BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — We’re seeing our first drop in temperatures and that has many going into fall mode. As you bring your sweaters out, think about your plants that may also need help.
The first frost advisory of the season is in place from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. this Saturday. If you want to extend the lifespan of your outdoor plants during such weather events, throwing a blanket or sheet over them can be beneficial.
Fall is a great transitional period, according to nursery expert Travis Morcha, but it is not the time to feed your winter-hearty shrubs or trees.
When it comes to your lawn, though, this is the time. Especially with the drought.
“With lawns right now, going through and doing a feeding and making sure that they get the equivalent of one inch of rainfall a week is definitely beneficial. With the cooler times, we're also getting a decline of active weeds that are growing,” said Morcha, who works at Colonial Gardens in Blue Springs.
If you have tropical plants that you want to keep through the winter, bring those inside before the temperature drops too much. Morcha said those have to go through a process as well.
“I will go through and I will scout for insects and disease issues. When I bring them in, I'll assess whether or not I need to do a re-potting to them and if I do, I will re-pot them into a larger pot, only about two inches larger. Most of your tropicals, especially cactus and citrus really, really want to be tucked down,” said Morcha.
If you have mums or pansies, Morcha said those are built to survive a frost and can last outside during fall weather.
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