line, and this is the point where all new growth will emerge in the spring. The dead foliage provides insulation and protects the crown from frost and chill.  There are a few plants that need, or even benefit from getting pruned in the autumn after frost has killed back the top growth. It is a necessity when it comes to preventing disease, and very helpful to remove any obstacles that may inhibit fresh spring growth. But as Ma Nature always has exceptions to her own rules, here are the plants that do benefit from a fall haircut! Pruning This Fall - Why or Why Not Trees, Shrubs & Fruiting Plants Trees, shrubs, and fruiting plants won’t need pruning until either late winter, or after they’ve flowered and fruited. Evergreens will not need pruning in the autumn either. Herbaceous Perennials While most Perennials do not need pruning in the autumn, certain Perennials do need to be pruned. Include those susceptible to powdery mildew, disease, or insects while others can be invasive or just self-seed. Typically pruning for some of these plants is fine in areas where the climate is milder and has less chance of winter damage. In colder regions, it may be best to not prune so the plants catch the snow, and if there is winter damage - then that damage will simply be removed with spring pruning. Especially trim back your plants if your autumn has been cool and wet - which is a breeding ground for fungal issues and diseases! Perennials to prune include - Astilbe Bearded Iris Bee Balm Blackberry Lily Catmints Columbines Corydalis Crocosmia Daylilies Gaillardia (Blanket Flowers) Hosta Penstemon Plume Poppy Salvia Siberian Bugloss Solomon's Seal Tall Garden Phlox (not Creeping Phlox) Veronica (Speedwell) Yarrow - can start looking ragged   Prune by removing the stems close to the ground and all foliage, and dead flowers from the area. Let these plants die down from a heavy frost or two and then remove all of the old foliage and stems. Discard for sanitation purposes, prevent pests and disease issues at bay, and keep snails or slugs from having a place to overwinter. Herbaceous Peonies Peony plants need to be completely pruned to the ground in the autumn and all the stems and leaf litter removed from the area and disposed of. Some suggest pruning in September if the plants are heavily mildewed. Tree Peonies are woody plants and should remain intact and not pruned. Annuals & Vegetables Annuals, seasonal accents, and vegetable garden plants and herbs that are done for the year, are all best dug or pulled and the entire plants bagged or taken to a yard waste site away from your property. This includes all of the foliage, fallen fruit, and stems should all be removed from the area and disposed of. Remember what was planted where and rotate your crop next spring for the best results.  Annual flowers typically have gone to seed by now (or earlier) and to prevent self-seeding, remove the seed heads as the flowers fade to encourage new blooms during the growing season, then any remaining in the autumn can be removed with the entire plant once it dies. Now is a great time for seed savers to save seeds for next year! Plants That Showed Disease/Pest Issues Good sanitation by removing spent leaves and broken stems that showed signs of powdery mildew, insect infestation, disease, or other issues that year. These issues could overwinter in the debris and arise worse next year! Warm-Season Ornamental Grass We suggest leaving most Grasses standing for fall and winter. Why not enjoy the movement and incredible attributes they add to the fall and winter landscape? Cutting grasses down in the fall can sometimes expose the cut hollow stems to more rainfall which might allow more water to the crowns of the plants and cause them to rot. There are a couple of exceptions like the Pampas Grasses or Switchgrasses that can drop grass blades and blow around all winter. If you find that is true, trim back the tops to remove much of the messier parts. Spring-Planted Bulbs Flowering bulbs form roots in the fall before going dormant, so the green foliage is very important for making food and storing energy for the next year’s blooms. So leave the green leaves intact until they turn yellow, and then you can trim the old leaves to the soil making room for other plants in your borders. Anemone Begonia Caladium Calla Lily Canna Lily Crocosmia Dahlia Elephant Ears Freesia Gladiola Gloriosa Lily Liatris Lilies Naked Lady/Belladonna Lily Nerine Lily Peacock Orchid Pineapple Lilies Ranunculus Tuberose (Tuber Rose) To Prune or Not to Prune Pruning is one of those chores at the end of growing season that won’t have you wondering how you’ll get it all accomplished before the snow flies! Trust us, there will be plenty of other garden chores to get done this fall. Head over to the Nature Hills website and find everything you need to make this coming spring the very best one yet! Happy Planting! Check out our entire Garden Blog for information on Pruning almost anything in your garden!

fbq('track', 'ViewContent'); Summer is wrapping up and the cooler nights are beginning to creep in! It’s time to harvest those last tomatoes, collect seeds for next year, enjoy the last Roses, plant some Chrysanthemums, and get ready for the holidays! Need a quick checklist to make sure you get all your garden chores done and ensure your garden is put to bed in time for winter? Nature Hills has you covered! Here’s your Fall Cleanup Checklist! Here’s your Fall Cleanup Checklist! Fall is For Planting, Dividing & Transplanting Lift Summer-Flowering Tender Bulbs and Tubers Mulch Garden Beds & Plants Prune Tender Perennials Clean and Sanitize Bird Feeders Begin to Acclimate Seasonal Potted Trees and Citrus Winterize Outdoor Containers Winterize Outdoor Ponds/Fountains Winterize The Lawn Sprinklers/Hoses/Water Spigots Ornamental Grasses in the Fall Prep Your Roses! Trees, Evergreens & Shrubs Fall Fruit Tree Care Preparing Your Lawn For Winter Clean Your Tools & Winterize the Lawn Mower Get the Snowblower Serviced & Ready Put Away Sculptures & Garden Art (and maybe put out holiday decorations!) Take Out All Annual and Vegetable Garden Plants Take Notes & Journal Make Fall Easier With Planning! We’ll explain in more detail below!  The Fall Chore Checklist Explained Fall Is Planting & Transplanting Season! What to do - Plant new trees, shrubs, fall-planted spring-flowering bulbs, or perennials at this time! The cooler nights and days make the topside growth slow down so the plant can focus on root growth only, which is essential for your plant's longevity. Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials Plant spring-flowering bulbs Plant garlic bulbs now Plant bareroot trees and shrubs Divide and transplant perennials Plant new installations in the fall and spring. Even when the tops are dormant the roots can grow for weeks below ground especially if mulched. Almost all growers will agree that plants are better off in the ground at any point in the fall than not being planted! Be sure to water well all fall-planted bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs. Keep the soil moist and put down a 3-4 inch layer of mulch so the plants can continue to make new roots even after the tops have gone dormant. Fall is also a great time to divide and transplant your clumping perennials (about every 3-5 years) to maintain vigor and improve growth. Water in well and mulch them! Hostas, Clematis, Phlox, and many other perennial plants appreciate not being crowded! What not to do - Don’t forget to water new fall-planted landscaping right up until the ground freezes. Leaving new plants in the ground without mulch or leaf litter over their crowns can lead to them freezing and crowns drying out from the harsh conditions. Lift Summer-Flowering Tender Bulbs and Tubers What to do - It is time to dig your spring-planted bulbs once they have seen a mild frost and the tops have begun to turn yellow. Dahlias, Gladiolus, Elephant Ears, Begonias, and other Bulb plants that won’t winter over in cold-climate gardens! Carefully lift the bulbs knocking off the soil and trim off the foliage above the bulb. Keep them in the shade for a couple of days where it is dry and the rest of the soil can easily be removed. What not to do - Don’t store your bulbs excessively dirty, overly wet or dry, or anywhere too warm/cold. You want them mildly damp, packed in straw/sawdust/sand, and in a cool, dark place to keep them dormant. Mulch Garden Beds & Plants What to do - Arborist mulch is like a cozy blanket to get plants ready for the winter. Top off garden beds, trees, and shrubs with 3-4 inches of mulch. Spread compost around garden beds to further insulate and enrich the soil gradually. It also extends the time that new roots will still have a chance to develop later into the season. If you have clean, issue-free leaves, use these to cover your Rose bushes, tender shrubs, and perennial beds, or add them to your compost bins! Create beneficial insect safe havens by piling clean leaf litter, twigs, and hollow stems in an out-of-the-way area for them and their eggs/larvae/cocoons to overwinter. What not to do - Don’t let mulch pile up against your tree and shrub trunks, or smother the crowns of perennials and shrubs. Roses on the other hand will benefit greatly if a mound of mulch is applied later in November after the plants have gone dormant. Never use diseased or fungal-affected leaves around your garden! Prune Tender Perennials What to do - Only perennials that were affected by leaf disease this past year should be cut down as soon as the frost knocks them back and they have started to turn yellow or brown. Some examples of perennials that should be cut back include all Hosta, Herbaceous Peonies, Daylilies, Catmint, Salvia, Garden Phlox, Bee Balm, and Veronica. You may also want to remove seed heads from reseeding grasses or perennials that spread in your area to prevent spread.  The rest of your perennials should remain up, and uncut over the winter months to catch and sculpt the snow creating winter interest, feeding local songbirds, and offering habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife. If you have to trim these seed-bearing plants back but still want to feed your birds, just bundle the seedheads and create wreaths or hang them in your trees for birds to pluck at! Seedpods also become amazing fall and winter interest! So if you can keep this showy interest without them self-seeding, go for it! But if you need to trim them, gather the seed pods and dried flowers for your bouquets and dried floral arrangements indoors and out! While you are going through and trimming perennials - remember to mark where they are, so that in the spring you won’t be scratching your head. What not to do - Don’t leave up seeds from plants that tend to self-sow and can be messy (like some plumes of ornamental grasses). Also, don’t leave any diseased or insect-attacked dried flower heads or seedpods behind to spread the issue again next year. Clean and Sanitize Bird Feeders What to do - Birds are going to rely on your generosity throughout the approaching lean months of the year, so ensure they have a sanitary food station in your yard! Sanitize and put away the Hummingbird feeders (unless they live in your area year-round), and clean bird feeders to support your feathered friends who won’t be migrating. If you have a way to keep a birdbath from freezing all winter, give it a good scrubbing and make sure the heating system is working properly. They won’t be taking baths, but they’ll appreciate a drink! What not to do - Don’t put away feeders that aren’t clean and emptied. Bacteria and pests will linger and cause problems. Don’t store birdseed without a good lid so rodents won’t find it, raid your bird's food, and spread more disease. Begin to Acclimate Seasonal Potted Trees and Citrus What to do - Late summer and early fall is the time to begin acclimating your container citrus and other tropical trees to get ready for a winter indoors. As both temperatures wane (especially at night) and sunlight hours shorten, your plants will need to gradually transition inside. Begin by moving them into a shaded location so they get used to lower light when brought indoors. Clean and inspect the pot's undersides and soil and remove any insects. Transitioning them too fast and you’ll have leaf-drop and stressed-out plants. Don’t forget to reduce how much you water them at this time too!  