9 Ways to prepare your garden for end of summer

Summer comes to a close this month, and that means that it’s time to get back to work in the garden. With a little time and planning each fall, you can enjoy better landscaping year after year.

* Remove faded and droopy summer annuals and replace them with hardier flowers. Pansies can take a beating through a light frost and will provide a splash of color through the fall. Mums are also a great choice.

* Plant any new evergreens during September and keep them well-watered until the ground freezes.

* Plant any new deciduous trees and shrubs. Use root-stimulating fertilizer to encourage root growth.

* Divide any overgrown spring blooming perennials and water them thoroughly after re-planting. After a hard frost, cut the perennials to the ground.

* Plant spring-blooming bulbs. Make sure to consider color and height, placing smaller bulbs toward the front of your garden where you’ll be able to see them in the spring.

* If you have a vegetable garden, pull out the plants as soon as they finish producing and begin to wither.

* If you have bare patches on your lawn, the cooler weather is a great time for re-seeding or patching with sod because of decreased weed competition.

* Potted plants that go outdoors during the warmer months should come back inside. Use this time to remove damaged stems and leaves with yellowing, holes, or spots.

* Plant the rosebush of your dreams. Fall is a good time to plant roses, just not hybrid tea-style roses, which will not establish sufficient roots before winter.