Experts say time is running out to protect your plants from the cold
MINNEAPOLIS -- It might not have been the case at the beginning of the week, but it's finally starting to feel like fall.
"It happens just like that. And when it happens, it's time to protect any plants that that might not be so happy outside," Scott Endres said.
Endres is co-owner of Tangletown Gardens. He says customers have been stopping in with some common questions about plants and the cold.
"Should I be concerned about bringing insects or disease into the house and investing my houseplants with problems? That's not always the case, you can always give a little preventative neem oil or some earth friendly insecticide, give it a preventative spray just to make sure that you're not bringing in any unwelcome guests," Endres said.
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"I'm just moving all my plants from the drafty windows and that kind of space, trying to get them warmer," Morgan Wittmers-Graves said.
When you move your plants, make sure to give them plenty of space and a place with plenty of light.
But Endres says this can also be a good time to start thinking about after winter.
"Actually in the fall, it's an excellent time to plant some hardy plants because the gentler time plants are done with their top growth, and so they put their energy into rooting in, and they're going to be ahead of the game next spring," Enders said.
It's also a good idea to cover up those tender plants — like azaleas — and add some mulch around their roots.
Another tip for your lawn: add a thin layer of fertilizer this fall to protect the grass over the winter, and it will look healthier when we thaw out.