Fall is a critical time for newly planted trees. Even as temperatures cool, young trees need consistent moisture to establish strong roots before winter. This regular moisture is important because their roots are still confined to a relatively small area and can dry out quickly. Consistent watering now can improve winter survival and promote vigorous growth next spring.

Have you noticed that just about every locust has a lot of brown leaves?This is being caused by the non-native insect, the mimosa webworm. Learn how the mimosa webworm causes this common late-season damage and why treatment is rarely warranted.

If your lawn struggled through the summer, now is the time to help it recover. September and early fall are ideal for aerating, overseeding, fertilizing, and controlling broadleaf weeds, helping create a thicker, healthier lawn next year. Learn which lawn care tasks will have the biggest impact this fall.

If some of your perennials are becoming overcrowded, producing fewer flowers, or developing bare centers, fall may be the perfect time to divide them. Dividing certain perennials every few years can rejuvenate plants, improve flowering, control spread, and provide extra plants to share throughout the landscape. Learn which perennials benefit from fall division and which are best left until spring.

Fall is the ideal time to plant garlic in Iowa. Planting cloves in late September through October allows roots to develop before winter, leading to larger bulbs at harvest next summer. Learn how to select, plant, and care for garlic this fall to be rewarded with fresh, flavorful bulbs next year.