Fall Is For Planting

Ok, so I borrowed that line from a friend.  But the main premise is what's important.  This video explains it well.  Planting in Summer is the most stressful on your plants, but fall planting gives plants the head start they need to be prepared for next Spring and Summer!  We still have planty of time, so get out there and plant that garden you've been wanting.  Now is the time to plant spring bulbs too.  If you plant them at different depths, they will give you blooms for weeks.  Happy Gardening.

Mark Griffith is a Virginia Certified Horticulturist, ISA Certified Arborist,  and a lead designer with Nautilus Garden Designs in Hampton Roads www.nautilusgardendesigns.com

Irrigation tips

Hello all!  I wanted to take a moment to discuss your irrigation with you.  We have been on several jobs lately where plants seemed a little less then spectacular, and the soil felt wet.  Having an irrigation system is awesome, but while too little water is a bad thing, so is too much.  Roots need air to survive, that is why they are only in the top 18" or so of your soil.  Overwatering reduces air pore space in the soil, creating anaerobic conditions that favor root rots, fungi, and can drown out your beneficial organisms.  Only when germinating grass seed should the irrigation run every day, and even then, only long enough to get the seed damp.  Once the seed starts to show some growth, it's time to adjust.  In the heat of the summer it is good to water several days a week, depending on your soil structure.  This should be done in the early morning hours, rather than at night.  This will help reduce the time droplets sit on leaves, thereby reducing fungus.  Deep soaking watering.   That means water less frequent for longer time intervals.   This encourages deep root growth because the plants will "seek out" moisture, increasing their drought hardiness.  As temperatures coll, as they are now.  You can drop it back to one or two days a week and for less time, as less water in being removed by evaporation.  Before the freeze, you need someone to come and "winterize" your system.  This involves blowing compressed air back through to eliminate any water trapped in the system that may damage it when it freezes.  If you need assistance setting your  irrigation timer, or clock, please contact a landscape professional.  Your landscaper should be able to handle things like setting the time, and replacing parts.  Happy Watering!!


Mark Griffith is a Virginia Certified Horticulturist, ISA Certified Arborist,  and a lead designer with Nautilus Garden Designs in Hampton Roads www.nautilusgardendesigns.com

Fall Garden Care

Hello all!  It's been a busy time here at the Nautilus Garden designs Household.  We welcomed the newest member to the team Zephaniah Lucas Griffith on October 15th.  He and Rachel are doing great.

I want to give you all a couple tips as the weather cools and your tender perennials start to recede.  One of the first things to do is go through your irrigation and reduce the frequency of your watering.  Cooler temps mean less water loss through evaporation.    Less frequent watering encourages your turf roots to grow deeper seeking water.  This will increase drought tolerance for next summer.

Start cutting back some of your perennial flowers as they brown out.  For daylillies,  I always wait until all the green has gone out of the leaves.  This indicates that the plant has translocated all of it's energy and carbohydrates back to the root zone.  Then cut them to the ground.  Waiting like this will give your daylillies more energy to greet you with awesome blooms next year.

Last of all, mulch.  Mulching to a depth of 3 inches in the fall insulates your plants from the cold, protecting them from damage.  Mulch suppresses weed growth naturally, diminishing the need for chemical herbicides. Mulches also prevent sudden changes in soil temperature, which helps prevent tender premature growth during winter warm spells. Using a good hardwood mulch is best.  Dyed mulches will work, but sometimes the dyes can be an irritant to the microbes and earthworms that our garden need, so if you can, go for the natural hardwood mulches instead of dyed.  Buying Bulk is much more cost effective than buying bags, and you don't have the plastic to throw into landfills.  Bag mulch is usually just a couple of cubic feet for 5.00 or so.  Bulk mulch is sold by the cubic yard (27 cubic feet) and is usually around $30.00 a yard. (Delivery and installation add to this of course).  Be sure to keep mulch away from the root flare on your trees.  Piling mulch into "Mulch Volcanoes"  can harm trees by holding moisture against the bark inviting pests and diseases, so be sure to keep about a 1" space between  the trunk of your trees and the mulch.

Mark Griffith is a Virginia Certified Horticulturist, ISA Certified Arborist,  and a lead designer with Nautilus Garden Designs in Hampton Roads www.nautilusgardendesigns.com