How To Get Ready For The Fall
Many people think that landscaping requires zero maintenance during the colder months, but the truth is that not all plants go dormant and still require some upkeep. Fall is actually a great time to start certain projects as plant energy goes towards strengthening and growing roots to result in beautiful spring and summertime blooming. Don’t be a fall slouch and help your garden grow with the following tips from Desert Rose!
The most common fall practice is to plant trees, bulbs, and shrubs - like we mentioned above, roots strengthen during the colder months which helps to improve above ground growth in the warmer months. Irrigation, fences, walls, borders, and irrigation are also perfect to set up during fall/winter time so that come springtime you can focus on actual gardening, instead of the logistics of properly equipping your yard.
If your location isn’t prone to heavy snows or is prone to drying winds, supplemental winter watering is vital. Although your plants are dormant, they’re not dead-during dormancy. They still have some basic metabolic functions that must be driven with water collected from the soil. Roots are prone to drying in the winter, causing permanent damage to perennials. Watering plants near freezing temperatures send many gardeners into fits, worrying that the newly wet soil will freeze and injure roots. As long as you water early in the day, the water you give your plants can actually be protective against night time freezes. The water in the soil acts as a trap for heat and helps the area around your plant stay a little bit warmer than the air as the night approaches. When coupled with insulated covers, this extra heat can protect your plants from damage
Since freezing temperatures do not allow for use of irrigation systems during the winter, it is important to hand water vegetation every two weeks to add needed moisture during the winter - especially during milder La Nina seasons when less precipitation occurs. Healthy summer gardens also require winter mulching and fertilization to refresh and replenish tired soil.
In addition to the above, Desert Rose can assist with weeding and pruning plants for healthy growth in the new year. We can also remove dead annuals from pots, and plant pots with winter interest plants (examples of good winter foliage are dwarf spruces, ivy, redtwig dogwood, and flowering cabbage). Our knowledgeable staff will remove fallen leaves, which is especially important for properties with Aspen due to the existence of black spot this past year.
If you are thinking of installing a new irrigation system, don't wait until the Spring to do it! Why?
When spring rolls around, Desert Rose is busy turning on systems we maintain for our current clients. This results in new clients having to be wait-listed until after all irrigation systems have been turned on which could push the installation of a new system well into mid-spring or early summer.
Please call us for further information on installing your new irrigation system.
While fall and winter garden preparation can feel daunting, it is easy to accomplish with Desert Rose Landscape & Maintenance.
