Conrad's Corner Fall 2026

Conrad’s Corner Fall 2026

🍁 Conrad’s Corner

Reflections from the Canopy & Tips for a Thriving Garden

“Conrad, it’s August. It’s supposed to be hot.” That line changed how I think about summer. Years ago, I was tree climbing in brutal heat, complaining nonstop—until my crew reminded me that the season wasn’t the problem, my attitude was. Since then, I’ve learned to embrace the heat and focus on what matters: helping plants thrive.

If you’re a plant enthusiast, here’s something to keep in mind: Plants don’t recognize temperature the way we do—and they certainly don’t complain about it.

• Don’t water because it’s hot and sunny. Plants aren’t “thirsty” in the human sense. Instead, water to compensate for lack of rainfall.
• Sunny days are a gift. This is when plants are most productive, generating photosynthates—the sugars and energy that fuel their life cycle into next year.
• Summer conditions are essential. We need the heat and light to support healthy growth, especially for flowering and fruiting plants.

🌿 So while we may sweat and grumble, plants are quietly thriving—if we support them with thoughtful care.

If you’re noticing concerns with any of your plants, and aren’t sure how to respond, take time to give them a thorough drenching to compensate for the lack of rainfall. You can’t over water by doing this sporadically. Overwatering occurs when the soil isn’t allowed to dry out. Watering every day is not usually a good idea. The plants may not recognize your efforts as a cool drink on a hot day, but they will recognize the kindness and care. They’ll reciprocate by providing years of enjoyment and benefits.

🌵 Drought Damage: What to Watch For

Let’s talk about the lack of rainfall in 2024. There were almost 6 months without rainfall last year, including a drought to close the growing season. This drought caused a lot of damage which you may not be aware of. Plants respond to drought for years, depending on the severity and length of the drought. If you see your trees, shrubs and perennials performing differently it may be a response to lack of precipitation. By the way, an irrigation system will not compensate for lack of rainfall. It may have helped slightly and prevented a plant from dying, however my experience is that you’ll still recognize some concerns.

• Reduced fruiting in home orchards
• Dead branches as plants shrink to survive
• Scale insects thriving—especially on hydrangeas, viburnums, hollies, azaleas, and rhododendrons 🕵️‍♂️ Late August–September is peak time for scale emergence.

🌱 Fertilizing in Fall: A Proactive Step

Fertilizer isn’t a cure—it’s preventative maintenance.

Fertilizing plants should NOT be considered a remedy. Do not fertilize a plant to solve a problem. However, fertilizing plants is a very important part of your plant maintenance, especially your lawn that requires fertilizer to simply survive (not crabgrass). You may have heard this before; “Maintenance is valuable if it saves you money”. Any type of maintenance should be performed to prevent a larger, more costly problem. Losing plants as a result of climatic extremes and pest infestations can very often be prevented by keeping your plants in good health and maintaining them. Implementing a fertilizer routine is one of the best maintenance practices you can do for trees, shrubs and perennials.

Fertilizer is not expensive when you compare it to the cost of new plants, and it’s easy to apply. Whether you use a granular form or a solution, don’t let the internet complicate it.

Be sure to follow the recommended dosage on the packaging. If you want to take positive action to help your landscape. Fertilizing is the perfect way to do this.

• Use Espoma organic fertilizers—easy, safe, and effective
• Fall fertilizing supports root development for next year
• Avoid fertilizing plants with active insect infestations 💡

They’re organic and not likely to cause any damage, and they work. We use these same fertilizers in our yards and gardens. I have great results with the Garden Tone in my vegetable garden and planters.

Another important reason we like the Espoma brand is because they’re balanced (all macro-nutrients) and include mycorrhizal spores that are formulated to increase the biology in the soils that support the plants.

We advocate the importance of fertilizing your plants and we want to make it easy. - Timing is not critical, as long as it’s during the growing season, March - October. I’m a big proponent of fall fertilizing because this is when plants are developing their root systems for next year.

“As the roots go, so goes the tree.”

🌼 Fall Arrivals at Decker’s Nursery

We’re rolling out the season’s best:

• Pansies, Mums, Ornamental Kale & Cabbage
• Fall vegetables like spinach, kale, and lettuces
• Labor Day Promotions and Summer Color Sales 📸 Bring photos of your space—we’ll help you design and plant.

If you’re still considering doing some plantings this year, Decker’s Nursery welcomes the opportunity to help you. Whether you need to improve your screening and privacy or simply need to improve the curb appeal by adding color and interest, Decker’s Nursery can help with any size project. If you’re a Do It Yourself-er, there are some great savings during our Labor Day Promotions, and as always - Summer Color is on Sale at Decker’s Nursery.

🧤 Full-Service, We’re Here for You

Whether you’re planting for privacy, curb appeal, or harvest, Decker’s Nursery is ready to help. From expert advice to seasonal savings, we’re your partner in every garden project.