Don't fall for the idea that planting season is only in the spring. Autumn is great too

September is here, the start of the meteorological fall season. Meteorological seasons start at the first of the month in three-month cycles for the four seasons.

I am typically more traditional and would use older traditional methods. This would lean me towards the astronomical calendar, which kicks off fall on Sept. 22.

But for fall, I’m going to go with the meteorological start for my own selfish reasons. I’m not a fan of summer because of the Midwest heat and humidity. Fall can’t get here fast enough for me. So, if switching to this calendar gains me a few weeks I am going to use it.

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As is usually the case, September is coming in very dry. If you have not been watering, your lawns and landscapes are very dry. This would be a great time to start doing some extended deep watering. If you plan to improve your lawn by overseeding and fertilizing, you need sufficient moisture in the soil.

You will also want to make sure the plants in your landscape are as healthy as they can be heading towards winter. As the days start getting shorter the plants will start making and taking in extra food to survive the winter. Moisture is essential for this process to be the most efficient.

Fall is the best time of year for planting everything from grass seed to shade trees. Spring fever is the primary motivation for the popularity of spring planting. Spring is a great season for planting with the greatest availability of plants. From a horticultural perspective, fall is the best time of the year to plant.

This is because the soil is warm. At the same time, the days are getting shorter and the air is getting cooler. Roots need to grow for any plant to become established. When you plant in warm soil the roots are stimulated to grow quickly. This happens much slower when you plant in the spring.

Another advantage of planting in the fall season is the days getting cooler. When you plant in the spring the days get hotter. You have to pay attention to your plants throughout the summer. When you plant in the fall the plants become relatively self-sufficient before the end of the season as they head into dormancy.

There is a category of plants that has a bit of an early deadline for planting. This would be perennials. Since perennials are smaller they need to be well rooted going into winter. If they are not well rooted they are vulnerable to heaving out of the soil as the ground freezes and thaws. Perennials should be planted before the middle of October to allow time for proper rooting.

You will already be seeing spring flowering bulbs, like tulips and daffodils, in the places where you like to buy your plants. Seeing bulbs is great because they have a way of fast forwarding the gardening part of your brain to spring.

This is a great time to buy bulbs for the best selection. However, you should hold off planting them until later in the season. For plants with roots you want to plant in warm soil. For bulbs you want cooler soil.

Fall is also a good time to give your pruning shears a rest for the season. This is especially true in relation to spring flowering shrubs. Plants that bloom between March and the end of May are already setting their flower buds for next spring. If you prune at this time of year you most likely will trim off next year’s flowers.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Focus on gardening in the fall and reap the benefits next spring