The nights are cooler and the days are shorter.  Fall is upon us and our plants are behaving accordingly as the oaks and maples change color in blazing celebration.  They have worked hard all summer and it's time for a breather.  Most deciduous plants will follow their natural course, however, improper cultural practices can fool many evergreens into thinking it's springtime.  Avoid pruning, fertilization, and winter mulching of evergreens until late November when cold weather is here to stay.

    The act of pruning a plant stimulates new growth.  New growth in the late fall will not have time to "harden off" before heavy freezes occur.  The new growth is tender and lush with a thin, delicate leaf.  Since new growth generally replaces old growth, a killing frost on new growth could cause the death of a plant.  Such a freeze would certainly be a setback.  After cold weather is here to stay, it is permissible to trim hollies, hemlocks, pines, and boxwood for Christmas greenery.  This gives you shaping of your plants as well as providing holiday decor.

    Fertilization during a growing season also causes a flush of new growth as does pruning.  In late November a slow release fertilizer (containing both "WSN" and "WIN") is one way to feed plants.  The other method is to feed in April to stimulate new growth.  The November feeding will allow the water soluble portion of the nitrogen (WSN) to be stored by the roots.  Most water insoluble nitrogens (WIN) will remain in inertly in place on the surface of the soil until spring when the soil temperature reaches 52 degrees.  This is because WIN's need microbial activity in the soil in order to be released.  In other words, you need "critters" which are housed in precious organic material such as compost...this is really the beginning of a future column.  WSN's totally release upon application and could be wasted, ending up in the Chesapeake Bay...yet another future column.  Summarizing, either method of fertilization is fine because they will both provide the plant with the nutrients it needs for spring growth, but the November feeding tends to make the nutrients available on an "as needed" basis in the spring.

    Mulching for the purpose of winter protection should be done following clean up of dead and diseased plant debris.  One should also allow the ground to cool down prior to mulching.  Premature mulching of some perennials could retain the heat in the soil and extend the growing season.  Once again, you run the risk of freezing new growth.

    It's time to clean, rake, and decorate for Halloween.  Clean up the house but don't throw another party too soon...it is getting late (yawn).