What not to do - Don’t fertilize or overwater these plants as the lower temps slow down their growth. Do not abruptly bring them in or wait until it’s gotten too cold before trying to start the transition. Don’t forget to watch the weather and bring your plants in! Winterize Outdoor Containers What to do - If you have potted plants with hardy perennials, trees, or shrubs in them, and they aren’t large enough to insulate the roots from a hard freeze, you can either bury these containers in the ground (and dig them up in the spring) or store them in an unheated garage or shed that will keep deciduous plants cold (dormant) and out of the drying winds. Another option for larger planters is to stack bales of hay or pile soil and leaves around them to simulate the insulating ground around them. Some folks even lay deciduous/bareroot plants down on their side and partially bury them. For seasonal containers and planters, dump old soil in the compost bin and remove the old plants. Clean and dry the pots before putting them into storage out of the elements. What not to do - Don’t leave dead annuals and seasonal accents to blow around and create a mess. Don’t skip cleaning and sterilizing pottery before storing in a protected area - this keeps them looking great for the long run! The elements and freeze/thaw cycles of the fall, winter, and early spring can cause pottery to split and crack, and plastic pots to degrade. Winterize Outdoor Ponds/Fountains What to do - Call out your pond or pool company to get things winterized. For the DIY’er, empty your lines so no water remains, clean and put away skimmer baskets and filtration systems, and clean and store fountains like pottery above if small enough. (You can wrap them in plastic to protect them (once they’re clean and dried) for the winter if they are too large to move.) Submersible pumps need to be cleaned and stored in a freeze-free area. Remove leaves and debris from the water for larger water features, trim back foliage, and store any pond plants as you would summer-flowering bulbs (like Waterlilies) if they are not rated for your growing zone's winter temperatures. For larger ponds and water features that have fish and other creatures (that are deep enough to not fully freeze in the winter) take steps to allow air exchange when it’s iced over, and your critters have plenty of water that won’t become stagnant and gasses can escape. Pond deicers keep a small area ice-free with special recirculating pumps for winter conditions. What not to do - Because water expands when frozen and can crack pipes and lines, and sun can degrade plastic and concrete, do not leave water in hoses and lines, or leave anything out in the elements for the winter. You’ll keep them looking and working good as new. Don’t leave litter in the water for the winter because bacteria builds up and grows all winter. Winterize The Lawn Sprinklers/Hoses/Water Spigots What to do - Like your pond and fountains, call up your sprinkler provider and get your lines shut off and blown out so they won’t split when water freezes. If you are in an area where you don’t need to worry about a hard freeze, now would be a great time to have maintenance done.  Insulate valves and protect spigots. Mark where they are so you don’t damage them when snow-blowing and shoveling Drain your garden hose and insulate the water spigot on the exterior of your home Save energy and turn off your sprinkler system control panel for the winter Once you’ve completed your very last watering of the garden, remember to turn off the water going to these outdoor spigots too! You should have a shut-off for each, typically in a basement. A particularly harsh freeze can cause pipes in your walls to burst and become an expensive problem! What not to do - Leaving water in hoses and lines, or not insulating spigots, hoses, and valves/backflow preventers will lead to splitting from water expanding as it freezes. Leaving garden hoses outdoors for the winter greatly shortens their lifespan. Not cleaning out valves and garden hose attachments can lead to them becoming clogged up and damaged too. Ornamental Grasses in the Fall What to do - Don’t prune your Ornamental Grasses and leave the blades intact to keep the crowns protected and drier all winter. Leaving the seed heads and plumes up also provides you with much-needed fall and winter interest, texture & motion! What not to do - Don’t allow diseased or pest-infested foliage to remain on your grasses for it to overwinter. Remove any messy plumes, like Pampas grasses, before winter so they don’t blow around, and remove any seedheads that tend to self-seed. Don’t prune back cold-season grasses at this time, instead, wait until spring to give them a trim. Cutting grass down in fall can allow water to get into the hollow stems and crown, rotting the plants if it stays too wet. Prep Your Roses! What to do - You do NOT want to trim Roses in the fall. Let your Rose bushes go dormant and keep some extra arborist wood chips handy so you can mound each plant with a foot or so of mulch in later November in those colder hardiness zones. Remove all fallen Rose leaves from inside and around the bush. Let them overwinter and then in spring when you uncover them pulling the mulch away, you should trim the ones that bloom on new wood. Remember that Rose Trees and Climbing Roses may need to be wintered differently and you should check out our blog on overwintering Tree Roses and Climbing Roses. Wait until your Rose plants have been exposed to several killing frosts and consistently cold temperatures to help them completely go dormant before covering, and only if winter protection is needed in your Hardiness Zone. Check out our Garden blog for more in-depth information on Wintering Roses Here. Wrap bases with burlap and fill with loose clean leaves Mound shredded hardwood mulch about a foot high directly on the stems of the plants Tie and secure Climbing Rose canes with chicken wire, twine, or something similar In spring pull the mulch away and then prune them in the spring.  Find our Garden Blog on (For info on un-wintering Roses click here)   What not to do - Many gardeners cover their Roses too early. In the rush to beat the cold they accidentally trap moisture, green leaves with potential molds, fungi, and diseases within the shrubs to struggle with all winter long. This also wreaks havoc on your plants during the fickle autumn months that waver between freezing and thawing. Avoid using leaves that had fungal issues this year to insulate your Roses with, and don’t allow their crowns to remain filled with old leaf debris. Trees, Evergreens & Shrubs What to do - In general, most deciduous trees and shrubs are best left alone in the fall and not pruned until late winter or early spring. In colder hardiness zones, you want the plants to simply go dormant and experience the fluctuation in temperatures that fall and winter may offer in some areas.  