Your 5 Step Checklist for Autumn Landscaping
Getting a jump on spring landscaping begins in the fall. So for all of you homeowners out there, get going NOW! There are all sorts of steps to take when it comes to prepping your lawn for the coming cold months. While some steps may be more simple, others may require professional assistance. And don’t hesitate to enlist this help! Hiring a professional with your autumn landscaping could be the difference between a brown, dead lawn, and a lawn full of green, vibrant foliage. Stick to the following checklist for the best fall landscaping results:
Fertilize
Fertilizing your grass in early fall, gives your grass that one last extra UMPH! before cold weather comes. Roots can continue growing until the temperature drops to 40 degrees, so adding some last minute fertilizer is a great way to ensure strong roots that are bound to spring up early next Spring. This is a great key for autumn landscaping.
One Last Mow
Mowing your grass one last time is effective for a couple reasons. First of all, its aesthetically pleasing and not only will you appreciate looking at it, but your neighbors will also. Secondly, it’s proven that with shorter grass, disease cannot spread as easily across your yard. So, take the precautions you can this fall and give you grass one last cut before the cold comes.
Aerate the Lawn
This could be one of the autumn landscaping jobs best left for a professional– mainly because of the required equipment. To aerate literally means to allow air into a material. Wine may be aerated before drinking, and a lawn will also be aerated by attentive landscapers. The advantage to aerating your lawn is that it breaks up soil that has been stepped on repeatedly and ultimately compressed. Thus, allowing water and other important nutritional elements to now reach the roots. For smaller yards, homeowners can use a little fork, but for larger yards, a walk-behind aerator is essential to effectively break up the soil.
Rake! Rake! Rake!
The tree in your yard that you have come to love and admire over the summer months, may now become your worst nemesis this fall as its leaves begin to fall over and over and OVER. But try to welcome the beauty of the falling leaves, and take the opportunity of raking them as family bonding time. Try your best to keep up with raking your leaves, as it allows sunshine and air to more easily get to your grass. The best time to rake is when the fallen leaves are dry and light.
But remember, just as with the other members of this checklist, raking doesn’t have to be completed by you! Hire a professional to come weekly to rake or blow your leaves. It could save a lot of time and hassle.
Trim Dead Limbs/ Cut Flowers
Your lawn isn’t the only thing that deserves attention this fall. Don’t forget the dead limbs and flowers that need pruning. Ridding trees and flower beds of dead branches and flowers will help give life to the rest of the plant come spring. In fact, pruning down flower beds actually sends energy to the roots, signaling needed growth come warmer temperatures.
Getting your yard ready for fall and ultimately winter can be a big job, especially for homeowners with a big yard and lots to take care of. So for those of you who don’t want to take on the job all by yourself, give us a call at David Ash. Our professionals know the best ways to take care of every yard and pride ourselves on this attentive care.
