Fall, the Time for Planting?

Planting in the Fall

When you think about gardening and planting, most of you think about the spring. You anxiously await the arrival of spring so that you can get out there in the fresh air and beautify your yard. We’re going to let you in on a tip that most dedicated gardeners already know…fall is an extremely beneficial time for some basic and essential lawn care, and for planting bulbs, trees, and shrubs. And when it comes to landscaping Pittsburgh has the best fall weather around.

“Why think about planting in the fall,” you ask. The answer is that it is the best time to start preparing for spring. Temperatures are dropping but the ground is still retaining the heat it absorbed from the warmth of summer. The warm soil and autumn rainfall make fall the perfect time of year for planting. The benefits to you are numerous. Your plants can thrive more in the spring after being planted in the fall, you get to work in the pleasant autumn weather, and you don’t have to wait for a good spring day.

You spent all of those hours sweating in the summer sun, to keep your lawn looking its best. Now is the time to prepare and protect your lawn and soil to get through the winter and thrive in the spring. It will be beneficial to your lawn to fertilize your lawn in the late fall with a winterizing lawn food. Winterizers are more potassium-rich and an application will make your grass more ready for winter. You will also want to do a good lawn clean-up. Keep the fallen leaves raked up, clear your yard of debris, and pull any weeds, even if they look dead. Weeds you think are dead may just be going dormant for the winter.

Shrubs and trees that are planted in the fall have the cool fall months for their delicate root system to take hold and get a good start before they go dormant for the winter. The soil is still warm from the summer sun and the autumn rainfall helps to provide the nutrients that your plants and trees need in order to get a good start in life and be ready for spring growth.

Lastly, in addition to your autumn flowers like mums and pansies, you can get a jump start on your spring planting by starting your spring perennials. Get your bulbs in the ground now and you will be sure to start your spring with the beautiful blooms in your garden.

Now, cuddle up in your warm house, and wait for your hard autumn work to pay off in the spring. Once things start to bloom, count on A & N Lawn Service to provide you with the best lawn care Pittsburgh has to offer. We want you to have the most beautiful garden and lawn on the block!