Lawn Care - Fall is a good time to core aerate your lawn. Core aeration reduces problems created by thatch build-up. Apply a winterizer fertilizer to Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, and tall fescue lawns between early October and early November. This application should be made while the grass is still green and prior to the ground freezing.Use one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn. Do not fertilize Buffalograss, Blue Grama, or Bermuda grass at this time of the year. During fall and winter your lawn and plants will still need water after your sprinkler system has been shut off and winterized for the season. Periodically apply water early in the morning when temperatures are above freezing and the ground isn’t frozen. Remember to disconnect your watering hose and have your sprinkler system blown out to prevent freeze damage. Contact Higher Ground Landscapes to handle all of your fall lawn care needs.
Tree Care - Protect the trunks of young, thin-barked trees from winter sunscald by wrapping the trunks with tree wrap in late October. Tree wrap is a crepe-type paper available at garden centers and home-improvement stores. Start at the bottom of the trunk, overlapping the tree wrap as you wind your way up the trunk. Secure the tree wrap at the top and bottom with stretch tape.
Fall Planting - October is a good month to plant spring-blooming bulbs: tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, scilla, allium and crocus. Be sure to amend heavy clay soil with organic matter (compost) and apply a phosphorus fertilizer to the soil prior to planting the bulbs. Wildflower seeds may be sown in fall. Cold winter weather and moisture from snow will promote germination in spring. When buying wildflower mixes, check the label to make sure that the mix does not contain Bouncingbet, Purple Loosestrife, Oxeye Daisy and other plants considered noxious weeds in Colorado. Contact Higher Ground Landscapes to handle all of your fall landscaping needs.
