Summer is here and in full swing, but fall will arrive before you know it. Why not start planning your fall landscaping and prepping your yard now so you’re ready to jump in feet first when the season arrives? We’ve got a guide on how to prepare your landscaping for fall weather and make the most of your outside space when things cool down.
Prepare Your Yard for Fall Landscaping
Before you start planning your fall landscaping and researching which plants, shrubs, and trees will work best for your outdoor space, you need to do a little landscaping fall cleanup and prep work. Here’s what we recommend tackling now before temperatures drop:
Aerate your lawn. Summer brings a lot of rain, and aerating your lawn will ensure that water and nutrients get down to grass and plant roots for optimal health and growth.
Feed the grass. Did you know that your grass will continue to grow until temperatures drop down to 40 degrees? Keep fertilizing your lawn with a high-phosphorus fertilizer mix until the cold arrives to encourage healthy roots and a green lawn come springtime.
Keeping your lawn healthy all summer will help ensure that it survives the winter and flourishes again in the spring. Once things start to cool off in late summer and early fall, you can integrate a few more items into your landscaping fall cleanup checklist:
Mow one more time. Mow your grass down to 1 ¼ inches during your last cut of the season. This will help discourage disease and also make it easier to rake up leaves as they won’t catch on grass blades.
Trim dead limbs. Do your trees or shrubs have any dead limbs that need pruning or trimming? Wet, cold weather in the fall and winter can turn dead branches and limbs into hazards, so trim them before fall arrives.
Cut back perennials. Prune back your perennial plants so the energy they collect over the next two seasons is sent directly to the roots. This will encourage flourishing growth in the spring.
Best Fall Landscaping Ideas to Breathe Color into Your Yard
When most people hear the term landscaping, they think of spring – planting new shrubs, watching trees and bushes flower, etc. However, fall is also an excellent time to bring color and texture into your yard to enjoy throughout the season. Here are our best fall landscaping suggestions:
Consider potted plants. Potted plants are a great way to add color and vibrancy to your yard, and they can also be brought inside should temperatures drop too low. Succulents, pansies, mums, and violas are all beautiful options if you want to add a few potted plants to your fall landscaping.
Plant new trees and shrubs. Fall is actually an excellent time to plant evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. We recommend options like Japanese Maples, Boxwood, Delaware Valley White Azaleas, Natchez Crepe Myrtles, and Tulip trees.
Look for colorful options. If you want a vibrant yard in the autumn, consider eye-catching plants like Boston Ivy, oak leaf hydrangeas, and even vegetables and greens like cabbages, rainbow chards, and kales (that can later be harvested and eaten).
Make the most of your borders. Borders are the space between your grass and garden, and they offer a lot of opportunity for color and texture. Consider adding colorful but hardy plants like Callicarpa, Alliums, and Rudbeckia to take your fall landscaping to the next level.
Consider fruit. Fruit trees and shrubs can add color to your garden in the autumn, especially if you opt for plants like bayberry, sumacs, roses, elderberries, winterberries, and chokeberries.
Use the leaves to your advantage. Instead of tossing your fall leaves into a plastic bag to throw away, turn them into compost or mulch. These leaves create an excellent mulch that improve soil quality and encourage plant health throughout the seasons.
Let Us Help You Prepare for Fall Landscaping
Have more questions about fall landscaping or the prep you need to get your yard ready for the season? Contact Hometown Landscape today.