As the summer season begins to fade into fall, leaves start changing colors, the sky turns a bit bluer, and pumpkin patches begin to grace the rural roads of Western NC. Pair that with the ever-popular apple cider and pumpkin spice lattes popping up in coffee shops across the state.
Your summer crops have likely died off at this point, leaving your yard littered with brown or beige plants that are well past their time or barely hanging on for those last warm, sunny days. You may have slowed down on your lawncare routine as you prepare to put away your garden tools and lawn mowers for the season, saving them for their next debut in spring. Weeds, overgrown grass and hedges are indicative of the change in seasons.
You may be ready to rest and call it quits for the season, but alas, there are still things to be done!
Since the weather is cooling down, you’re given the unique opportunity to take advantage of more tolerable temps, making summer clean up a little easier on the ol’ bones, as well as being able to plant bulbs for springtime flowers, and planting cool weather veggie crops. Below are some tips for fall gardening and clean up success!
1. Start planting those bountiful spring bulbs! Many springtime flowers require a period of overwintering in order to bring beautiful blooms when spring comes. Unless your climate is seriously cold, you should be able to plant bulbs without issue. Some popular bulbs to choose from are: tulips, daffodils, and ranunculus.
2. Clear out your veggie garden. One of the more labor-intensive aspects of fall lawncare maintenance is clearing out old, dead crops past their expiry dates. Not only is this good practice to keep your vegetable patch and lawn looking neat, but it also helps to prevent common garden pests that could inflict damage on your future crops.
3. Aerate your lawn. The best time of year to fertilize your lawn and prepare for future seasons is fall. Aerating is the process of punching holes into the soil, extracting plugs of dirt so oxygen, water, and fertilizer can reach the roots of the grass quickly and effectively. If you have any bald spots in your lawn, patch them up with grass seed!
4. Get debris and leaves out of the gutter. Take advantage of cooler weather and get to work cleaning out your home’s gutters. Although this should be done regularly during any season to prevent clogs and yard flooding, fall is ideal because leaves are falling consistently and they will get clogged up quicker.
5. Cover frost-sensitive trees or plants, especially if you’re expecting a colder than average fall and winter season. By covering delicate plants, you help prevent them from being killed by the cold or having their growth severely stunted come spring. Bring any potted plants inside or put them in a greenhouse to ensure their protection through the colder seasons.
6. Put fallen leaves to work in your garden. Dead leaves are an excellent mulch and compost for future gardening ventures. Instead of raking them and throwing them in the trash, place dead and decaying leaves in your garden or flower beds to give the soil a nice boost of nutrition and let them break down and enrich the soil for future planting.
7. Protect your outdoor patio furniture. Using either a tarp or a cover specific to your furniture’s design, cover up what can’t be stored in a shed or other storage facility. This helps to extend the life of your outdoor furniture as well as making it easier to break them back out when the weather warms up again. By covering patio furniture, you’re keeping it cleaner and preventing additional wear and tear.
If the thought of maintaining your lawn, has you rolling your eyes and grunting in dismay, let us take some of the work off your hand! We may not be able to clean your gutters or organize your shed, but we can help extend the life of your lawn and prepare it for spring. Whether you need some help aerating your lawn and reseeding it, or combatting grubs, we’ve got your back!
Head on over to our Residential Landscape Maintenance services page to contact us and learn more about how we can keep your lawn looking luscious no matter the season and set up a FREE consultation! We look forward to hearing from you!