3 Tips to Keep Your Yard Looking Its Best This Fall | Charlotte Landscaping Tips

Falling leaves can be a huge detriment to your turf if you don’t get them off quickly.  Set up a maintenance plan and stick with it.  Leaf blowers are handy tools, especially if yours is relatively powerful.  Otherwise, leaf rakes always make for a great way to gather the leaves.  Remember, they make great compost if you have a place to store them somewhere out of the way on your property.

Annual Color

Due to the lack of flower color in the winter months, annuals color can be a great way to bring that spark to your landscape.  The trick is to install them early enough to ensure they fill out prior to the soil temperatures dropping.  Pansies, ornamental cabbage and flowering kale are all very popular plants that do well in the Charlotte region during the cooler parts of the year.  Remember, if you plant too late, they’ll survive but won’t thrive!

Use Fertilizers Wisely

Another misconception is that grass and trees will be healthier if excessive fertilizer is used. However, the truth is quite the opposite. Fertilizer should be used sparingly. Excess fertilizer encourages rapid growth which invites diseases and insects. Many lawns in the Charlotte region are planted with a cool season turf. Coming out of the summer months where cool season grasses (like Fescue) struggled with fungus and insect damage, the fall season is a great time to apply a slow release fertilizer.  We also recommend a heavy aeration and overseed for fescue lawns.