Yard Care: Fall Prep

No matter where you reside in the United States, fall is the time to prepare your landscape for the coming colder months. Winterizing often means cutting back dead branches, cleaning up leaves, and doing an assessment of what your yard needs in order to be ready for the spring. It's also a good time to step back and enjoy the new seasonal colors.

A Time for Clean Up

A key component of fall yard care is cleanup. “Try and get rid of dead branches and clean up the leaves in your beds and on the lawn, because that can lead to growth of mold and cause problems for the spring, when the turf is trying to resume growth,” says Eric Setzer, a landscape designer and project manager with SLS Landscaping Inc. in Lumberton, New Jersey.

Leaf cleanup is important anywhere, but Pete Lucadano, president of Holiday, Florida-based Luke Brothers Inc., a landscaping firm, says that — especially in the South — it can be vital to plants' survival. “Preparing for winter always requires a very aggressive leaf cleanup in this region,” he said. “Everyone understands that cleaning up leaves is important. But in Florida, because the plant material doesn’t go into a hard dormancy and still needs to grow and thrive, leaf cleanup is particularly important. For the health of the plant material, it’s important that leaves aren’t causing any rotting at the base and that the plant is able to still get all the sunlight it needs.”

Pruning may also be done in the fall, but it often depends on the plant variety, says Chris Davitt, president of Ruppert Nurseries, headquartered in Laytonsville, Md. “If your plants require fall pruning," he said, "it’s important to plan the timing so that it’s either done after the first frost so that new growth won't sprout, or it’s done in early fall so that new growth that sprouts can harden off before the winter freeze. That way, it won’t cause damage.”

In Florida, which has seen more frost the past few winters, Lucadano says pruning must be done with precision to protect the plant. “When soft tissue plant material in Florida becomes frost damaged, a common mistake is to go out and cut that frost damage back,” he said. “That’s the worst thing that can be done, because it’s removing the plant’s protection against frost. It’s better to wait until after February to do frost cutbacks in this climate.”

Davitt says that whether or not to cut back perennials tends to be a matter of preference. “Perennials such as ornamental grasses and black-eyed Susans can be cut back in the fall and, come spring, will regenerate themselves sending new growth into the landscape,” he said. “But depending on preference, these types of plants can be left in the landscape in their browned-out state for color and texture. Some homeowners like the way that looks.”

Prepare for Snow

We all know what comes not long after the leaves drop: winter. In some regions, that means snow, and residents must think ahead — and act — to prepare their yards and plants for snowfall. Here are a few steps to consider.

Prevention of snow damage: "Building structures around plant material or pruning plants to handle the weight of the snow are ways that you can prepare your landscape for potential snow damage," says Chris Davitt, president of Maryland-based Ruppert Nurseries.

Covering your rosebushes: Many homeowners like to completely cover their rosebushes as winter approaches. Linda Farrington, a landscape architect with Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling, Illinois, advises waiting until at least late October — when the weather is a little cooler. Burlap works well for protection.

Putting out snow markers: Most landscape companies that also do plowing will put up their "snow markers" in late fall, Farrington says. This can be a do-it-yourself project, too. It serves as a great reminder of where particular plants or structures are located. "Once covered by the snow fall," she said, "it's easy to forget where your beds and plantings are, so putting up pegs or some kind of marker will identify them."

New Growth

While many homeowners think of the fall in terms of cleaning up and prepping for winter, this time of year can also be a great time for new plantings. “The fall can bring some beautiful color,” said Linda Farrington, a landscape architect with Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling, Illinois. “Mums, kale, cabbage, and ornamental grasses are just some examples of ways to get a colorful landscape in the fall season. You can have a lot of fun doing potted plantings. Adding a variety of colors to each pot can really brighten up your landscape.”

In many parts of the United States, the early fall is also the best time for seeding. “Grass seed has a better chance of germination when the weather is cooler, during the fall and early spring months,” Davitt said. “Also, weeds, which often fare better in the warmer months, will be less likely to interfere with your grass growth. If your lawn is already growing grass, the addition of more grass seed in the fall, called overseeding, is an effective way of maintaining thickness.”

The approach of autumn is also the time to consider additions to your landscape. “You can think about whether or not you want to fill those bare areas with additional shrubs,” Setzer said. “It’s always good, in my opinion, to reduce the amount of lawn, because it makes your property more environmentally friendly. Less lawn area to mow means less noise pollution from the mower, less fertilizer to put on, and less overall maintenance you have to do.”

Setzer says the fall is a wonderful season to enjoy your landscape. “It’s a good time to take an inventory of your yard and lawn,” he said. “With plantings you can look at what fall colors you might want to install but also start getting ready for next year.”