Easing Into Fall

It’s hard to believe Labor Day is almost here, but we’re excited for September. This is one of my favorite times to be outside in Indiana — the Rudbeckia and Echinacea are putting on a great show, and somehow the grass is still nice and green in late August. After the unusual weather we’ve had this year, it feels like just one more thing that’s been different about this growing season.

September also doesn’t mean the planting season is over. In a lot of ways it’s one of the better times to get back into the garden: the worst of the summer heat is hopefully behind us, the soil is still warm, and there’s plenty of time for many perennials, trees, and shrubs to start establishing roots before winter. It’s also a good time to shop — a lot of garden centers are discounting trees, shrubs, and perennials to make room for fall inventory, and you’ll often find deals on pottery and supplies too.

I took advantage of that myself this past weekend — I bought a weeping cherry from one of our garden center customers in Bargersville. The tree was marked down, and I was surprised how reasonable it was to have them deliver and install it. Buying a tree can sound like a big project, but I picked out the tree, they handled the hard part, and it ended up being more affordable than I expected. If you’ve been thinking about adding a tree, check with your local independent garden center and ask what they charge for installation — you may be surprised.

This week’s lineup:

· Why your garden is suddenly full of spiders — and why that’s okay
· Can I still plant this? A late-August and September guide
· Don’t change seasons all at once — the easy way to ease into fall