Many homeowners focus on perfecting their lawn and landscape throughout the spring and summer. Then when fall rolls around, it can be easy to neglect the lawn and landscape you worked so hard to create. As plants begin to die and leaves fall, the look of your lawn and landscape begin to decline. However, there are still steps you can take in the fall season to improve your lawn and landscape. Keep reading to find out more.
Tips for Landscaped Beds
Fall is the perfect time to spice up your landscaped beds. There are endless options for improving the look of your landscaping in the fall.
1. Building new beds
The summer heat in areas like Pageland, Jefferson, Lancaster, and Monroe can make it difficult to get big landscaping projects done. With the weather being more favorable in the fall, this can be a great time to build new beds on your property. Additionally, since grass and weeds are probably growing at a slower rate, it can be easier to kill them off and establish new beds on top of them.
2. Installing mulch
When building new beds, you must select a ground cover. While there are many options for ground cover, mulch is a good option to install in the fall. Mulch has many benefits that make it a very favorable ground cover.
- Mulch retains moisture in the soil, helping to keep your plants hydrated.
- Mulch deprives weeds of the nutrients they need to grow, leading to fewer weeds in your beds.
- If you select an organic mulch, it will help to release nutrients that will promote growth of your plants.
- Mulch insulates the temperature in the ground, reducing rapid temperature changes that could harm your plants.
- Mulch helps to prevent disease in your plants.
- Mulch is durable and low maintenance.
If you are interested in installing mulch this fall, contact us.
3. Installing rock
If you are looking for a durable, attractive, low-maintenance ground cover in your landscaped beds, rock is a fantastic option for several reasons.
- Since rock is heavy and durable, it is very low-maintenance. it can withstand heavy rain, wind, snow, you name it.
- Rock doesn’t have to be replaced often, leading to a low long-term cost.
- Rock is fireproof, and it can serve as a protective barrier in areas that have wildfires or droughts.
- In addition to being fireproof, it is windproof, and it won’t blow away like other ground covers.
- If you have children, rock withstands foot traffic very well.
- Just like mulch, rock can repel weeds as well as insects, pests, and disease.
- It will easily withstand the Carolina heat.
- If your property suffers from drainage problems, rock can help alleviate these issues.
- Rock is beautiful year-round.
If rock sounds like a good option for your property, click here to read more.
4. Installing new shrubs, trees, and flowers
If you are in the process of building a new home, the fall season can be a great time to install new shrubs, trees, and flowers on your property. Again, the weather is more favorable, and plants can require much less care when the temperatures are cooler. If you are selling your house soon, the fall is also a good time to prepare your lawn and landscape for sale.
5. Maintaining plants
In addition to installing new landscaping, fall can be a great time to trim your shrubs and do other needed maintenance to protect your plants from the harsh winter conditions.
Tips for your Lawn
1. Herbicides
There is a lot of preventative maintenance you can do in the fall to prepare your lawn and landscape for the spring and summer seasons. To prevent weeds in your lawn and landscape next spring and summer, you should apply a pre-emergent herbicide this fall.
If you take this step now, you could prevent the growth of pesky weeds before they even grow. If you take the time to do this now, it could result in a lot less headache later, when the weeds try to take over your lawn and landscape again.
2. Mowing
Many homeowners struggle to decide when they should stop mowing in the fall, and some simply let their lawn become overgrown. However, now that you know how to keep your landscaped beds looking nice in the winter, you should do the same with your grass. Continue mowing your lawn at the proper height for your grass type until the grass goes dormant.
3. Brush removal
As the leaves begin to fall, this can become a huge annoyance for homeowners. Leaves can make your property look messy and chaotic, and they can cover up the beautiful lawn and landscape you’ve worked so hard to create.
Not only are leaves an eyesore, though, they can also be unhealthy for your lawn. While your grass does go dormant in the winter, it usually comes back green in the spring. However, if you allow a thick layer of leaves to sit on your lawn, it could kill your grass over the winter.
If you need assistance with routine brush removal in the fall, Rivers Lawn and Landscape can assist you.
Tips for your Lawn Mower
After your grass goes dormant, it will not need regular mowing for the remainder of the fall and winter. Since your lawnmower will not be in use for several months, this is the time to “winterize” your mower. Keep reading for some lawnmower maintenance tips for the fall.
Clean your mower
In the fall, you should take the time to diligently clean your mower. Cleaning has more benefits than just making your lawnmower look better, though. If the underside of your mower deck is built up with grass clippings, this can affect the way the lawnmower cuts your grass. Not only can it lead to the blades of grass not standing fully upright, it can cause a less efficient cut on your grass.
Sharpen the blades
Since your lawnmower is not in service, the fall season is the perfect time to sharpen your lawnmower blades. If you have sharp lawnmower blades, the lawnmower will cut your grass more effectively, and it will lead to a longer period of time in between mowing. This simple step will save you lots of time when the mowing season rolls around again.
Clean the air filter
While your lawnmower is out of service in the fall and winter months, it is also a good idea to clean your air filter. Cleaning your air filter can lead to a longer engine life by preventing dirt and other debris from entering the engine during the mowing process. If you take the time to clean your air filter this fall, you will safe money in the long run by making your lawnmower last a whole lot longer.
Change the oil
If you have not changed your lawnmower’s oil in a while, it is probably time to go ahead and do so. Changing the oil regularly can also help extend the life of your lawnmower, and it can save you money in the long run. Click here to learn how to change the oil in your lawnmower.
Use a fuel stabilizer
When your lawnmower sits unused all winter, gas can degrade in the mower and can cause issues the next spring. If you use a fuel stabilizer in your gas tank, it can prolong the life of the gas in your gas tank and lead to a quick and easy start to the next mowing season.
Next Steps
If you need any help initiating your fall lawn and landscaping projects, please get in touch with us. We have the software, expertise, and team to make it happen.
If you have any questions about other lawn care or landscaping items that you should complete in the fall, get in touch with us! We’re happy to help. We serve Pageland, Lancaster, Chesterfield, Hartsville, and Kershaw, SC. We also serve Monroe, NC and other surrounding areas.