While your Denver landscape design most likely enjoyed a long and pleasant summer, it’s that time of the year to start looking ahead to the changing seasons. So that you’re not ill-prepared, it’s smart to get ready early to ensure your landscape and garden are preserved throughout fall and winter and ready for that next spring. And while many homeowners may see fall and winter as simply seasons to persevere through in terms of landscape design, smart aesthetic choices can help you craft an eye-catching outdoor space even as the days get cooler.
Here, we’re taking a closer look at creating the perfect Colorado landscape design and how to ensure you’re ready for the approaching autumn. We offer some practical and convenient tips to get your landscape design ready so you can be prepared for the changing season and still enjoy a beautiful and pleasing outdoor space. Dig out your favorite sweater from the closet, sip a warm drink, and read on to get your landscape ready for fall.
Autumn brings cooler weather, shorter days, and brilliant color as our foliage turns from green to an array of golds, oranges, and reds. But this season also brings unique challenges for homeowners and property owners looking to ensure their landscape design remains aesthetically pleasing and functional. If you’re concerned about your outdoor space come fall—don’t worry, we’re here to help. Read below for some practical and helpful tips to ensure that your Colorado landscape is ready for fall.
1. Clear out that dead foliage: over a long and hot summer, you may end up with some dead or wilting plants throughout your landscape or garden. If so, now is the time to clean the house and remove any dead or dying foliage from your yard. Removing dead plants will help to make your outdoor space look cleaner, and neater, and ensure your neighbors that you haven’t given up on your landscape for the colder months ahead. Additionally, it can help you better assess your property needs come spring so you’ll already know what needs to be replaced next year.
2. One more mow: while we all associate mowing your yard with the spring and summer months, make sure you get one more good mow in before the colder months arrive. Be sure to adjust your mowing length, too. Some experts suggest aiming for a grass height of about two inches when you’re mowing in September. Give your lawn one more good mow before fall to help preserve your green space.
3. Bring out the mulch: like icing on a cake, mulching your yard is one of the final and important steps when it comes to crafting that perfect landscape. While mulching is often done in the spring, it’s also important to mulch your trees and plants in the autumn to ensure they’ll be healthy and ready to go come springtime. It’s recommended to spread out roughly 2 to 3 inches of mulch at the base of your trees and plants. This action will enrich and insulate the vital soil at the roots, which helps to retain moisture and fight back against weeds and other pests. Proper mulching can also protect the root system from frost when winter approaches. It’s also advised to go with organic mulch, made up of shredded leaves, compost, bark, or even sawdust, to more effectively protect all the flora in your outdoor space.
4. Plant some new shrubs: wait, planting in fall? Isn’t that normally reserved for early spring? Well, while spring can be an ideal time for planting new flowers and adding to your garden, many landscaping experts actually suggest planting new shrubs in your landscape in the fall. Why? The mixture of warm soil and cooler air actually creates ideal growing conditions for young plants and can help the root systems get established well before the ground freezes up. On top of that, you’ll tend to have more energy to plant in the fall when the hard work of spring planting is well over and done with.
5. Prune your trees and shrubs: a little pruning for your plants in the fall can help them come back even healthier in the spring. Prune off any dead branches or stems (especially on your perennials) so that they may offer up even more flowers and growth as spring returns next year.
6. Watering your lawn: just as you might need one more mow on your yard before winter, don’t forget about watering your lawn, too. Watering in fall will ensure that your grass retains moisture and keeps up a healthy root system. Also, if you’re fertilizing in the fall, watering is an essential step so that the fertilizer is effectively dissolved and then absorbed by the roots.
7. Winterize your irrigation system and hoses: after you’re done watering, it’s time to winterize your irrigation system and water hoses to prevent busted pipes in the winter months. Blast out the excess water from your hoses and sprinkler system with an air compressor to ensure that water won’t freeze and cause leaks and cracks. You can also call on a professional landscaping company to come to your property to do this for you if you don’t have the right equipment available.
Conclusion – 7 Tips to Get Your Colorado Landscape Ready for Fall
While you may already feel like you’re missing the warm weather and long days of summer, fall can be an exciting time as well for you and your landscape. Using these simple tips, you can better prepare your outdoor space for the winter months ahead and ensure that you have a beautiful landscape design throughout the entire year. When it comes to maintaining an eye-catching landscape throughout the entire year, it’s all about preparation.