Water your trees and shrubs well before winter and do not let their roots go into winter dry. Water at least weekly right up until the ground freezes if needed Add a 3-4 inch layer of arborist mulch to the soil surface to insulate the roots and hold in moisture It is always a great idea to rake up or blow out all of the foliage as it drops from the plants For shrubs in areas with heavy snowfall, wrap them loosely with burlap or tie up the branches gently so that the weight of winter snow doesn’t squash them and break them It is best to protect young trunks by wrapping the trunks with hardware cloth or metal screening to protect from deer rubs, rodent, or rabbit damage to the young bark. Or to prevent frost-crack and sun scaled with white trunk protectors Spray trees with deer repellant according to product directions to keep hungry deer at bay for the winter Wrap or spray evergreens with anti-desiccant in areas prone to drying winter winds   What not to do - Don’t let these plants go into winter dry, you’ll greatly stress plants and even lead to their death since winter temperatures lock up moisture access as ice and it is inaccessible to plant roots. Water evergreen and broad-leaf evergreens very well so they don’t go into the winter months dry. Because they have foliage to support, that added moisture until winter helps considerably, especially when combined with mulch and a foliar anti-desiccant spray. Pruning broad-leaf and coniferous evergreens results in open wounds where precious moisture can escape all winter. Fall pruning of evergreen and deciduous, trees, and shrubs in warmer regions encourages new growth to develop and may not be the right time for some plants to push new growth. Avoid pruning many types of bushes and shrubs with seedpods in the fall so you and your wildlife can enjoy the showy fruit and seeds all winter long!   Know what kind of shrub or tree you have and when to prune it - very few shrubs like to be pruned in the fall but some do. See our Pruning Blog to know when to take care of this chore. Also, avoid fertilizing trees and shrubs after mid-to-late summer. This encourages new growth at a time when growth needs to be maturing (called hardening-off), so it can survive colder temps. Fall Fruit Tree Care What to do - Once harvest is over and your leaves have fallen, it's time to clean up around your fruit tree to get it ready for winter. Clean away all fallen fruit and leaves and do not allow any to remain and potentially harbor disease and pests for the next growing season, disposing of them away from your yard. Provide plenty of water until the ground freezes. Apply a 3-4 inch layer of mulch over the roots. Your local County Extension Office can help a lot here! Plenty of water until the ground freezes Mulch well/Top off mulch layer Treat for pests - past and present. Stop fall webworm and tent caterpillars now Remove fallen fruit, overripe fruit still on the tree and all leaves from the area Protect the trunks from rodents and deer with hardware cloth Protect the trunk from sunscald with white trunk protectors Shore up stakes to keep trunks of new trees straight against drifting snow and winds What not to do - Leaving leaf litter and rotting fruit leads to disease issues and pests overwintering to wreak havoc next year. Avoid pruning fruit trees in fall, which can lead to disease or pests getting into the plant's system since their growth has slowed, they will react to attack slower as well. Also, avoid fertilizing trees and shrubs after mid-late summer. This encourages new growth at a time when growth needs to be maturing (called hardening-off), so it can survive colder temps. Preparing Your Lawn For Winter What to do - Preparing your lawn properly for the fall and winter months is easy. Mow or shred fallen leaves and provide your lawn with a good winterizing fertilizer. Eliminate broadleaved weeds with a good weed-and-feed in September. For both grass plugs and established lawns simply mow as needed until it stops growing!  Mow Bluegrass, mixed Bluegrass, Fescue & Rye Grass at a height of 2 - 2.5 inches The last mowing should be a bit shorter if you have rodents in your area Mow or shred leaves finely instead of raking them up. Apply winterizing fertilizer or a September application of weed-and-feed fertilizer Kill off any perennial weeds like dandelions or Ground Ivy now Catch and rake out the excess thatch bag it and remove it at this time – a great time to do so. Less thatch is less inviting to voles and other vermin that may want to winter in your lawn area What not to do - Leave unwanted weeds and flowers to go to seed or leave their seedheads up all winter. You’ll compound your weed problem for next year! Don’t leave clumps of grass on the lawn to rot or give fungal issues a place to winter over. Don’t forget to give grass plugs and new grass installations a good watering before a freeze. Lastly, don’t leave your lawn especially long or very short since both can have their own sets of issues during the winter months. Clean Your Tools & Winterize the Lawn Mower What to do - As each garden chore gets done, sharpen and clean/oil your tools for their much-deserved rest in storage. Organize everything so you can jump right into spring without the chaos of having to look for everything! This will keep your equipment lasting longer and always within easy reach. After that last mowing, it's also time to get your lawnmower ready to be put up. Sharpen the blade and service the engine now instead of in the spring when everyone else is doing it and small engine service providers are busiest! What not to do -  Don’t put tools away dirty, this leads to them rusting and degrading quickly. Avoid procrastination and you’ll save money and time in the long run! Get the Snowblower Serviced & Ready What to do - Beat the rush to the service providers by having your snowblower ready before the snow flies. Stock up on gas for it and get that bag of ice melt before the last-minute rush when it’s already coming down.  