5 Gardening Mistakes to Avoid This Fall

It's that time of year! Fall.  But because it's fall doesn't mean we slow down in the garden do we?  This is the time of year where we clean and prep for a beautiful spring.  The following tips will help you avoid several mistakes made in the Fall:

1. Buying plants such as tropical plants that won't survive the cold. If you are not able to bring them into your home during winter, save yourself the money. Don't buy them now.
2. Waiting too long to buy spring bulbs.  Unfortunately, flower bulbs do not get better as they age. It's better to buy when they first arrive in your garden center or online nursery stores. 
3. Not raking leaves.  When you do not rakes leaves before winter, you prevent everything including grass underneath from being able to breathe. That in turn leaves the area ripe for all types of fungal and bacterial diseases. Take the time to rake.
4. Not watering before a hard freeze. Super important! The best way to prepare plants for a hard freeze is to water them. This will help maintain temps below the soil line and also allow plants to take water as they need it.
5. Pruning plants, shrubs and trees too soon. Leaves falling off and the stems being bare does NOT mean it is all dead growth.  The plant or tree may be dormant. Best to do research for your area.  Your local agriculture department can be an invaluable resource.