Why is Fall a great time to invest in your Landscape?
There are many reasons to do this at any time as it increases personal enjoyment and also adds to your overall property value. But…beyond that, Fall has it’s own reasons for you to take that step.

Frontier Landscaping explains why…
Planting trees and shrubs in fall so that you can reap the benefits come next summer. Success rates are much higher this time of year and maintenance required is lower (since the rain and cool temperatures keep roots moist), and so this is a great time to invest in your landscape.

Turf Health

The fall fertilization is what allows your turf to look beautiful next spring. This is the single most important application of any cool season turf program. (Fescue is considered a cool season grass.) Fall is also the best time for seeding, aerating, de-thatching, and soil health applications.

Color Accents

The fall cycle of installing color is the most under-utilized season and it shouldn’t be. A well-designed fall flower pot planted in September can last until December, which is every bit as good of an investment as summer flowers. Or… A color planter could utilize some of our conifers and other evergreens to last throughout the year…Many additions are possible and add greatly to the value of your Landscapes.

Plant Installation

Landscape plantings are such a gratifying addition to any property. Many people assume if they don’t plant in spring, that they missed their window of opportunity and that’s that. This is another false assumption. Fall temperatures are ideal for planting. Plants are less likely to stress after planting in fall. Fall is also when tree inventories are at their most fresh as a rule. When planting in the fall, there is a greater assurance of success with your selected plants.

Landscape Maintenance

During fall, our Frontier landscape Maintenance crews begin the process of dividing perennials, clearing leaves, fertilizing plants, and pruning for structure. The cooler temperatures also mean that shearing of hedges can commence without the risk of burning the plants. This active maintenance season sets your landscape up for a beautiful spring. If you have sensitive plants, additional mulching can occur to insulate roots and crowns. Without this care, much of the landscape won’t thrive the following year, so taking care of your plants in the Fall helps to ensure a robust and lush season come spring.

Contact us to schedule an appointment and get started on your fall planting

When you want to improve your landscaping and increase the amount of grass you have on your property, you have two options… Seed or Sod. Grass seed comes in a variety of different types and allows you to fill in thin areas or grow an entire lawn over the course of one growing season. Sod gives you an instant lawn without any of the waiting that is involved with seeds. Both will produce a lush, green lawn when well cared for, but they do have some differences. Below, we’ll explain these differences to help you make a more informed decision for your property.

Soil Preparation

In both the installation of seed and sod, there is some preparation required for the lawn. In either case, there may need to be the removal of old, dead grass, rocks, tree stumps, or fallen leaves. In both cases, the soil may need to be prepared to handle the addition of the new grass. Adding Gypsum and Lime really help with the soil type in our area and tilling is a must. Nutrients may need to be added to help the grass grow. The cost of this soil preparation is normally included in the cost of the lawn installation, but if the ground is in poor condition, sometimes an additional cost is needed.

Installation

Seed is fairly easy to install once the soil is prepared. The grass seed is added to a spreader and laid evenly over the ground. Then fertilizer and mulch put over it.

Sod can be laid out in rolls or squares.

Both seed and sod have a range of prices depending on the type of grass you select. Seed is less expensive than sod, depending on what soil preparation is needed.  Sod, however, can be more costly, but does give you the advantage of an “Instant Lawn.”

Appearance

Both seed and sod come in a range of different grass type. Seed is typically available in a wider range of options than sod, however, giving you more choices for color, hardiness, and lushness of the lawn.

Seed does take 1 growing season to fill in completely, while sod will give you a new lawn within one day. Because seed takes much longer to cover a lawn completely, weeds can mix in with the grass over time, and may require the use of some type of weed control. Because sod is fully grown grass with no weeds introduced, it doesn’t require the same amount of care.

Planting Season

When adding seed to your lawn,one of the best times of year is during the cooler fall months. The warm days and cool nights help the grass grow quickly, putting down roots that will help it come up stronger and healthier in the spring. Typically we don’t seed after the end of October , starting up again around April due to the Seasonal changes.

Maintenance

Both seed and sod have some degree of maintenance after installation. both will require daily watering for the first two to four weeks to encourage the roots to grow.

Seed may have a greater degree of initial maintenance than sod. Seed also requires daily watering, but it also requires a weaning period from daily watering so that the new grass does not become stunted.

Erosion Control

If the soil in the area you are planting is experiencing erosion, sod can be installed as a form of erosion control.

Seed can be used for this purpose as well but can be less effective short term, as the length of time it takes to put down roots cannot stop erosion quickly enough.