Fall is a great time to prepare your landscape for winter, but not every garden task needs to make the to-do list. Hanna and Rachel Anderson discuss what really needs attention, what is worth considering, and what you can skip.
In this episode, we cover:
Must-do tasks for vegetable gardens, including removing spent plants and protecting young trees and shrubs from wildlife.
Why fall and winter watering matter.
Managing late-season weeds and diseases.
Building healthy soil with compost, aeration, and organic matter.
Dormant seeding for lawns and wildflower areas.
Using fall leaves as mulch and supporting overwintering wildlife.
When and how to cut back perennial stems.
Planting spring bulbs and garlic.
Fall maintenance for garden tools and equipment.
Why fall and winter lawn fertilization usually isn't necessary.
Plants mentioned in this episode
- Bitternut hickory — Carya cordiformis
- Crabgrass — Digitaria spp.
- Crocus — Crocus spp.
- Daffodils — Narcissus spp.
- Garlic — Allium sativum
- Hackberry — Celtis spp.
- Henbit — Lamium amplexicaule
- Oaks — Quercus spp..
- Pokeweed — Phytolacca americana
- Coneflowers — Echinacea spp.
- Siberian squill — Scilla siberica
- Serviceberry — Amelanchier spp.
- Tulips — Tulipa spp.
Links:
Turf Fact Sheets & Nebguides (Nebraska Extension): https://turf.unl.edu/turf-advice/turf-fact-sheets-nebguides/
Nebraska Climate Office El Nino article: https://nsco.unl.edu/news/what-does-2026-el-nino-mean-nebraska/
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