Late‑summer landscape maintenance: cover crops, dividing perennials and fall prep
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Summary
Roe, presenting maintenance tips for cooler parts of Utah, recommended planting cover crops to improve soil, saving seeds from summer flowers, dividing spring/summer perennials in late August or September, adjusting watering schedules as temperatures cool, aerating and applying fall fertilizer to lawns, and planning for composting garden debris.
Roe, speaking from Emery County during the Division of Water Resources webinar, provided a concise late‑summer maintenance checklist for homeowners preparing yards for fall and for those transitioning to water‑wise landscaping.
Why it matters: small, seasonal tasks can improve soil, reduce future watering needs and give transplants time to reestablish before cold weather.
Key points Roe offered: - Consider planting cover crops to improve soil before converting a landscape or starting a new planting bed; order seeds in time for late‑August sowing. - Collect and save seeds from summer flowers for next year; start dividing and transplanting spring/summer‑blooming perennials in late August or early September so roots reestablish before cold weather. - Adjust watering schedules as temperatures cool; use the Division of Water Resources weekly watering guide as a starting point but reduce frequency as conditions change. - Early September is a good time for lawn aeration and a fall fertilizer application to help turf repair and reseed. - Plan for composting of garden waste produced during fall cleanup.
Roe and other presenters encouraged participants to use county extension offices, master gardener volunteers and extension fact sheets for diagnosis, pest and turf advisory information. The session was informational and included a promise of a follow‑up email with links.