There are misconceptions people have when trying to keep their landscape looking its best as we prepare for fall. Alterra Landscape Design wants to help you avoid these pitfalls. Whether you have flowers, grass, or weeds, there are certain things you can do to keep your landscaping looking its best as the fall season approaches.
First, timing is everything. In North Texas the coming of Fall is often unpredictable, but typically the end of September is a good time to start. When Fall is imminent it is a great time to plant trees, but not a good time to prune certain shrubs. Pruning too late in the season stimulates new growth that doesn’t have a chance to harden and thrive before those extreme cold snaps start to arrive. If an unexpected cold snap arrives these shrubs have a hard time healing which can cause various issues such as fungal diseases. So leave the pruning for the springtime. Planting trees in the fall however takes advantage of the combination of warm soil and cool air and helps stimulate root growth, which gets the tree nicely established before the ground freezes in the winter.
When people think of fall landscaping they often envision all those leaves falling. To keep your landscape healthy we must perform the dreaded task of raking leaves. Matted leaves left in your yard can suffocate the grass, leading to mold and fungal infections. Another effective way to have a healthy landscape ready for the fall is to overseed with winter grasses. This can give your landscape that healthy green look all winter. Aerate if necessary and cut the current grass down to an inch or under if you can. Add a bit of enriched topsoil and then spread the seed.
By doing any one or all of these techniques your landscape will thrive through the fall and into the winter. Contact Alterra today to get your fall landscaping needs started. We operate in Dallas, Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Richardson, Prosper, and Garland areas.