Many people choose to fill or sprinkle their gardens with rich and lavish, long-lasting perennials! These plants are perfect for decorating your home exterior while simultaneously lightening your landscaping maintenance load.
As we make our way through the last month of summer, it’s a good time to brush up on the best and most important fall landscaping practices. Use this quick checklist to get your perennials ready for their dormant winter and guarantee a spring bloom more brilliant than the last!
1.) Remove dead foliage.
Pruning should be a part of your regular plant care routine, but it’s especially important to do it at this time of year as more and more of your garden begins to die off. Clear away wilted leaves and dead or dying plants and flowers from your perennials. This will prevent the spread of disease and reduce the chance of harmful insects flocking to your still-growing plants.
Once you’ve eliminated decaying vegetation, cut back your perennial stems to 1-2 inches from the ground to keep them clean.
2.) Feed your perennials.
Nourish your perennials to help them survive the upcoming winter and thrive when spring arrives. Pack your beds with a 4-6-inch layer of compost—you can even make your own from the dead plant debris you’ve cleared away. The compost will break down slowly and release nutrients over time, keeping your perennials sustained throughout their hibernation.
3.) Adjust your watering habits.
If you’re caring for perennials in an area that experiences a dry winter with little snow or frost, you should continue to water them once a month through fall and winter to keep them healthy. If you live in a climate that tends to get a lot of frost and snowfall, take the opposite approach. As fall begins, cut back on how often you water your plants. This will signal them to harden in preparation for winter.
4.) Mulch after the first frost.
To prevent rodent nesting and ensure the best results, wait until after the ground first freezes to mulch your perennial beds. Once the first frost passes, remove old mulch and replace it with a new layer filled with hay, straw, peat moss, pine needles, etc. A fresh blanket of mulch will help insulate the soil and protect plant roots from the effects of extreme temperatures.
Optimize your garden and landscaping for colder weather by investing in professional preparation. At VistaPro Landscape & Design, we offer seasonal cleanup, maintenance, and protection assistance to get your landscape ready for fall and winter. Visit our website or give us a call to learn more about the experienced and convenient grounds management services we have available!