Sources of information include: Maple Leaf Ace Hardware crew, WSU King County Extension Master Gardener, Ed Hume Seeds, Hometime, Money Magazine, City of Seattle, King County, Plant Amnesty, “Gardening Month by Month in Washington & Oregon,” The National Gardener’s Association, Mountain Valley Growers, Cedar Grove, Whitney Farms, Scotts, The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, Seattle Tilth, and other links on our website.
Lawn care: Apply fall/winter fertilizer, and, as needed, aerate, dethatch, & overseed in October/November
Plant spring blooming flower bulbs (allium, amaryllis, crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips), September through November.
Weed control in garden beds
Add compost, lime, as necessary, to all growing garden beds in early fall.
Plant last fall crop and over-wintering veggie seeds in early September; plant cover crop in dormant veggie gardens from September through mid-November
Lay down a layer of compost or mulch to blanket over bare dirt garden areas from late September through October
Make hydrangeas pink by applying Dolomitic Lime or Triple Super Phosphate in October/November – pink hydrangeas like alkaline soil (pH of 6 to 7)
Make hydrangeas blue with an application of Aluminum Sulfate in October/November (and March/April) – blue hydrangeas like acid soil (pH of 4.0 to 5.5)
Pruning: berry canes that produced(down to the ground) from late June through November; bush type roses that had black spot this year in October/November; and stone fruits in late November.
** Ed Hume Seeds we typically offer that are good for either fall crops or overwintering:
Daylight savings in November: change smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries
Furnace filter change every three months
Water filters (sink, refrigerator, shower): change as necessary and directed
Seal attic and crawl space cracks and gaps
Brick & mortar repair for chimneys, exterior walls, etc.
Check for moisture in your basement
Is your sump pump working?
Disconnect outside hoses from faucets; protect bib with a faucet cover
Compost mulch on garden beds
Plant spring blooming flower bulbs (allium, amaryllis, crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips) from September through November
Plant cover crop in dormant veggie gardens in November
Make hydrangeas pink with an application of Dolomitic Lime or Triple Super Phosphate in October/November – pink hydrangeas like alkaline soil (pH of 6 to 7)
Make hydrangeas blue with an application of Aluminum Sulfate in October/November (and March/April) – blue hydrangeas like acid soil (pH of 4.0 to 5.5)
Lawn care: Apply fall/winter lawn fertilizer, in October/November and — as necessary — aerate, dethatch, and overseed in October/November (or early spring)
Pruning throughout yard: bush type roses that had black spot this year in October/November; roses, clematis, vine berries, lilac suckers, fruit trees, shade trees, and perennials in January; and stone fruits from late November to early January.
Daylight savings in March: change smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries
Furnace filter change every three months
Water filters (sink, refrigerator, shower): change as necessary and directed
Check for moisture in your basement
Is your sump pump working?
Clean/repair gutters & downspouts
Inspect & repair roof damage
Seal attic and crawl space cracks and gaps
Repair screen windows & doors
Replace broken window glass pane
Porch and deck cleaning, repairing, painting, and staining
We’ll sharpen your garden tools or replace with new
We’ll sharpen your lawn mower blade
Lawn care: apply fertilizer and — as necessary — aerate, dethatch, and overseed, all once the soil warms up
Cultivate veggie beds: test your soil with a soil test kit and add compost, lime, fertilizer, manure, peat moss, coconut coir, as needed, to amend your garden soil
Make hydrangeas blue with an application of Aluminum Sulfate in March/April (and October/November) – blue hydrangeas like acid soil (pH of 4.0 to 5.5)
Pruning throughout yard: apple and pear trees in late January/February; pines, evergreens (juniper, conifer, cypress), flowering trees (after bloom), clematis, lilac suckers from February through May; hybrid tea roses, floribunda roses, climbing roses, tree roses, hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, and shade trees in February/March; and lavender in May
Water filters (sink, refrigerator, shower): change as necessary and directed
September is Nat’l Preparedness month: Disaster kit review∞
Clean/repair gutters & downspouts
Repair screen windows & doors
Replace broken window glass panes
Inspect & repair roof damage
Seal attic and crawl space cracks and gaps
Porch and deck cleaning, repairing, painting, and staining
We’ll sharpen your garden tools or replace with new
We’ll sharpen your lawn mower blade
Weed control in lawn & garden beds
Lawn care: as needed, aerate, dethatch, & overseed, early May
Cultivate veggie beds: test your soil with a soil test kit and add compost, lime, fertilizer, manure, peat moss, coconut coir, as needed, to amend your garden soil
Pruning: pines, flowering trees, lilac (just after bloom), & lavender (just after bloom) in May; wisteria, hedges, heathers, fuchsias, & lavender (immediately after bloom) in June; vines,
deadwood, weak, & diseased branches in June/July; (tip pinch) vine berries after new growth is about 2 to 3 feet, usually in June/July; evergreens like junipers, cypress, & conifers in June/July/August; and berry canes that produced berries (down to the ground) from late June through November.
Plant spring blooming flower bulbs (allium, amaryllis, crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips), September through November
Plant fall crop & over-wintering veggie seeds, late July thru early September
Put out netting to protect ripening fruits and berries