Here are the essential fall landscaping tasks to take care of this season.
With summer cooling off and winter just off the horizon, fall is a critical time forlawn care.
So, forget what you thought you knew.
Credit: Dane Tashima; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper
Stick to our fall lawn care checklist for a well-sustained lawn to last through winter and flourish come spring.
Keep in mind that depending on where you live and your climate, your lawn’s needs may shift.
Consult a local lawn care expert for more information targeted to your area.
Credit:Joshua Jones; Landscape by Falkner Gardens
Time Your Pruning
Dont prune while plants are still actively blooming.
Depending on your locales weather, the timing on this may vary.
That’s when you should take your break.
In landscape architectJohn Russell’sstomping grounds of Birmingham, Alabama, that stopping point usually happens in August.
For most things, stop pruning at the end of August until all of the leaves drop.
Don’t prune evergreen or deciduous stuff after the end of August, says landscape architect John Russell.
Once the leaves are down, you could pretty much prune anything.
It helps them go to sleep before the cold weather comes in, says Chris who beginsfertilizing in September.
That also includes fertilizing your turf as we’re getting in prepping for those colder months.
Oncethe coldrolls in, there’s no need to fertilize again until spring.
Russell uses tax day as his marker to begin feeding again.
Even more threatening than the cold, is the fierce heat of Southerner summers.
If planted in fall, well-situated plants will be more established and better prepared to survive next summer.
Seed Cool Grasses
Seed cool seasongrasseswhen the leaves start to change color, recommends Russell.
Cool season grasses include Fescues, Bentgrass, Ryegrasses, and Kentucky Bluegrass.
Dont Stop Watering
Dont be fooled into thinking that falling leaves means you could abandon yourwatering efforts.
Watering is still very important, especially for young plants.
Watering after planting is important, says Russell.
A similar schedule goes for newly seeded grasses.
That typically means watering three to four times a day for short periods.
Chris recommends taking about an inch off your grass every week to help new seeds germinate.
Clean Up Mowing Debris
check that that when you’re mowing, you bag all that debris.
You don’t want that to build up on the lawn in the wintertime, Chris says.
The cleaner you might keep it in the fall, the healthier it’ll be.
One mulch to avoid in the fall however, is pine bark mulch.
Russell advises against using pine bark mulch because it may float away in the fall rain.
Clear Leaves
If let be,fallen leavescan smother your freshly planted grass.
Prevent this from happening byraking leaves upand keeping the law tidy.
Begin in the fall by laying aproper foundation, Falkner advises.
Fill your infrastructure in the fall, he says.
If you let water sit too long, that’s when you get fungal issues like brown patch.
Contain Thatch
In fall, take the time to prioritize your soil health.
You don’t want that to build up in the wintertime, says Chris.
You want to verify you keep it as clean as possible.
