As summer draws to a close, you might be looking over your garden and wondering how you can improve it for the next year. The good news is that you don't have to wait until spring to transform your garden. You can take a few steps this fall to jump-start your garden transformation and ensure your flowers look incredible next spring and summer. Here are a few top suggestions from our real estate agents.

• Trim and Prune Dead Flowers
  Many perennial plants, like hostas, do best if you remove the dead flower heads in the fall. While you're at it, you can also remove any dead or dying foliage from these plants. This will not only make them look better in the short term but can also help stimulate their growth next spring.
  
  
• Plant Some Fall Flowers
  There are some perennials that do well when planted in the fall. Mums, asters, hydrangeas, and phlox are all on this list. Look for empty areas in your garden, and plant some of these fall-living flowers. This way, your flower will look fuller, not just now but also next season.
  
  
• Harvest Any Herbs
  If you have herbs in your garden, now is the time to harvest them more heavily. This can help your garden look more tidy and manicured, and it will also help protect the herb plants so they're more likely to survive the winter. Look up ways to freeze or dry your herbs so you can use them in your cooking all winter long.
  
  
• Spread Pre-Emergent Weed Killer
  Weeds usually slow down their growth when fall arrives. But if you act now, you can get a jump on them prior to next summer. Look for a granular, pre-emergent weed killer that you can scatter over the garden beds. This will slowly leech into the soil in the coming months. Next spring, it will prevent most weeds from germinating, which will make your gardening easier all through the year.
  
  
• Add More Mulch
  By the time summer comes to an end, mulch is usually looking a bit sparse and faded. Adding another inch or two of mulch to your beds will freshen them up. Plus, this new mulch will better protect the roots of any perennials so they emerge from winter in better health. If you plan on applying fertilizer or pre-emergent weed killer, do so before you spread the mulch.
  
  
• Transition Potted Plants Indoors
  If you have potted plants in your garden, now is the time to start transitioning them indoors. You might want to move them into a sunroom where they can still get plenty of light but are protected from the colder night temperatures. If you have delicate plants in your garden, consider transferring them to pots for the winter. You can always re-plant them in the ground when spring comes.
  
  
• Keep Watering
  It can be tempting to stop watering your garden once growth slows down and temperatures fall. But plants still need water in the fall. In fact, some store it going into winter. Make sure you give your garden beds a deep, thorough watering about once or twice a week. When possible, apply the water to the ground to minimize stress on the delicate foliage.

While fall may not be a prime season for gardening, but if you pay a little attention to your garden in the coming weeks, it will thank you. Don't hesitate to contact us if you're still looking for Atlanta homes for sale. We'll help you find the perfect place where you can garden to your heart's content.