Fall is a great time for planting!

One of the best times of the year to introduce new plantings to your yard is the fall — the soil is still warm, creating faster root growth and plants get a head start on next year's growth. In addition, by next summer, your plants will have larger, more established root systems which will help them to be more drought-tolerant, and they'll produce better flowers in their first year.

Perennials
If your summer annuals are looking tired or overgrown, there are a number of late-season flowers that can really brighten up your yard. A few great choices include asters, daisy-style plants, yarrow, and salvias. Because the middle of fall has more mild temperatures, these plants tend to do really well. Something you might not know, however, is that the majority of cold-hardy perennials thrive with fall plantings because their root systems grow all winter and emerge in the spring, ready to blossom!

But, if you have poorly drained soil, you may want to wait until spring to plant perennials that require good drainage, such as lavender.

If you're into bulbs, it is also time to get them in the ground! Daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, alliums, crocus, and many other varieties planted now will make for a great display next spring. If you want a little color while you wait, you can plant pansies in your flower beds around where the bulbs will sprout.

Vegetables
If you enjoy vegetable gardening, late August or early September is a time to start a fresh round of cool-season and overwintering crops. Varieties you can plant now include lettuce, spinach, other greens, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, and onions.

Your Lawn
Late summer or early fall is also a great time for renovating your lawn. Dethatching is typically done this time of year, removing the dead matter underneath the growing grass and aerating the soil below. Doing this allows us to assess how full your lawn really is and if it needs to be reseeded, overseeded, or replaced with sod.

Trees, Shrubs, and Fruit
While these items can be planted other times throughout the year, the fall is best when the soil is softer and easier to dig, and the temperatures are also cooler. But, beware of caterpillar damage as that can be high in the fall.

If you're not sure what to do with your yard or if this sounds like too much work to tackle on your own, please let us know. Our team of landscape experts can create for you a yard to enjoy all season long. Give the Graham Landscape & Design team a call at 541-729-8029.