As of Friday, September 22, it’s officially fall. While that doesn’t mean much “temperature-wise” for the Dallas area, it does mean that we are one step closer to leaves falling from trees, shorter days, and winter. Now is the time to prepare your landscape for the coming cold season.
FALL LANDSCAPING TIPS FOR DALLASITES
1. Keep Your Lawn Mowed Until It Stops Growing
As long as your grass continues to grow, you should continue to mow your lawn (or have someone do it for you). When grass blades get too long, they shade the blades around them and limit sunlight. If there’s any significant snow or ice during the winter, any grass that is too long can be packed down and lead to snow mold.
2. Fluff Up and Refresh Your Mulch
Fluffing up or turning your mulch gives your flowerbeds a fresh new look and often cuts down on the amount of brand new mulch you need. If you do end up needing more mulch, keep it around two to three inches thick. When mulch beds are any thicker than that, they can become a perfect hiding place for insects, small pests, and plant diseases. Your plants may even have a harder time absorbing enough water to stay hydrated.
3. Plan Your Planting
Divide and replant your perennial (those with a lifecycle longer than one year) flowers, and swap out your summer annual (those with a lifecycle shorter than one year) flowers for fall annuals.
4. Don’t Forget About Your Driveway and Walkways
Fall is the time to repair and fill cracks in concrete and asphalt. When water fills those cracks during the winter and freezes, the cracks expand and become worse. A sealant helps to prevent this damage.
5. Think About Your Evergreens
Most winters in Dallas are fairly mild and dry with limited rainfall,so take care of your evergreens by sufficiently watering them in October to reduce the possibility of dehydration during the colder months.
6. Time for Pruning and Trimming
While spring-flowering trees and shrubs should be left alone during the fall, make sure to continue cutting back the dead flowers off of your annuals and perennials to encourage continued blooming until the first frost of the year. Trim dead and damaged wood from trees, but don’t be too drastic.
Looking for more information about how to maintain your landscape during the fall and winter?
Contact your Highland Park landscaping company, Keane Landscaping, today.
