October Landscape Thread Changes are a coming! October is a month of transition. We start out the month still feeling a little like summer, but end with the full arrival of fall. As always, there’s a few things that need to be done in the landscape during this time. Some duties begin to change now. Mowing As the temperatures begin to cool off, you will want to lower your blade a notch. This will allow more sunlight to reach the soil surface, keeping it warmer, longer than it would be otherwise. This will allow your grass to continue to be green and grow. For St Augustine lawn owners, this also helps prevent fungus from forming for the same reason - sunlight reaching the soil surface. Also, I get asked quite often - is now a good time to sod? Yes, it is fine to sod now. I’ve installed sod in January (St Augustine) and had it come out like carpet in spring. The longer it has before the brunt of summer heat, the better. Shrub trimming Shrubs will normally experience a growth spurt when the temperatures begin to cool and rain becomes a regular thing. You can trim shrubs anytime in the fall. If you haven’t done so in a while, get your trimmers sharpened. Sharp trimmers give a much cleaner cut which is healthier for the shrubs. Mulching Now is a good time to mulch although you may find yourself adding mulch again by late November or early December. You want to protect your bedding plants against frost/freeze and that can happen in DFW during the second week of November. If you blow your beds to remove leaves, you may carry some of that mulch out, too. Hence, the additional application later. Fall Color Fall/Winter color (flowers) are about to arrive at the nurseries. Pansies are really the only flowers that will make it through to spring with ease. You can accent the pansies by using colorful purple Kale. Pansies come in two types. 1. What I call “Clown Face” Pansies which have two contrasting colors in each flower. (pictured below) 2. Solid color Pansies where each flower is one solid color. You can combine mixed colors, single out one color, or combine two-three colors for nice dramatic effects. Some will plant in sections. For example planting multiple flats of the same color in one section which would butt up to another section using multiple flats of another color. Take it easy on the mulch with pansies. They have root systems that like to dry/air out between waterings. Don’t let them stay wet, but don’t let them stay dry very long. Pansies and Kale will last all the way through May in most years. They will sail through most snow storms and short ice events. They do not need to be protected with any type of freeze blanket. Tree Trimming Right now is the absolute best time to trim trees, especially trees that are not Live Oaks. This really needs to be done before the deciduous trees begin dumping their leaves. After they dump their leaves, its much more difficult to tell the dead limbs from the living ones. Things to watch for - limbs that are touching your roof or roofline. When you see this, imagine 30-40 mph winds swaying the tree back and forth, hitting your home and damaging the roof. Now is the time to attack these issues. Also check for city code violations that might be present on your property with regard to street clearance. If you have trees near the street or have limbs that reach the street, they must not interfere with a fire truck or emergency vehicle, should one be needed. If code enforcement observes this issue existing on your property, you will be given a warning or citation, depending on the city. Holiday Decoration Now is also the time to be thinking about your plans for decorating the exterior of your home for Halloween, Thanksgiving and of course, Christmas. Many landscape services, including Green Thumb, offer decoration services like this. Green Thumb is now in the process of taking orders for professional Christmas lighting. We sell commercial quality C-7 and C-9 lights, along with mini lights for various purposes, wreaths, garland (lit and unlit). We first consult with the homeowner to determine what they’d like to accomplish, we create and submit a proposal, then install after approval. For the first year, you purchase the lights and the installation/storage. The following years you only pay for the installation/storage. We put them up in November, take them down in early January. We box them up and store them either at your place or our own storage facility. For a free estimate, email me at [email protected] or call 972-436-2841. We install in DFW, Austin area, and Longview area. (Mark Lyon is owner/operator of Green Thumb Landscaping in Lewisville, TX. This column is generated monthly to help do-it-yourselfers and homeowners keep up with landscape tips. Questions are welcomed.) Below, Clown face pansies (left) and solid color pansies (right)
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 22:25:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015