Table of Contents
Introduction
The summer season is almost over, and the fall season is right around the corner. With the change of seasons, you need to do a lot of things and the landscape is a big part of it. You can search for “landscape companies near me” and hire pros to do it for you. Otherwise, you can make the most of the fall landscape season by taking the following measures.
The Details
- One last cut for the lawn – Throughout the fall season, continue to mow your lawn to maintain your yard in shape. Before the winter season arrives, the grass is going to stop growing and you need to make one last cut before that. This way there’s enough surface area for all the blades to get enough sun without being destroyed by the other forces of nature. If your lawn has grass that grows throughout the year, make sure to maintain its height up to 3 inches.
- Foundation – Fall landscaping is mainly about colors, textures, and accessories and that’s what you need to focus on. Even the smallest yard may look huge if you can strategically place large shrubs and small trees along with other elements. The goal is to layer shrubs and trees in an alternating way with changing heights so that you can create the illusion of distance and space.
Japanese maple trees are ideal for creating such a landscape. Apart from that, you can also plant a few evergreens near the edges of your yard for enhanced privacy and for creating a lush backdrop for your entire landscape. All these elements create a sturdy foundation for your landscape and allow you to be flexible with other decor concepts and accessories. While choosing evergreens, make sure to choose varieties that grow to the right height and fit into your garden or landscape.
- Test the soil – Before you can plant anything in the yard to change the landscape, you’ll need to know about the soil. Even if you’re thinking about greening up the yard with some new grass, you’ll need to know about the pH level and organic content of the soil. To do this, you need to test the soil. Basic soil testing kits are available at gardening centers for less than $20 and give you basic information about the soil.
They will tell you about the pH level, basic nutrient content, and soil structure. This information allows you to change the soil, correct the deficiencies and amend it according to your needs. After that, you’ll need to aerate the soil before it’s ready for seeding. If you’re thinking about more elaborate landscape projects with exotic species of trees and shrubs, you’ll need to send a soil sample to a soil testing lab and get help from certified arborists and landscape professionals.
- Paint your home – Your yard is not the only thing that makes up your landscape. Your home plays a big role as well and makes a significant portion of the backdrop. That’s why it’s important to show some love to your home’s exterior as well. Fall is a great time to paint your home with a fresh cost. That would usually cost around $1500 to $4000. If the external paint is in good condition, look for areas with chipped paint, broken siding, and other signs of damage.
Fix those issues to bring the home’s exterior to perfect condition. Minor repairs and paint jobs shouldn’t be too expensive. You should be able to get it done without spending a four-digit figure. In the end, you don’t want a marvelous fall landscape with a dull and bland-looking home. You can also go a step further and install window boxes for your home. These structures give additional texture to the home’s exterior, add more greenery to your home, and can add a splash of color to siding or brick walls.
- Turn up the mulch – Some also refer to it as fluffing of the mulch. Turning or fluffing the mulch gives flowerbeds an entirely new look and may even eliminate the need for additional mulch. When you fluff up old mulch, you introduce air pockets in the pile and that increases the breaking down of mulch into organic matter. If you do add fresh mulch, maintain a two or three-inch thick pile so that the roots and the plant are protected from the cold without making room for insects to hide in.
- Maintain a clean landscape – You may enjoy the sight of falling leaves and cherish the sight of fall foliage scattered everywhere on your yard, roof, and even the hardscape. However, that’s not a good excuse to not rake up those leaves and transfer them to the compost bin. Those leaves aren’t just a sore sight to many people, but a safety hazard for your family. Your loved ones may slip on those leaves and injure themselves. If you have a pool in your backyard, make sure to get it serviced and cleaned. Otherwise, you’ll have a very bad time during the winter months.
- Leave some room for hardscaping – Your landscape is also made up of your hardscaping and you can’t ignore it during the fall season. You may add pavers, rock formations, stone retainer walls, foundation, or other such elements this fall season. On the other hand, you can also go big and add a water foundation to the landscape. It’s expensive and may put you back by $5000 or more. However, the benefits are also apparent. Water foundations minimize street noise coming into your home and create a secluded oasis for you.
Conclusion
The fall season is a time of change and signifies transition. Before you go out to enjoy a bike ride or sip on your favorite drink at Starbucks, take time out of your busy schedule to make the necessary changes to your landscape. If all that sounds too tiring, you can search for “landscape companies near me” and let the professionals handle it.