Have you ever heard the term “rewilding”? Rewilding is the process of restoring ecosystems back to their more-natural state for conservation’s sake, and it may be something you want to consider for your outdoor space.
But why? Hometown Landscape is here to explain rewilding, why it’s beneficial, and how to make it happen in your own yard. Read More
If you’re a homeowner, you’ve probably caught yourself wondering when is the best time to water your lawn. Watering your lawn isn’t as simple as turning on the sprinklers and walking away – different seasons and temperatures call for different lawn watering schedules to ensure healthy grass that lasts throughout the year. It’s especially important to know when to water your lawn in the summer as the temperatures heat up, and that’s where we come in – check out this quick guide to summer lawn watering schedules. Read More
We plan for almost everything except the season that decides how our yards look next year. In Maryland, fall is the most important season for lawn and landscape work, because cool temperatures and steady moisture let roots establish before winter. Shorter days and harder weather are coming, and a few hours of prep now saves time, money, and stress later. Here are the five jobs that matter most, in the order they pay off.
For the cool season grasses that dominate Maryland lawns, mainly tall fescue, early fall is the single best time to aerate and overseed. From early September through about mid October, soil is still warm enough for fast germination and weeds are slowing down. Core aeration pulls small plugs of soil that relieve the compaction common in our clay, letting air, water, and new seed reach the root zone. Overseeding right after thickens the turf so it crowds out weeds on its own. Pair it with a fall fertilizer, which feeds the roots through winter and gives you an earlier, greener spring.
A fresh layer of mulch holds moisture, steadies soil temperature, and shields roots from the freeze and thaw cycles that damage plants over a zone 7a winter. Spread 2 to 3 inches around trees, shrubs, and beds, and keep it a few inches off trunks and stems so they do not rot. Mulch also cuts erosion on slopes during winter rains and feeds the soil as it breaks down.
A thick mat of wet leaves blocks sunlight and air from the grass, traps moisture, and invites mold and insects. Remove heavy leaf cover from the lawn. You do not have to bag all of it. Shredding leaves with a mower returns nutrients to the turf, and a layer of shredded leaves makes excellent free mulch for beds. Once the lawn is clear, a slightly shorter final cut helps prevent matting and snow mold over winter.
Fall is prime planting time. Set out trees and shrubs about four to six weeks before the first hard frost, which in our area lands between late October and early November, so roots establish before the ground freezes. This is also the time to divide spring blooming perennials like daylilies, hostas, and peonies. Splitting and replanting them gives you more plants for free and keeps the originals vigorous.
Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches before winter, since wind, ice, and heavy snow turn weak limbs into hazards over your roof, walkways, and cars. Do not prune everything, though. Many spring flowering shrubs, such as azalea, lilac, and forsythia, set next year’s buds in late summer, so cutting them now removes spring blooms. Stick to deadwood and structural cuts in fall, and save shaping for the right season per plant. Finish by clearing spent annuals and diseased foliage so problems do not overwinter in the beds.
Run these in order through September and October: aerate and overseed first, then mulch, manage leaves as they fall, plant and divide, and prune and clean up last. Handled on time, this checklist carries your property through winter and sets up a strong spring.
If you would rather hand off the list, Hometown Landscape provides aeration, overseeding, fall cleanup, planting, pruning, and full seasonal maintenance across Burtonsville and the surrounding Montgomery and Howard County communities. Reach out to our team to get your property ready before the first frost.
Hometown Landscape has provided trusted landscaping across Burtonsville, MD and the surrounding communities for over 27 years.
It may sound difficult to decide on the best ways to boost the look and feel of your outdoor landscape. Optimizing the appearance of your property can be achieved by following these steps. Read More
Winter can be a challenging time for homeowners and property managers. The winter weather can make it difficult to maintain all of your outdoor plants and environment. Here are some landscaping tips to keep your property grounds looking their best throughout winter. Read More
When you think about adding new features to your outdoor living space, you might be focused solely on generic landscape changes. Whether this means adding new flowers or getting someone to perform tree maintenance, these changes are typical and standard. So, to change things up, consider adding or updating hardscaping features to enhance your property. Not sure what hardscaping is? Hardscaping is the non-living part of your landscape and trust us, it is just as important as the living component of your yard. Here are some ways hardscaping features can completely transform and enhance your outdoor space. Read More
If you’re looking for a tree with great fall foliage colors- you are in luck! Maryland is a great place to grow beautiful trees!
Maryland is a good state for nine of the 10 most colorful fall trees, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. Each species has different characteristics. Bald cypress is unique because it looks like a pyramidal evergreen when green. Sugar maples are famous for their colors, but really only happy in colder Western Maryland. Sourwood (Oxydendron) and sassafras are smaller trees. Tupelo, red maple and sweet gum all display a range of hues, including brilliant reds. Sweetgum reportedly lasts the longest. All of the top 10 are U.S. natives except Japanese maple, only some of which display good fall color. Be sure to consider shrubs with great fall color and berries that last into winter, such as winterberry, blueberry or spicebush.
Hometown Landscape has provided trusted landscaping across Burtonsville, MD and the surrounding communities for over 27 years.
If you have noticed your gutters are clogged with debris, now may be the best time to have them cleaned! Your gutters serve the purpose of directing water away from your home so that leaks and rot damage do not happen to your roof and foundation. When the gutters become clogged water can pour over the sides or debris can freeze causing cracks to form.
From the looks of it, this is going to be another rough winter for the DMV. With upwards of 2 feet of snow predicted for the season, now is the time to buy a snow shovel if you don’t already have one!
If you are one of those people that always waits until the storm to stock up on ice melt, a snow brush for your car, and a shovel to clear your walkways, you might want to think about just getting them now to avoid the headache!
Hometown Landscape provides professional landscaping services for homeowners across Burtonsville, MD and the surrounding areas.
