Feelin' Fresh For Fall: How to Master Fall Landscaping

Autumnal landscapes can be just as beautiful as spring or summer ones. In fact, some plants look their best in fall.

And when the leaves change colors and fall from your deciduous trees, it adds a splendor unmatched by any other season.

Refresh your garden and all the plants in it this fall with these landscaping and Kansas City tree care tips from Arb Tech.

Add autumnal plants to your garden beds.

In Kansas and Missouri, some plants perform their best in cooler weather. To add color to your garden, plant these stunners.

• Chrysanthemums. Shortened to mums, these plants work as both annuals and perennials, depending on how you plant them.
  
  If you intend to use it as a perennial -  a plant that returns year after year - you’ll need to have planned ahead and planted in early spring. Or, you can plant them in the ground at least six weeks before the first frost.
  
  If you prefer them as annuals and intend for them to add color to your fall garden, plant them in late summer or early fall. You can even plant them in pots so you don’t need to dig in the cool soil.
  
  

• Ornamental cabbages and kale. You don’t want to add them to your salad, but these bold rosettes steal the show in your garden and autumn floral arrangements.
  
  You can purchase them pre-sprouted from your nursery and plant them in your ground for color well into fall. Or, start your own from seed in advance. They take between 75 and 90 days to mature and look their most vibrant.
  
  

• Autumn crocus. If you love their spring counterparts, you’ll love this fall lily. It grows leaves in spring, which die back in early summer before blooming in early to mid fall.
  
  These lilies do best in full sun to part shade, and grow up to a foot tall. For the best success, plant the bulbs in mid-to-late summer the year before.
  
  

• Oakleaf hydrangea. This shrub’s fiery leaf hues and pink flowers blossom bright white before fading into earth tones by winter.
  
  So named for its oak-like leaves, these plants grow up to eight feet tall, making them ideal for hedges in areas of partial shade. H. quercifolia comes in different cultivars, so pick your favorite to adorn your landscape.

Prep for spring flowers.

Late September and October are the best time to plant spring-blooming bulbs, like tulips, daffodils, crocus, and allium.

Use a bulb-planting tool for easy digging, and be sure to plant where your spring flowers will grow and be protected from lawn mowing and yard traffic. You’ll be rewarded when winter ends.

Handle fallen leaves like a pro.

If you have trees that are dropping their leaves in autumn, then your yard is probably covered with leaf litter.

If you want to help your grass come back in the spring and stay healthy, then your best bet is to skip out on raking them into piles and bagging them up, and instead mow over them to turn them into a nutritious mulch for your entire lawn, and leave them where they lay.

Perform lawn maintenance.

Cool temperatures and rain make fall one of the best times to plant grass seed or lay sod. If you have bare spots in your yard, start remedying them as the days shorten.

It’s also an ideal time to aerate your lawn, particularly in high-traffic areas. Aeration loosens compacted soil, and should be done every couple of years.

When you mow in the fall, raise your lawn mower blade to keep your grass taller. Taller grass encourages root growth and improves chances of winter survival.

Plant new trees and shrubs.

Many types of deciduous trees and shrubs do well when planted about a month before the ground freezes.

Even evergreen species can be planted in autumn, although they tend to prefer spring time.

If you’d like to plant new trees in your yard, get expert advice about the type that would grow well from one of our tree arborists. Arb Tech can advise you when to plant, where to plant, and the species of tree to purchase for best results. We can even do the tree planting for you.

Prune your existing trees.

Prepare for winter by having a tree surgeon examine your trees and determine whether any pruning is necessary before the coldest season.

Weakened limbs can fall and damage property and cause bodily harm when weighed down by ice, so doing preventative maintenance in the autumn is important.

While not every tree loves being trimmed before dormancy, others thrive on it, so it’s also an ideal time to call a Kansas City arborist to prune your trees as a general maintenance task.

Contact Arb Tech for more information on when to prune trees, or to schedule an appointment to trim damaged limbs before winter hits.