Part 2, Prep Your Yard for Fall: Plants and Trees

Taking time to prep your lawn and garden for winter will ensure a beautiful start to spring. It may seem hard to believe that frosty weather is right around the corner. The unseasonably warm temps we’ve been experiencing lately trick us into believing it’s never going to happen. But it’s coming! Take advantage of the nice days we have left to get working on the must-do list we’ve put together to get your lawn and garden ready for what Mother Nature has in store.

In the second part of our three-part fall prep series, we’re giving you the lowdown on prepping your plants and trees!

• Do you look forward to those first pops of color pushing their way through the ground in the spring? Plant your spring bulbs now for maximum impact. 
• If your roses are your pride and joy, now is the time to winterize. Remove foliage on and around the base of your rose plants to keep diseases at bay. Prune back any branches that show insect damage or signs of decay. Cut back long stems. Spray roses with a fungicide to protect plants through the cold months. Adding a generous layer of soil heaped around the base of the plants will help maintain heat and protect them from the elements. Adding a layer of mulch will provide even more protection.
• Once the first frost hits, it’s time to pull your annuals. If you are so inclined, take cuttings of geraniums, impatiens, begonias, and coleus to root for houseplants. Take note of your favorite annuals to use next spring.
• Pruning shouldn’t be extensive this time of year. Take care to clear away broken twigs and branches, but save the major pruning for later.

• Mulch, mulch, and more mulch! Add a layer two to four inches deep in your perennial beds and over the bare soil in your garden to provide a blanket of protection. Bulbs benefit greatly from a cozy layer of evergreen boughs placed over them.
• If your houseplants have spent their summer vacation outdoors, it’s time to bring them inside. Make sure they get the appropriate light, and watering will be less frequent indoors. Skip fertilization until spring.
• Deeply water trees and shrubs before the first freeze and add a thick layer of mulch at their base for added protection.

As you can see, there is a lot of work to be done to get ready for the frosty temperatures heading our way in the not-so-distant future. Take advantage of a nice day here and there to check these things off your list before your landscape settles down for its long winter’s nap.

Want help designing a new landscape for Spring? Give us a call at (512) 260-1430 to schedule your FREE in-person consultation.