Fall is just around the corner and before you know it, cold weather, snow flurries, and the harvest season will be upon us. While the cooler weather can send most home gardeners back inside to wait for spring, you don’t have to give up on your landscaping as soon as the temperatures drop. In fact, with a little work and preparation, you’ll be able to keep your garden going strong well into the cooler months. Your trusted Denver sprinkler installation pros have put together a few tips and tricks to keep your landscaping and garden looking great this fall. Here’s what you need to do:

Cut Back on Fertilizer

Fertilizer may make everything grow more rapidly and more vibrantly, but continuing your fertilization schedule into the fall months can put too much strain on your plants. Instead, cut back your fertilization efforts as summer starts to fade. You’ll still want to fertilize once more before the growing season ends, but once the lawn starts getting those first few brown blades of grass, it’s best to let the lawn rest. Otherwise, the soil could become overdrawn on nutrients, leaving you with an underperforming lawn come springtime. 

Keep the Lawn Clean

Falling leaves have a way of cluttering up even the most pristine and cared-for landscaping. Instead of leaving them where they fall, pick them up. Try to clear the lawn every week at least. Remember, even into mid-fall, it’s not uncommon for lawns to stay green provided they have enough water. Fallen leaves block the performance of your home’s sprinkler system, keeping the water from reaching the grass in the first place. When you clear away leaves on a regular basis, the grass will still be able to get the much-needed water from your sprinkler system and your landscaping will continue to look as great as possible for longer. 

Aerate Your Lawn

Fall is the perfect time to schedule a lawn aeration appointment with your landscaping crew. This process involves poking hundreds of holes through your lawn to allow air and water to better circulate throughout the lawn’s roots. This helps keep the soil light and allows the lawn to draw nutrients from the soil more easily. Neglecting this step causes the soil to grow more compacted with each passing season. Eventually, the soil will become too dense for the roots to draw enough water or nutrients up, leaving you with a patchy and brown lawn even in the height of spring. 

Mulch Your Garden Beds

Mulch helps protect the roots and soil of your garden beds from the elements. Even if you’re not actively growing anything in the beds once fall rolls around, it’s always a good idea to spread a new layer of mulch. This will keep your perennials roots insulated against those random cold spells early in the season and protects them well into the winter from premature frost and damage. As an added precaution, consider mulching around the base of your trees to protect them from everything those harsh Colorado winters can bring. 

Transition to Container Plants

If you’re looking for a way to add some fall color without disrupting your existing garden beds, consider incorporating a few container plants into your yard. Hardy flowers like chrysanthemums, pansies, and million bells all offer a pop of bright color when other plants are starting to fade. Best of all, by keeping them in individual pots rather than planting them in the garden bed, you’ll be able to protect them from early frosts and freezing temperatures. Simply bring them inside the house on nights when the temps drop and set them back outside when the sun is back out. 

Mow the Lawn One Last Time

To give your grass a fighting chance against disease this winter, cut it back one last time. Go as short as your grass can handle—for most species, keep the blades no taller than three inches. Shorter grass withstands heavy snowfall better, keeping the individual blades intact even under the weight of the snow. If the blades are too long, the snow will compress them, causing the soil to retain excess moisture. The more moisture there is, the higher the risk of mold in the roots.  

Take Care of Pruning

Fallen limbs are always a hazard for homeowners in the Denver area. However, they can be controlled by pruning the trees in the fall. Schedule an appointment with an arborist and let them carefully trim away damaged or dangerous growth. This way, when the snows fall, the limbs will be less likely to break, keeping you and your home safe. Trim back perennials and shrubs as well to prepare them for the winter cold. When done properly, pruning will help keep the plants healthy through the coldest months of the year so you can better enjoy them when summer is in full swing. 

Schedule a Sprinkler Maintenance Appointment

Sprinklers and cold weather don’t mix and it’s important to get your system ready for freezing temperatures ahead of time. Before the first freeze of the year, schedule a fall maintenance appointment and let your sprinkler service inspect the lines and system for damage. This will allow them to fix the problem long before spring and ensures that you’re ready for the growing season when it returns. During that appointment, they’ll also blow out the lines, removing any excess water still trapped inside the system. This keeps the lines from freezing and saves you from unexpected burst pipes and costly underground leaks. 

Getting your landscaping ready for fall doesn’t have to be a challenge. Follow these tips and contact your trusted landscaping experts at Water Solutions Sprinkler Service to get your yard ready for winter. Our experienced team will help with everything from winterizing your sprinklers to making sure your lawn’s drainage is ready for the winter snows. Call us today at (720) 435-1495 to schedule a free estimate and see the difference that a little preparation and TLC can make in getting your yard and landscaping ready for winter.