What not to do - Waiting too long means possibly putting yourself and others at risk. Having everything ready to go before the snow arrives means having clean and safe sidewalks and paths, and a clear driveway now, and not trying to do it all with a foot of unexpected snowfall on the ground. Once the first flakes fall, you can be certain the local shops will be sold out of ice melt and shovels in a hurry! Put Away Sculptures & Garden Art (and maybe put out holiday decorations!) What to do - While it’s still nice out during the day, clean and store your garden art and sculptures so the winter temperature swings won’t ruin them. Now is also a great time to get those holiday lights up so you’re not freezing your fingertips off in December or hoping for one of those rare warm days to do it! Dust off and untangle garlands, and have everything else ready to put out when it is closer to the winter festivities! What not to do - Don’t procrastinate! The more you do while it's warm, the warmer you’ll be later on when temps plummet and there’s ice to contend with! Plus you’ll keep your garden treasures looking their best for years to come! Take Out All Annual and Vegetable Garden Plants What to do - Remove all your tomatoes, peppers, and the tops and roots of annual vegetables, annual flowers, and herbs. Harvest what you can and start drying herb bundles, hang stems of green tomatoes upside down in a basement or shed so they can ripen, make braids of onion and peppers, and dig any final root vegetables up now. Clean off any trellis or tomato cages and store them. What not to do - Let any leaf litter or fallen fruit/veggies remain on the ground to either self-seed or spread disease issues into the next growing season. Take Notes & Journal What to do - While it is still fresh in your mind - it’s time to jot down your thoughts, successes, and failures this year. Jot them down in your garden journal and make plans of what you’ll change for next year! Document how this year went with as much detail and photos as possible! What not to do - As mentioned, it's still fresh in your mind now, by spring you’ll be less certain of what did good this year and what didn’t! Plus you’ll be busy with the holidays soon and then in spring you’ll be busy doing, so now is the time to put the garden to bed - both outside and on paper! Make Fall Easier With Planning! Sooner than we’re ready for the snow will be flying and cooler temps setting in. While summer is quickly fleeting, it is not time to be resting! Fall is about harvest and getting your landscape ready for the challenging months ahead. Nature Hills is here to help you enjoy the best landscaping on the block with some preemptive planning and information at your fingertips! Happy Planting!

Take everything you love about Roses and raise them to new heights by grafting them upon a strong, sturdy, and straight single-stem trunk, and these already iconic blooming shrubs become something otherworldly! But caring for these precious works of art takes a bit more forethought and a touch of extra maintenance (but just a little - we promise!). Especially if you are growing these unique grafted plants in colder regions. Nature Hills has you covered and takes all the guesswork out of the art of caring for Rose Trees! About Tree Roses Basic Rose Care For Happy Blooms Caring For Tree Roses Preparing Your Rose Tree For Winter “Un-wintering” Your Rose Trees Pruning Rose Trees Rose Tree Fertilization Containerized Tree Rose Care Elevate Your Rose Enjoyment Today! About Tree Roses Gorgeous landscape crown jewels, incredible garden specimens, and amazing gifts, Rose Trees are exemplary versions of the beloved flowering ornamental! Experts have created Tree-Form Roses by taking the already beloved Rose bush (when grafted this is called the scion) and grafting them atop a straight trunk, known in the industry as the Rose Standard. This takes the anything-but-ordinary beauty of these classic garden ornamentals and elevates them closer to the eyes, nearer the nose, and head and shoulders above other mere shrubberies! Tree Roses can be grafted Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, or today many are reblooming Shrub Roses with built-in disease resistance.  But what goes into caring for these precious tree-form flowering plants really isn’t what you’d expect! Long gone are the days of fussy Roses that need coddling and weeping over! Today’s Roses have been selected and bred to be super easy to grow and care for! And this built-in carefree nature carries over to their Tree-Form versions as well! Basic Rose Care For Happy Blooms Roses need 8 basic rules of thumb to keep them happy and healthy - Full Sun - Favoring morning sun to dry their leaves of dew Air Circulation - Rose foliage needs ample air circulation to avoid many issues that typically can cause problems Regular Moisture - Moderate yet consistent water access all growing season Enriched Well-Drained Soil - Roses despise soggy stagnant conditions. Plant Roses in a location with high organic matter and good drainage Mulched Garden Beds - Adding 3-4 inches of arborist mulch holds moisture better, insulates the root system, and further enriches the soil Regular Fertility - Roses need ample fertility access to support their flowering and health Winter Crown Protection - Protecting their crown and roots from chill is vital in cold climates Spring Pruning - Pruning Roses is best performed in the early spring when you see new growth beginning to emerge This is the basic care that many types of both new and old-fashioned Roses need to keep them looking their best for the long run! Rose trees will need just a little bit more to protect their graft union and support the very best growth. Caring For Tree Roses How do you maintain a Rose Tree that is different than a regular Rose bush? There’s not too much else during the growing season! In addition to the 8 basic needs listed above, be sure to regularly water your Rose Tree deeply and use the finger-test method to know when to water. You will want to do this to ensure your Rose roots go deep to better help them tolerate heat and short bouts of drought. Plant your Tree Rose in a protected location away from strong winds, and in exposed locations, or in low areas where cold air can settle. For Rose Trees planted in lawns - Give them a 2-3 foot wide ring of mulch to protect the trunk from mower and weed-wacker damage. This buffer zone also helps keep lawn chemicals and fertilizers that are high in nitrogen away from your plant. Roses exposed to high nitrogen levels grow predominantly green foliage and may have reduced flowering. Preparing Your Rose Tree For Winter Today’s modern Roses are much easier to care for and with just a bit of planning, your Roses will slumber throughout the winter like a baby, emerging in spring with an explosion of refreshing growth! Winter protection will be needed especially if you are growing them where winter can get to zero degrees or colder. Container Tree Form Roses can be overwintered in an unheated garage after they go dormant. If grown in the ground, they can be heavily mulched and wrapped with straw and burlap for protection. Then in spring, take it back out of the garage, or unwrap it and water it well. Bring it back into a protected location in the event of a late spring freeze until it has fully acclimated to being outside again. Timing It’s a good idea to protect the crown of the Rose and its roots from the impending winter’s chills.  