Fall is the season when we wrap up summer and prepare for winter both inside and outside the home. Cleanup is something that should be added to every homeowner’s list. It’s a simple task that will help aid in the success of keeping plants overwinter and giving them a good start to spring. Travis and Valerie take us around some beds at Colonial and give us a quick tutorial on some easy fall maintenance chores, take a look!
Pruning
Cut dormant perennials or shrubs 2″-4″ from the root. You want to clean up areas where leaves gather as these can be places for bugs or diseases to live and thrive. Some plants like ornamental grasses can be pruned or leave as part of your winter landscape. Use the 2″-4″ rule not to expose the crown. Just like a haircut, chopping off the dead ends will allow for a more healthy growth in the spring.
Leaves
Leaves can be a nuisance in any yard, but they can also be valuable if disposed of correctly. Leaves can be left in a thin layer in flower beds as a covering or mulched up by the lawn mower. The leaves will release nutrients into the soil when broken down that other plants will feed off of. When leaves are removed from beds, it’s important to still have some kind of coverage.
Bedding
Having a bedding or top-dress over your beds will help keep perennials and other dormant plants insulated from harsh winter weather. It’s also important that our plants have moisture through the winter, bedding will help keep that moisture in the ground. Mound your coverage over pruned plants or build a barrier around plants that still have foliage.
Mulch – Rock – Pine Straw
Need a little help? Colonial Gardens landscape team is booking now for fall cleanup!
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