Here are a few tips to consider when planning your fall landscaping projects.
When people think about landscaping, spring may be the first season that comes to mind, however, fall is another season during which landscaping is needed. In fact, depending on what landscaping projects need to be done, fall can be a better time of year to complete the tasks. Fall brings cooler temperatures, as well as the added moisture during the season, making it easier to establish new plants, giving them a suitable environment to grow and thrive. This season is also a wonderful time to consider your irrigation system because of the greater frequency of both rain and snow when winter rolls around. Here are a few tips to consider when planning your fall landscaping projects.
Do Install New Shrubs, Plants, and Trees
Typically, fall landscaping entails installing new shrubs, plants, and trees around the yard. Roots can develop more easily during fall, which makes it the best season for establishing new plants. The cooler temperatures also minimize the shock a plant feels when being planted in new soil. Plants have more time to grow and mature before the weather gets too hot and dry.
Do Perform Lawn Maintenance
Fall landscaping should also include lawn maintenance. September through November should serve as your window of time to prepare your lawn for the unforgiving chills of winter. Part of proper lawn preparation includes applying winter fertilizer, which grants your grass the nutrients it needs to endure winter when your lawn goes dormant. Other procedures, such as overseeding, thatching, and aerating, are encouraged at this time as well. Lastly, be sure to remove leaves frequently from your lawn so that they don’t suffocate your grass.
Don’t Feed Your Plants, But Do Feed Shrubs and Trees
While you should fertilize your lawn, plant feeding is not encouraged as part of your fall landscaping regimen. Plants enter a dormant state around this time. If given fertilizer, the plants will use energy to grow. The added growth advances softwood growth, which becomes susceptible to the cold, and, potentially damaging or even killing the plants.
Trees and shrubs, in contrast, are best fed during the fall. Unlike plants, which spend energy after being fertilized, trees and shrubs will store energy through the winter season. After winter has arrived, you’ll want to apply insect and pest control treatments as it’s better to apply them when plants go dormant.
Questions? Lehnhoff’s Supply is Here to Help
If you still have more questions about how to best prepare your landscape or garden for fall and winter, the trained professionals at Lehnhoff’s Supply are here to help you.
Find us at 2708 Belair Road, Fallston, MD 21047 and give us a call at 410-510-7646. For tips, tricks, and to see what we have been up to, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!
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