However, most people cover their Roses too early. In the rush to beat the cold (to keep themselves warm more so than their plants), they accidentally trap moisture, leaves are still green, and potential mold, fungi, and disease in their shrubs. Forcing them to struggle all winter long. This also wreaks havoc on your plants during the fickle autumn months that waver between freezing and thawing. Be careful with using Rose Cones for winter protection as the plants can rot underneath. Cut holes in the tops of the cones to allow moisture to escape but the sides of the cones will offer protection. Wait until your Rose plants have been exposed to several killing frosts and consistently cold temperatures to help them completely go dormant before covering, and only if winter protection is needed in your Hardiness Zone. Depending on your climate, the right time is around Thanksgiving to think about protecting your Rose bushes in colder areas, but Mother Nature dictates exactly when with her fickle nature. One warm and extended fall and you’ll find rotting or diseased Roses awaiting you in spring! Climate In USDA growing zones 6 and below, you need to protect your Tree Rose from winter’s chill. Do everything you can to protect your investment. In the more Southern States (USDA growing zones 7 and up) if winter protection is needed, then you’ll want to wait until much later in the season before wintering your Roses. You may only need to provide the crown with a layer of mulch and protection from cold, drying winds. In the warmest parts of the country, only attention to moisture access is needed.   Disease Prevention Aside from much-needed morning sun and air circulation, cleaning away old/shed foliage, and proper winterizing, Rose Trees need a bit of help to keep pests away as well.  Treating Roses for insects can be done with organic options or chemical control. Or if you are in an area that has a lot of pressure from insects you may want to consider using a Systemic Rose care option. Granular systemic Rose formulas are applied to the soil, raked/watered in, and the plant takes up the active ingredient to prevent bugs from chewing on those plants (making them taste bad from the inside out!). If disease and fungus are issues in your area, it is a good idea to choose Roses that have natural or built-in disease resistance. Wait to cover until they are completely dormant Choose a dry day to cover them Water only at the root zone Optional sprays are available for your Rose canes, including a fungicide spray, a disease-preventing dormant oil spray solution, or 1/3 cup baking soda to 1 gallon of water. Winter Moisture Needs Although Roses are drought tolerant, they really prefer to have good moisture to keep them stress-free. That means watering the soil as needed keeping the foliage dry. So check your soil moisture and water when needed right through the growing season into fall as the plants stop growing and go dormant. Read more about Winter Watering Here. Deer Prevention Deer will nibble on the ends of Roses where there are fewer thorns, but unfortunately, even the thorniest Roses can receive a bit of tip damage when the deer are especially hungry! Try spraying your plants with a repellent and reapply after heavy rain or snow throughout the winter. Do this from day one of planting in high deer-pressure areas to train your local deer population that "This plant tastes awful!". More Tips & Tricks for Deer Prevention Mulch and Rose Trees Freeze/thaw cycles and drying out are the two biggest issues facing Roses throughout the winter. Covering the crown loosely with mulch or leaves is the best way to prevent cold damage to your Rose, especially in colder climates. In warm and humid climates, less is more when it pertains to preventing mold and fungus from getting to your plant. We have found the best way to overwinter Hybrid tea, Floribunda, Grandiflora, Shrub Roses, and Climbers is to mound up the base of the plants with at least a foot of arborist wood chips, or clean mulch of any kind. This covers the bottom foot of so of the canes protecting the plants. Mulch not only looks nice but also greatly reduces the incidence of soil-borne diseases (water hitting the soil can splash the foliage and make it dirty looking while carrying with it those diseases!). The easiest method to protect your Tree Roses for winter is to allow the plants to go dormant first, and clean out the interior of any debris or old Rose leaves to prevent harboring excess moisture, fungus, and disease. In zones 7 or colder, cover the crowns with dry, clean, loose organic matter. Mulch over the roots, cage the top, and fill with loose clean, dry material. If container-grown, Rose Trees can be overwintered inside an unheated garage or shed or other structure out of the elements after the plant has gone dormant.   The loose clean and dry material can include: Soil Compost Mulch Shredded leaves Straw Peat moss Bark chips Most Tree-Form Roses have a Rose Standard on their own root and are grafted at the top of this 2-3 foot or 3-4 foot tall trunk. This graft is where your Rose Tree differs from the regular Rose bush that can sometimes be grafted just above the roots. In extreme cold climate locations, even the hardiest Rose needs extra protection for that elevated graft union. “Un-wintering” Your Rose Trees Once winter finally recedes - it is time to pull that mulch or leaf litter away from the bottoms of the Rose trunk and get them pruned! Wear some good heavy gloves to protect your hands. Expose the canes and inspect them, pulling the mulch and leaves away back to a 3-4 inch thick layer around the root zone only, spreading out to about 2-3 feet beyond the Rose Tree’s branches (the drip line). Pruning Rose Trees In the early spring, as you start to see new growth start, it’s time to prune your Rose. Pruning Roses allows for better, bushier growth each year and stimulates new growth. Know what kind of Rose you have before you prune! Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, and many Shrub Roses can all be trained into Rose Trees and all make flowers on new growth/new wood. That means that these Roses you are uncovering really do need to be trimmed to remove any broken or dead branch tips, but more importantly make the Tree Rose heads more uniform and allow them to make new growth from fewer healthy buds closer to the grafted top portion. Any of the old-fashioned Shrub Rose types, or Climbing Roses that bloom on old wood/last year's growth should not be pruned in spring. Some of these older Native Roses that bloom on last year's growth will flower in June and when that stem flowers you cut it down to the ground and new stems arise from the ground. Those stems make next year’s flowers. Leave the Rose branches (canes) alone until early spring just before they start to grow. This way you’ll easily see the fat new buds emerging and this will give you an idea where to make your cuts.  For older Rose trees that have been in place for many years, you should take a bit of time with each plant, eliminating any dead or brown and dry canes right back to the head with nice sharp pruning shears. The key is removing older and/or diseased stems leaving clean and healthy stems each year. Winter damage may make pruning decisions for you. Remove anything suspicious and cleanly prune off the stem just above a fat healthy-looking bud. Any nice green stems that are not broken and look healthy should be reduced to about 6-8 inches away from the main grafted crown. For larger Rose scions, trim the head back to about a 12" sphere just as it begins to grow again in spring. Remember to wipe and sterilize your pruners between EACH cut!   Rose Tree Suckers & Rose Tree Stress When stressed, sometimes a Rose Tree’s roots can send up suckers. This will look like straight canes coming up from the roots that are not branching off the main trunk. This could indicate your Tree is stressed from drought or pests, from mulch or soil that is piled too high over the roots, or the Rose Tree is not planted deep enough. At any time of the year, you can prune away suckers and branching that forms at the base or on the trunk. First, correct what is causing your Tree Rose to be stressed, and cleanly prune off these suckers so they do not sap more energy or nutrients from your plant. Whenever any plant is showing signs of stress - Do not reach for the fertilizer! Treat the source of the stress and fertilize once it has recovered. Fertilizer forces new growth at a time when your plant is already weak and struggling to support its current growth, compounding any problems it’s already experiencing! Rose Tree Fertilization Spread compost around your Rose tree each spring as you top off its mulch layer. You can also apply a slow-release fertilizer for Roses in the spring once you see new growth in the spring. You can also apply liquid Rose fertilizer in the spring and again in the summer. Containerized Tree Rose Care Tree Roses potted up in planters and containers have a few extra needs for you to be aware of. Firstly, they completely rely on you to provide their sources of water and nutrients. Proper watering and regular fertility are needed to keep them growing well! For container Rose Trees that were brought into garages or sheds for the winter, water sparingly enough to keep the roots barely damp but do not let them dry out completely. Avoid wrapping the pot in plastic or plastic bags because mold, mildew, or other fungal issues may grow. Proper air circulation is still important year-round. Temperatures in the storage area should be consistently in the 30s°F to lower 40s°F. Another method in especially cold climates, is to dig a trench in the garden and lay the potted - dormant - Tree Rose in the trench. Then cover it with several inches of soil or clean leaf litter. In the spring, simply unearth the Rose and stand it up again, water well, and stake it if needed until the roots re-settle.   Ensure Your Rose Tree Container of Choice Has -  Ample drainage to prevent root rot Is large enough to give the roots plenty of room to grow Is large enough and amended with enough organic matter to hold moisture adequately Is heavy enough to prevent wind and storms from toppling your Rose tree Receives regular moisture that excess water can quickly be shed Large enough to not overheat in the full sun environment and cook the roots Large enough to insulate the roots against the chill and freezes in the winter Has a mulched layer on the top to insulate the surface roots and prevent evaporation Elevate Your Rose Enjoyment Today! Gorgeous elevated versions of your favorite Rose bushes are elegant, high-end focal points and works of living art! Caring for them correctly will allow you years of enjoyment from these incredible ornamental flowering shrubs! Check out the incredible array of Rose Trees for you to choose from today at Nature Hills Nursery! Happy Planting!

It’s nearly fall and very soon the Sumac bushes in your area will light up the landscape with their incredible fiery autumn wardrobe! Sumac Shrubs may be in high demand mainly for their fall color, but the Sumac has been highly underutilized as a landscape workhorse because of its association with ‘poison’ Sumacs. However, these super hardy native shrubs aren’t poisonous and have loads to offer throughout the year! About Sumac ShrubsSumac Flowers Sumac BerriesSumac Form & Foliage Sumac Shrub and Tree Landscape Value Caring For Sumac Shrubs Stunning Sumacs! About Sumac ShrubsSumac bushes, sometimes spelled Sumach, botanically known as Rhus, belong to a family of plants that contain about 200 species. The Smooth Sumac, also known as the Scarlet Sumac (R. glabra) and many other common names depending on your area, is native to the eastern and central US. The Sumacs offered by Nature Hills are not poisonous like the similarly named Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix - previously known as Rhus vernix). Members of the Cashew family (Anacardiaceae), the Sumac encompasses both deciduous and evergreen plants. The evergreen Sumacs are generally in tropical locations, while the deciduous Sumacs are predominant in the United States. Several species are ornamental hybrids that have incredibly colorful foliage all growing season in addition to their unique flower and seed pods! The plants had considerable benefits in the day-to-day lives of Indigenous Americans as medicine and a source of black ink and dye. The bark and leaves were for tanning leather and even dried leaves and fruit were used as tobacco. They used the wood for a