Fall is upon us. Between carving pumpkins, hosting family dinners, and baking fall cookies, it’s important to take some time to care for your landscape. Neglecting your yard now will only make your job a lot harder when spring comes. Follow these fall landscape tips to keep your space looking fresh and well-groomed well into the cooler months.
- Mulch your garden beds. Although most people leave mulching for the spring, it’s actually better to apply mulch in the fall because it protect the plants’ roots from frost. A 2 – 3 inch layer of wood mulch is sufficient.
- Wrap your fragile shrubs and bushes. If you have shrubs that are less hardy, wrapping them in burlap will help protect them from the elements when the cold winds start blowing and the snow starts flying.
- Remove dead branches. Don’t cut away healthy branches, since this will distract the plant from putting its energy into preparing for dormancy. Do, however, trim all dead branches out from trees and shrubs. This saves you time and energy in the spring and keeps your landscape looking tidy.
- Rake up leaves. This should be a no-brainer. However, not everyone does it properly. Make sure you rake leaves periodically throughout the fall, not just once at the end of the season. Leaving leaves on the ground can contribute to the growth of fungi which may cause disease in your trees the next spring.
- Pull out old annuals. They’re dead, and they are not coming back. Remove them now, so they don’t rot beneath the snow when spring comes.
Is building a new home a part of your plan this next year? Contact Gelotte Hommas Architects to learn about our services. By this time next year, you could be using these fall landscape tips in your new yard.