Traditionally, spring is the busiest gardening season here at Van Beek’s Garden Supplies.

The second busiest? Autumn.

Planting in fall provides a few benefits which you just can’t get any other time of the year:

- Cooler air temperatures are easier on plants and gardeners alike

- Triple mix soil is still warm enough to allow roots to grow until the freeze hits

- Fall has more predictable weather than spring

- Pest and disease issues tend to dissipate by fall

And perhaps most importantly, autumn tends to be a more relaxing season than spring.

If you’re looking to add to your garden before the fall planting season ends (usually around six weeks before Oakville or Mississauga gets hit with the hard frost), here are some great suggestions.

Spring bulbs

Any spring blooming bulb need to spend time in a state of “cold dormancy” in order to fully flower.

Planting bulbs now ensures a beautiful, colourful and vibrant display once spring hits.

The best bulbs to plant in fall are:

- Daffodils

- Grape hyacinth

- English bluebell

- Siberian squill

- Dog’s tooth violet

- Snowdrop

Not only do they look great, but deer or other critters (like rabbits) don’t like to eat them and won’t use your garden as their personal buffet.

Pansies

Fall is a perfect time to plant pansies because the still-warm topsoil gives their roots plenty of time to fully establish.

Better still; if you plant in autumn, you can get two full seasons from these lovely flowers.

Here are a few tips to get the most from your pansies:

- If you have any spent pansies in your garden right now, remove them; that way, the plant won’t set seeds which may not grow

- Keep the soil moist during the season

- Once the soil fully freezes over,mulchthe plants to prevent freeze/thaw cycles which can lift them out of the ground

New turfgrass

Autumn is ideal to plant new grass seed (and take care of other yard chores too).

Cool-season grasses like bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass tend to grow well in areas like Milton, Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga.

By putting down new grass seed in late October (or even early November), your lawn should experience an earlier green boost once winter ends and spring arrives.

Trees and shrubs

Fall weather is cool.

But the bagged soil you put down earlier in the year is still warm enough for full root development to take place.

Before digging, make sure to:

- Check with your local utility companies (you never know what lines or pipes could be buried)

- Plant trees and shrubs at their natural soil lines

And once they’re in place, don’t forget to:

- Keep them well-watered until the ground freezes

- Wrap them up with a tree bag or burlap sack to keep them warm during the cold weather.

This will give them a great head-start as they go dormant for the winter.

We’re your fall gardening headquarters

Whether you’re adding some plants to your garden or undertaking one last landscaping project, we’ve got the products and information you need to get it done.

- You can always request a FREE quote on anything we carry. We’ll get back to you with the pricing details you’re looking for.

- As well, feel free to ask any gardening or landscaping questions you have. Our team will review them and contact you to discuss your needs.