wide variety of uses, as well as making a Lemonade-like drink called Sumac-ade from the fruit. The dried, ground fruit of Sumac is used as a spice, popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. Lending a lemony flavor improves the taste of various salads and meat dishes. Sumac Flowers Beneficial insects seek out the sweet nectar from the terminal flower clusters that appear in spring as fluffy pyramidal to cone-shaped panicles. Usually white, cream, green, or yellow in color, the flowers are sought after by bees, beetles, and wasps as they gather pollen. The Fragrant Sumac is even a vital caterpillar host plant for 54 species of Lepidoptera larvae, including the Red-banded Hairstreak and Spring Azure Butterfly. Winged Sumacs are host to Luna Moths too! Sumac Berries Often these trees and shrubs are dioecious, meaning that they develop male and female flowers on separate plants, and only the female plants produce the fruit. Wildlife is attracted to the Sumacs fruit that forms into showy pointed clusters (called Sumac bobs) in the late summer and fall, usually turning a fiery red, auburn, burgundy/maroon, or orangey-russet. Humans even use the berry-like drupes to make the aforementioned tangy drink! These pointed clusters remain persistent throughout the winter for fall and winter interest and bird food! Sumac Form & Foliage Often forming an airy open shrub, colony, or tree form (with pruning), Sumac has an elegant multi-branched structure and can be trained into a very pleasing canopy with ease! Birds and wildlife appreciate the shelter the open branching and the ferny leaves provide. Sumac has fuzzy new growth and gave rise to the Staghorn Sumacs name, due to the velvet-covered antler-like branches that can be smooth or hairy! Even the bark is covered with fine hairs that give it a velvety texture. This textured bark and branching usually do a good job keeping deer at bay unless they’re quite desperate. Most Sumac have pinnately compound leaves that can consist of 11 to 13 leaflets arranged in long rows, sometimes further lobed or having loosely serrated edges. The Fragrant Sumac, Gro-Low Sumac, and Autumn Amber Sumac stand out as having tri-lobed leaves that are aromatic when brushed, passed or crushed! Sumac Roots The shallow root systems send up suckers and form polite colonies that are easy to control or encourage depending on how you wish to utilize your Sumac. Wildlife and Bird Value! Hunters and wildlife conservation areas plant drifts of Sumac shrubs to provide forage and shelter for many birds including the ring-necked pheasant, quail, wild turkey, and about 300 species of songbirds. Some of the Sumac offered by Nature Hills include - Autumn Amber Sumac Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac First Editions® Tiger Eyes® Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac Fragrant Sumac Gro-Low Sumac Prairie Flame Sumac Rocky Mountain Sumac Smooth Sumac Staghorn Sumac Sumac Shrub and Tree Landscape Value These ornamental Sumacs are beloved in the landscape because of their graceful form, tropical-looking leaves, fall color, and colorful fruit clusters! They almost look Palm-like while they sway in the breeze. Often living 30-50 years in optimal conditions! Sumac is a hardy shrub with no significant disease or insect problems. They are also tolerant of urban conditions and pollution, as seen in their widespread use along highways and in busy commercial landscapes. Very cold-hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3 to 9, these shrubs handle a wide range of growing conditions! Growing in sunny, hot, dry conditions, and very poor soils, where other shrubs struggle. If you have thin, rocky soils or a steep slope on your property, cover the ground for you quickly! Sumac is an ideal choice when used along the edge of a woodland area or as a crown jewel in the Rock Garden! Use these gorgeous native shrubs as borders, airy hedges, or as foundation plants in your garden! Use in either the sun or understory areas of your landscape, larger forms look great ‘limbed up’ tree form specimen plantings or in en masse drifts! Sumac grows almost anywhere! Find success growing these adaptable shrubs in the hell strip along the sidewalk, screening your property off from the road, or along the roadsides in ditches. Readily naturalizing and spreading, many Sumac varieties create thickets by way of polite suckering. Add fragrant foliage to your outdoor garden rooms with the Fragrant Sumac, or enjoy broad-reaching low-growing groundcover Sumacs like Autumn Amber and Gro-Low Sumac! For a lacy and vibrant chartreuse foliage option, plus fall color, try the First Editions® Tiger Eyes® Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac! The Sumac is your go-to for low-maintenance native landscaping! Magnificent as Groundcover in Wide Open Areas Controls Erosion & Water Runoff on Slopes En Masse Naturalizing Thickets Tolerates Thin Poor Soil & Drought Once Established Trim Into Tree-Form Multi-Trunked Specimens Wildlife, Bird & Pollinator Friendly Shrubs Handles Pollution & Urban Environments With Ease Cold Hardy Hedges Caring For Sumac Shrubs Sumacs are hardy, tough plant that is easy to grow and have few pests to contend with. Sumacs preferred growing conditions are full sun, while other Sumac varieties handle partial shade. But all of them do best in well-drained soil and will even thrive in poor, rocky soil. Sumacs are tolerant of slightly acid soil conditions and soil textures ranging from coarse to fine, preferring anything well-drained. Easy-to-care-for, tough-as-nails, and drought-tolerant once established, Sumac are very low-maintenance! Prune Sumac in late winter or very early spring for shape and size if needed. If you'd like, you can rejuvenate these shrubs by cutting them back to the ground when dormant in the winter, however, this is not necessary to maintain a healthy stand of shrubs. You can also try renewal pruning by removing a third of the oldest growth every 3-5 years. Mow or trim back suckers if they are not desired each year. Stunning Sumac Shrubs! Wildlife and songbird-friendly, fiery fall color, showy flowers and fruit, plus gorgeous tropical foliage, the Sumac Shrub is hopefully going to be your new favorite native landscaping shrub! Order Sumac shrubs for your next landscaping project from NatureHills.com today! Nature Hills sells healthy, high-quality Sumac plants and we know you'll be very satisfied with these tough-as-nails shrubs! Happy Planting!