Fall is 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.

What to plant?
Perennials
If your summer annuals are looking tired or overgrown, there are a number of late-season bloomers that can really spruce up your yard. Consider asters, daisy-style plants, yarrow, and salvias. Because the middle of autumn has more mild temperatures, these plants do quite nicely. Something you might not know... the majority of cold hardy perennials thrive with fall plantings because their root systems grow all winter and emerge in the spring, ready to grow and blossom!
But, if you have poorly drained soil, you may want to wait until spring to plant your perennials that require good drainage, such as lavender.

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

Vegetables
If you enjoy vegetable gardening, September is a great month 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
September is also a great month for renovating  your summer lawn. Dethatching is typically done this time of year, removing the dead matter underneath the growing grass. 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 of 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 autumn.

If you’re not sure what to do with your yard or if this all just sounds like too much work, please let us know. The Graham Landscape & Design team of design and installation specialists can create for you a yard to enjoy all season long.