Changing Seasons Bring Changing Landscape Priorities

Fall is right around the corner, and with the shorter days, cooler temperatures, and changing leaves, comes changing priorities for maintaining a thriving landscape. Fall is an ideal time to help your yard recover from summer stress and prepare it for the withstanding the winter ahead. The professionals at Villani Landshapers recommend the following yard care tips:

Fall fertilization and weed control application

Late summer/early fall fertilization helps reduce stress the lawn has endured over summer. Weed control applied at the same time takes care of fall weeds that pop up. A late fall/winterization fertilizer application will promote root growth, reduce winter injury, and promote early spring green-up.

Schedule core aeration and/or overseeding

Core aeration prepares the turf for winter and promotes healthy grown next spring. Overseeding is often performed in conjunction with core aeration to fill in bare spots and help the lawn recover from summer.

Fall clean up

In addition to raking up leaves to reduce possible insect and disease damage over winter, this is the perfect time to remove dead or unsafe branches and perform structural pruning to trees and shrubs.

Final mow

When it's time for your final mowing of the season, set the mower to the lowest height recommended for your grass to reduce the opportunities for disease to flourish over the winter. Diseases have a harder time infecting shorter grass.

Plant trees and shrubs

Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs, giving the roots an opportunity to get established in a lower-stress, moister soil environment in fall.

Cut back and divide perennials

Cutting back on the tired foliage of perennials sends energy production to the roots, resulting in a more-established plant next spring. This is also a good time to evaluate perennials and divide those that may be overgrown and crowded.

Add fall color

Hardy mums enhance are a great way to enhance your fall landscape prior to holiday decorating season.

Plan Holiday Decor

Speaking of holiday decorating season, it's right around the corner. Now is the ideal time to start planning holiday decorations for commercial buildings - and your home.

Plant spring bulbs

To ensure vibrant, early spring color in your landscaping, be sure to get your bulbs planted in the fall.

Plan and/or get started on planned hardscape enhancements

There’s still plenty of time this season to start construction on landscape additions. It’s also a great time to meet with our landscape designers to begin planning next year’s priorities and get on the construction schedule for early in the spring.Spend some time now getting your yard in shape and you'll reap the benefits next spring! To download these tips as a handy checklist, click this link: FallYardChecklist