Fall Rush for Spring Pleasures!

The Pawpaw is a native tree with a custard-textured fruit that ripens in September.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

—Joe Stolkovich, Master Gardener Class of ’09, is a longtime Hamilton resident and owner of Jo-Mar Ag. LLC, a native plant nursery. Contact him at hello@Jo-MarAg.com.

The air is cooling, and the leaves are beginning to turn, clear signs the end of Summer is drawing nigh. You may see some geese flying South, you may be looking for fat wooly caterpillars, but you are definitely thinking about what you need to do in your garden before it gets really cold. Everyone has varying levels of time and ambition, so adopt the following advice accordingly.

First, everyone should take note of this year’s placement in the vegetable garden before clearing anything. You want to make sure you alter your crop placement next year and prevent spreading this year’s disease and pests to next year’s effort. Repeatedly growing the same crops in the same spots can also deplete the soil of available nutrients necessary for a successful harvest.

Are you still getting the most out of Summer ’25? Keep on keepin’ on, but it is better practice to completely harvest and removing struggling plants than trying to extend their growing season and prolong pest and disease breeding. You may be able to squeeze in a crop of kale, spinach, or leaf lettuce, or may want to try a cover crop to build your soil fertility and prevent erosion. Take a look at the Maryland Cover Crop Program list of cover crops and planting schedules for our area.

It is best to completely clean-up vegetable beds, but your native garden may be cleaned up or left as is depending on your preference. Leaving herbaceous native plantings overwinter helps to slow stormwater runoff and provides a food lifeline for birds throughout the winter. You can always play it safe by cleaning up branches and leaves but leaving seedheads which may have the biggest impact. Make sure you remove any diseased plant material; you probably aren’t looking to encourage all of nature!

Now is not the time to be fertilizing anything that remains outside. While a tree or shrub may look a little shabby and beat down by the heat and drought of the summer, feeding them now will lead to growth spurts that will not have sufficient time to harden off before the winter and will most certainly be killed. If you have a lawn, remember, Maryland State law forbids lawn fertilization from November 15–March 1. Find out more information on how to fertilize correctly and prevent groundwater and runoff contamination at this MD Extension Publication.

Everyone knows Fall is a great time for planting! Planting trees now allows them to develop established root systems before spring growth. Planting bulbs allows the same but will also give them the cold period needed to flower in the Spring. You can plant bulbs in the Spring, but make sure they have been vernalized in cold storage if you want more than just foliage the first year. The package should indicate whether or not this is the case. If squirrels are an issue, plant your bulbs twice the depth of their height, cover them to within an inch of the soil surface, and lay down a layer of 1” chicken wire to prevent digging. Cover the wire with soil and mulch, and the wily critters should be foiled.

The American Persimmon requires a frost to sweeten its bright orange fruit.

Remember, the more you do now, the less you will have to rush to get done in the Spring. But who isn’t dying to get out of the house by that time anyway?

Jo-Mar Agriculture was recently listed in the Maryland’s Best Native Plant program directory. Contact Joe or stop by the Master Gardeners booth at the Market to get detailed advice on all your home garden concerns! See the central information booth for upcoming dates.