Spring gardening should start now

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - This dry summer was extremely hard on all vegetation, but there are some steps that you can take now to get your plants ready for fall and for next spring.
     
While it's hard to believe, fall is right around the corner. that means you should be preparing your yard for the seasons ahead.

"It's a time to basically get out there right now and assess where is your lawn, where is your landscape, what damaged plants do you have, if any," said Tom Cummins, co-owner of Apple House in Terre Haute.

Shrubs, evergreens, and perennials all grow really well in the fall with the right amount of watering.
     
When the season's over, these landscape plants will use that wet soil base to draw on in the winter.
     
Even for other plants, planting now will give them two seasons of growth before next year.

"Getting those in this fall will allow those plants to establish themselves very very well, grow roots throughout this fall and again through next spring," said Tom, "so when they see that first hot summer they'll be in a lot better shape."
     
It's also good now to take steps again weeds. Especially now when they're at their weakest, a good herbicide will kill them without harming your lawn.

"If you allow those particularly those perennial lawn weeds to survive the fall, they sit there all winter and store up even more carbohydrates and they come on next spring like gang busters," said Tom.
     
Doing all this will leave you with a garden that will bloom for years to come.