The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are cooler, but that doesn’t mean you have to hang up your spade and hoe and call it a year. If you’re an avid gardener like many of us at Workman’s Friend, then autumn is a chance to embrace the traditionally rich and gorgeous colors of red, orange and gold. Think trees and shrubs with bright colored leaves, late-blooming fall flowers and don’t forget all those autumn vegetables you can fill your dinner table with! All it takes is the Workman’s Friend family of products and a little planning. Your autumn gardening will be as breathtaking as your summer one.
Related: Top 5 Essential Tools for Modern Gardening
Flowers
Chrysanthemums are synonymous with autumn. More commonly known as mums, they are undoubtedly the most popular fall-favorite flower and for good reason. They come in a variety of colors including red, yellow, orange, peach, and white. Mums can be planted in a variety of locations including garden containers or beds. They’re also available in a variety of different sizes including 2-inches wide at their smallest to giants which can be a few feet in diameter.
Similarly to mums, pansies also come in a variety of colors including mauve, pink, yellow, orange, white, and even black. With their differing patterns, these flowers thrive in milder climates and can bloom all year long. Growing to about 6-9 inches tall they can be planted in window boxes, hanging baskets, and pots.
These are just two of examples of the many different kinds of available autumn flowers. Your choices of what flowers to plant during this time of year will depend on how much time and effort you want to invest in your fall garden.
Remember before you get your hands dirty to apply a thin layer of Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream. It will make cleaning up after a day of planting mums easy and hassle free.
Vegetables
Brussel sprouts, carrots, and collards are just some of the different vegetables you can plant in the cooler autumn months. Not only will these fall vegetables taste great when served at your table, but they’ll also add a tremendous amount of seasonal color to your garden. Carrots are a hardy vegetable that does very well in cooler temperatures. It is relatively easy to grow and once they begin to turn bright orange, it’s time to harvest them.
The classic Southern green vegetable, collards thrive in the fall because their leaves tend to get sweeter after a frost. Typically, this leafy green can be harvested all winter as well.
Though Brussel sprouts are popular for being an unpopular choice with kids at the dinner table, they’re a fantastic fall vegetable. They can withstand frost and will grow throughout the cold winter months.
Don’t forget to have a bottle of Workman’s Friend Hand Cleaner with Activated Charcoal on hand once you’ve finished your fall vegetable planting. Our unique petroleum-free formulation contains high-grade pumice which is an excellent stain remover. Plus the added plant oils in our soap mean your hands will remain soft to the touch once they’re clean.
Shrubs
The warm days and cooler nights of this time of year make it the perfect season to plant shrubs. The soil is still warm, giving them time to settle in and spread their roots before going dormant in winter.
Though some camellias bloom in spring, the sasanqua blooms in fall. Even without the blooms, sasanqua are a good bet because of their evergreen foliage is striking at this time of the year.
Laurel is a hardy, evergreen shrub that can be grown as a single landscaping accent, or in a group to form a hedge. Laurel bushes are particularly fast-growing, and will provide your yard with good privacy in a matter of months.
Whether you choose to plant laurel, sasanqua camellias or any other type of shrub remember to use Workman’s Friend Healing Hand Cream when you’re finished. Infused with vitamin E and comfrey our restorative cream will soften and soothe your hands after a day of planting.