Fall Landscaping: Preparing Your Lawn and Garden for Winter
Raking Leaves: A Crucial Task for Healthy Grass
Fall is the time to tackle the task of raking leaves. A thick layer of leaves can rob your grass of sunlight, hindering its growth and weakening it for the winter. Cool-season grasses, such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, need sunlight in the fall for photosynthesis. By raking leaves in a timely manner, you can help your lawn get off to a strong start next spring.
Dethatching Your Lawn: Removing Excess Thatch
Dethatching your lawn is a related task that can be done at the same time as raking leaves. Thatch is a layer of dead grass and other organic matter that accumulates on the soil surface. It can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the grass roots. To dethatch your lawn, use a rake with sturdy tines and rake vigorously to dislodge the thatch layer.
Overseeding Your Lawn: Filling in Bare Spots
Overseeding is the process of spreading grass seed over your lawn to fill in bare spots and thicken the grass cover. Fall is an ideal time to overseed because the cool nights and mild days are favorable for grass seed germination. The seed will retain moisture well, and the seedlings that follow won’t be threatened by the extreme heat of summer.
Watering Your Lawn: Maintaining Hydration
Continue watering your lawn in the fall, even though the temperature is starting to drop. Cool-season grasses need water to store nutrients for the long winter. Water your lawn deeply and less frequently, as the cooler temperatures reduce evaporation. Warm-season grasses should be watered until they go dormant in the winter.
Mowing Your Lawn: Adjusting Your Schedule
Fall is a prime growing time for cool-season grass, so you will need to mow it more frequently. Mow your lawn at least until the first killing frost slows down growth. Warm-season grass goes dormant in winter and will begin to slow down as the weather cools off in fall. As a result, you shouldn’t have to mow as much as you did in summer.
Weed and Feed Your Lawn: Controlling Weeds and Fertilizing
You should have already fertilized a warm-season grass in late summer, but you can fertilize a cool-season grass in early fall. This will help it get off to a good start in spring. Check your lawn for weeds and try to get rid of as many as you can. Pull up annual weeds such as crabgrass to prevent them from going to seed. For perennial weeds such as dandelions, dig down under the plant and remove it entirely by the taproot.
Cleaning Up Your Garden: Removing Debris and Disease
Removing spent plants and debris from your garden in the fall reduces the amount of work you’ll have to do in the spring. It also helps to prevent the spread of disease and pests. Pull up winter squash, dying tomato or cucumber plants, and harvest any herbs. Trim perennial flowers for a tidier garden come spring.
Making Compost for Next Year: Enriching Your Soil
Fall is a great time to make compost, as there is an abundance of organic material available. Add grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and shredded leaves to your compost bin. Shredding the leaves will help them break down quicker, making the compost ready to use in the garden sooner.
Transplanting Shrubs and Trees: Finding the Right Time
Fall can be a good time to transplant shrubs and trees, due to the cooler temperatures. However, some trees and shrubs, such as those with thick, fleshy roots, should only be transplanted in late winter or early spring. Consult a gardening expert to determine the best time to transplant specific species.
Winterizing Your Landscape: Protecting Plants and Equipment
Winterizing your landscape involves taking steps to protect your plants and equipment from the harsh winter conditions. Store away irrigation equipment properly, disconnect and drain hoses, and turn off the outdoor water faucet to avoid damage from freezing. Apply a layer of mulch around borderline hardy plants and consider wrapping shrubs and small trees with burlap or building shelters for them.
