“Autumn is here! With plenty of beautiful fall days still ahead, now’s the perfect time to tackle a few simple tasks that will boost your backyard and patio landscaping for the seasons to come. In fact, fall is a critical season for yard maintenance, setting the foundation for a lush, vibrant landscape in the spring. Read on for our top recommendations to ensure a stunning spring landscape through smart fall preparation:
Raking Leaves in Phases
Raking leaves is one of the most essential fall landscaping tasks, but there’s more to it than just keeping things tidy. When leaves build up on your lawn, they block sunlight, which interrupts photosynthesis and deprives your grass of vital oxygen. This weakens your lawn, and in time, can lead to flooding, fungal problems, or pests. Instead of tackling it all at once, we suggest raking in phases throughout the season. This gives your lawn the chance to dry out and soak up as much sunlight as possible.
Lawn Aeration
Fall is also an excellent time to aerate your lawn. Aerating, or creating small holes in the soil, improves air, water, and nutrient flow, which strengthens root systems and overall grass health. Here in Northeast Wisconsin, where clay-based soil is common, the ground can become compacted from heavy winter snow and foot traffic, making aeration even more essential. It’s like giving your lawn a deep breath of fresh air! Our team starts lawn aeration in September as part of fall cleanup, ensuring the healthiest lawn conditions going into winter. If you have questions or want to schedule aeration, please reach out to our team of maintenance professionals.
Lawn Overseeding
If your lawn has some bare or damaged areas, fall is the ideal time for overseeding. Seeding now helps new grass develop strong root systems before winter sets in, and these roots will continue growing even in colder temperatures, setting the stage for a thick, healthy lawn in the spring.
Planting Perennials, Shrubs, and Trees
Believe it or not, fall is also perfect for planting perennials, shrubs, and trees. The soil is still warm, allowing roots to establish before winter, while the cooler temperatures are easier on the plants, reducing transplant shock. If you have spring-blooming perennials that need dividing, now is the time to split and transplant them—this way, the plant’s energy can go toward root and leaf growth instead of flowering.
Visit our Appleton showroom to explore our selection of perennials, shrubs, and trees, and complete your fall landscape design. Just remember to water your plants regularly until the ground freezes—or as we like to say, ‘Put them to bed with their feet wet!’
Pruning
We recommend waiting to prune trees, shrubs, and roses until they are fully dormant – typically in late winter for most varieties. However, most perennials like hostas and daylilies can be trimmed back once their bloom cycle is complete. When cutting back perennials, use sharp pruners to trim foliage down to 3-5 inches above the soil. This layer helps insulate the roots during winter and allows you to easily locate the plants in spring, reducing the risk of damage from yard work or mulching. As you handle fall landscaping, remember that some perennials, such as grasses, coneflowers, and black-eyed susans, can provide winter food and shelter for birds if left intact. These can be cut back during early spring cleanup. When pruning hydrangeas, always identify the variety before trimming. Since different hydrangea types have varying growth periods, pruning at the wrong time could remove next year’s buds.
The season may be winding down, but the effort you put into your fall yard maintenance will be rewarded with a beautiful outdoor space come spring. Embrace the fall season and watch your landscape flourish in the seasons to come!
As always, our team of dedicated horticulturists, designers, and gardening specialists are here to help you with any questions or concerns you may have. Reach out to us at 920.788.6344 or stop into our garden center; we’ll be happy to help you on the way to a healthy, successful landscape this season!