Justin White, Landscaping Lessons │Fall into your autumn landscaping – Santa Cruz Sentinel

Fall is coming fast and it’s the ultimate planting season of the year! While other locations in
California may be preparing for snowy winters, here on the Central Coast we’re lucky enough to have one
slightly warmer climate. Harvest a future feast by sowing a cornucopia of seasonal vegetables such as
Carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and more. This is also an ideal time to install others
Plants and trees that are beneficial to your home come in spring. Plant a hedge to protect it
Street, add perennials to spice up the curb appeal, or put in a tree to create shade on the
South side of your house. In addition to this season to optimize the planting, your autumn landscape
should also include the following maintenance tasks.

leaves

Crunchy, golden leaves will soon be covering the ground, and while we may all love that fall hint
has started, don’t just leave the leaves! Rake up the fallen leaves regularly to prevent damage to them
Your lawn as well as a possible accident. Wet leaves on a sidewalk or driveway can easily cause this
someone slips and gets injured. Your collection of leaves makes a great compost too!

It is easy to neglect grass maintenance during these colder months, but now is the best time to get proactive
Steps for a healthy spring lawn. If the grass is left on for too long, it can become dull and disease in the winter. If
Cut too short, you can cut off the blades’ ability to store and grow food. This gives weeds too
an opportunity to get involved. Your lawn should also be fertilized at this time of year.
You want plush in summer, especially in bare or brown areas.

clipping

Another task to add to the list this fall is pruning your perennials. Cut them off close to the ground
Prepare for new growth in the spring. If not cut, many plants can attract pests or fungi
Problems. You should also cut dead branches from smaller trees to prevent further damage
heavy rain or storms.

Protective cover

With the cooler months comes rainy weather, so protect your landscape from soil erosion or water
Drain by adding a protective cover. Add a new layer of mulch to young plants to not only aid retention
Soil moisture, but isolate before freezing. In addition, mulch can prevent unwanted weeds from bursting
around your flowers or in sidewalks. As we always say, “When in doubt, mulch it out!”

Don’t let the hard work you put into your landscaping this summer fall short. Your yard can
Follow these simple maintenance routines to stay clean and fresh all year round
Spring!

Justin White is the CEO of K&D Landscaping, headquartered in Watsonville, California, and was named Business of the Year 2020 by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce. White is also the current president of the local chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) on the central coast. He is involved in several nonprofits across the community and sits on the board of directors of the Santa Cruz Business Council. For more information on landscaping, outdoor and gardening requirements, contact K&D Landscaping at kndlandscaping.com.