Fall is a Great Time to Plant
Fall is a Great Time to Plant, Complete your Hardscaping Project and Prepare Your Lawn for Next Spring
While spring is an exciting time to get outside plant, mulch, plan your new patio and get your yard ready for spring and summer, the fall is equally as good of a time to make fall additions to your landscape, plant new trees and shrubs, and build a firepit for those chilly evenings!
Whenever we plant something new, a key concern is getting that important root system established, and in the fall, everything in the plant and its environment work together to encourage the quick development of strong, healthy roots. For one, as days get shorter and air temperatures start to drop, plants get the signal that it’s time to start shutting down in preparation for winter. That means putting more energy into developing roots rather than making new foliage and flowers as they do in the spring.
Another boost for root development in the fall is the soil temperature. At spring planting time, soil temperatures can be chilly – still catching up with the quickly warming air temperatures. But in the fall, it’s just the opposite. Although the air temperature is beginning to drop, the soil is still warm from the summer heat and will continue to lag behind the air temperature for a while longer. Warm soil provides the perfect growing environment for plants that are already eager to produce roots this time of year. Landscape installation and design are important to the success of your plantings. Trust an expert to endure your lawn is in tip top shape.
“The temperatures in September and October – the cooler mornings, the warmer afternoons – deliver the most optimal climate for plants to take into the ground, when roots can grow far, deep and wide and get established,” explains Marcus Celiano, owner of Golden Wolf Landscape & Design, LLC. “And the ample rainfall usually experienced in fall allows the plants to have a smoother transition when being transplanted or installed. It’s not as big a shock to the system.”
Fall Lawncare for a Vibrant Spring Lawn
You hear people talk about aeration and overseeding. Both are key to a healthy, thick lawn and should be done in the fall. Fall is when cool season grass grows, so it prepares the roots for more growth before winter and gives the grass the best chance of surviving the colder months. It helps to create greener, thicker grass in the spring months.
Aeration helps the roots get everything they need to grow, which helps create healthy grass before the weather gets cold. This helps ensure the grass will make it through the winter, so the lawn looks fantastic in the spring. Overseeding allows you to fill in damaged or bare areas and help make the grass thicker before the weather gets cold and the grass stops growing. Fall provides the ideal growing conditions for the grass, so when seeds are added during the fall, they have the best chance of growing to create a healthy, green spring lawn. Combining aeration and overseeding with fertilizing the yard can help ensure your lawn looks amazing when spring arrives, and the weather starts to get warm again.
Mulch isn’t just for the Spring
The best thing we can do for our plants during fall planting is to mulch. A three-inch layer of mulch in the landscape conserves moisture in the soil, which helps roots get established. Mulch also insulates the soil, keeping its temperature warmer longer and giving roots a little more time in the season to grow before the ground freezes. And throughout the winter, mulch moderates soil temperature, minimizing rapid swings between freezing and thawing that can heave and crack soil to expose newly planted roots.
Time your Hardscaping Projects for Optimum Spring and Summer Fun
Hardscaping is best done in the off-season, mainly in fall and winter. Planning your outdoor living projects can feel overwhelming, but knowing the best time to do your hardscaping will help. We can install all year long but fall is the perfect time of year to do your hardscaping because the ground is not frozen or soaked with rainwater. Summer is notorious for its wet climate. Avoid flooding your project by planning your hardscaping for fall when the soil has dried out and before it freezes. New additions to your outdoor living like firepits and water features can be enjoyed beyond spring and summer. Completing your project in the fall sets you up for family enjoyment beginning the 1st day of spring.
Bring your hardscape plan to life with a 3D landscape or hardscape design. With a 3D design, realistic images will be used to encapsulate ideas into a conceptual reality. With the use of lifelike layout, plants, and structures, it is as close to the final product that you can get prior to installation. Our team works with you from planning and design to permits and completion.
If you are not currently a customer of Golden Wolf Landscape & Design LLC, we would love to add you to our growing family of customers. Our focus is on residential and commercial properties in New Jersey. Our goal is to provide the best experience and value for each one of our customers. Our experienced and professional team believe in strong customer service, attention to detail, and prompt reliable service. We service Northern New Jersey and Eastern, PA.
Contact us at (908) 578-1179. You can also fill out a request form for a quote on our website under our “Contact Us” tab. We're looking forward to hearing from you.