As a long weekend attack , we gardeners start to sense the itch for the opportunity . Usually , we have to sit at a desk and wait for the myopic weekends to dive into our gardens , but with a long weekend like Labor Day weekend , we can spend a whole extra day incline to our lovely gardens . With the laundry listing of to - do ’s that you no doubt have for your garden , you might be wondering how to best spend your time this Labor Day weekend . Below , we ’ve compiled a list of some of the most productive way to spend your clock time in the garden during this “ transition ” period .

Transitioning into Fall

Towards the end of August , the temperatures start to cool down and it ’s clip to commence thinking about fall garden . Labor Day weekend is an fantabulous opportunity to take the time to ease your garden into downslope . This means you’re able to dust off cooler weather tools like get out blower . You might also remove hoses from spigots to avoid immobilize , clean house out the gutters , change air filter , and give your lawnmower a good check - up before it goes into hibernation .

Harvest, harvest, harvest

This is the sentence of yr your hard work pays off . Veggies are ripening left and correct , and you might finger overwhelmed with the amount of green goods you ’ve been able-bodied to grow . So a long weekend might be just the superfluous clock time you need to start harvesting and preserving . Take one day to glean and prune your plants , then spend the next two days in the kitchen ( it ’s too hot out of doors , anyway ! ) canning , baking , and freezing items you ca n’t eat right out .

Show your compost some love

All summer long , you ’ve been throwing kitchen fighting and plant cutting into the compost pile , and you ’ve belike not shown it too much warmheartedness since you ’ve been too busy in the garden . Now ’s the time to turn your compost big money and maybe tot some much - needed brown items into the premix . This will ensure you have sound compost for next season ’s garden .

Start your fall garden

Speaking of next season , the summer growing season being over does n’t mean the end of growing altogether . Many of us take vantage of cooler weather to grow plants such as broccoli , Brassica oleracea botrytis , kale , chard , cabbage , beets , cultivated carrot , spinach plant , or lettuce . Labor Day weekend is an idealistic time to deplumate out expend summer veg and transplant or embed some of your free fall crops .

Divide perennials

Perennials are amazing plantsthat keep coming back twelvemonth after year , but that does n’t think of they do n’t involve a little TLC every now and then . possibly spend your farsighted weekend tending to those perennial peak that you love so much . This is an excellent time to divide plants that have gotten too heavy for space and maybe transpose those divisions into other areas of the garden . It ’s like spare plants !

Fertilize the lawn

Your garden might not be the only thing begging for tending . After a twelvemonth of growing and being cut back over and over , your lawn might need a number of food . fertilize this clock time of yr helps the grass over winter and will give it the boost it want to come back better than ever next time of year . You might observe that you have to do your “ last swing ” afterwards in the season when you fertilize your lawn during your long Labor Day weekend .

Add new plants to the yard

If you ’ve want to add some new tree , shrub , or perennials to your landscape painting all season , now is the time to do it . Early declivity is the best time to establish these types of plants , and there ’s no better time than a retentive weekend to drop poke , planting , and watering fresh plants . Maybe find some fruit trees , beautiful flowers , or those shrub that will be an splendid background for your annuals next season . Planting these now will give them plenty of prison term to become establish before wintertime hits but still allows them to take off when the conditions begins to warm again .

Plant cover crops

If you are n’t planting a fall garden and find that your garden is becoming less and less full , you might want to consider constitute a cover crop . cover charge crops are a great way to protect your garden from weeds while also providing the soil with extra nutrients for your veggies next time of year .

There ’s rebound to be one or more on this list that has your garden fingers itch to stab in . Remember that anything you do to help your industrial plant changeover between season will assist you and your garden in the long running .