October Landscapes – Early bird gets the worm!

[Sirhornsalot]

Get Those Pansies Planted Early!

October is here and while it’s still warm outside, we’re on the front door step of Fall. We’ll discuss some things we typically deal with in October.

The first item would be the installation of Fall/Winter flowers. The only flowers in our area that survive the winter are Pansies and Ornamental Kale. But together than can produce a really impressive display throughout the winter months!

The most important thing I can tell you with regard to planting your Fall/Winter color is – get them planted in early October, as in preferably the first week of October.

The reason this is significant is because Pansies need the warm days of October to grow their roots. The paves the way for a healthier plant and more abundant blooming. You can plant Pansies into the first week in November, but the earlier you do it, the better off you are.



Above, the red version of Clear Pansies.

There are two types of Pansies to choose from – the Blotch Pansy, which features an inner circle of one color and an outer area of a different color. The other type is referred to as the Clear Pansy, which has blooms that are one uniform color.

Both varieties come in a multitude of colors to choose from. You can even mix varieties if you like.

How to Plant Pansies

Pansy flowers are best planted in a slightly elevated position. They do not like their roots to stay wet. So when planting Pansies, we start with getting a nice, light, organic planting mix. A product called “landscape mix” fits this description. It also contains Perlite, a natural light weight mineral which helps aerate soils.

My advice is to mix a small amount of your native soil to the landscape mix, create an elevated planting space and then plant the Pansies in. Do not be bothered if at some point you see a flower’s root ball exposed a little. Don’t get excited, Pansies love the air on their roots.

If you intend to plant Ornamental Kale, use them in a centered position in the beds and surround them with Pansies. Or, plant them in groups and patterns.





Mums for October!

One of the more beautiful things about Fall is the emergence of blooming Mums. In North Texas, it is best to plant Mums in pots as they will likely die or look beat up after our first freeze. Planting in pots saves you from having holes in your winter display.

When planting Mums, make sure to gently break up the outer edges of the root ball so the roots will take hold faster. You will need to water every other day for the first couple of weeks. When dry, they will droop or pout. Watering them will bring them right back, but allowing this to happen will cause shorter bloom span and fewer blooms.

They come in a multitude of colors including bright pinks, lavenders, white, red, orange, yellow, etc.



Fall is the PRIME TIME to plant trees and shrubs!

I am often asked, “is this a good time of year to plant?” And if we’re in Fall, my answer is a resounding yes!

When it comes to landscape trees and shrubs, we worry much more about next July than we ever do about winter. So the bigger the window is between now and July, the more success you will have with your shrubs and trees.

As long as you have proper mulch thickness during the winter, there isn’t much threat to them during that time, especially deciduous trees which go dormant during winter.

Fall is also a good time to plant some perennial flowers, which benefit from a cold winter, such as a number of varieties of Daylilies.

Need to redo your landscape? Now is your best time to do that.



Above, an example of Brown Patch. Note the circular shape.

Avoid Lawn Fungus!

On Labor Day, we make the change in the sprinkler schedule that makes our systems start cycles in the early morning instead of night time starts that we did during the hot summer months.

Days are getting shorter, nights are getting longer, plus both night and day are getting cooler. The ingredients for lawn fungus come together. Watering at night during Fall causes lawn fungus.

So we must adapt our sprinkler schedule, reducing the number of days and also reducing run times in according to what the weather is doing.

Lawn fungus destroys grass. Varieties such as Take-All Patch Dollar Spot or Brown Patch are common in North Texas. In most cases, these fungus develop in a circular fashion, with the circle of dead/dying, yellowing grass expanding over time. The grass in these areas dies from this fungus, so there’s no grow back there in the spring.

It’s best to treat a fungus early and in doing so, you help minimize damage.

Fungicides can be in liquid form or granular form. The liquid provides the opportunity to kill fungus immediately while applying a granular fungicide will work over longer time and will help stop redevelopment.


Christmas lights

If you’re wanting to have Christmas lights installed on your home in November, October is the time to reach out to your contractor. Many landscape companies, including Green Thumb Landscaping, install and take down Christmas lighting.

Get an appointment and get their ideas on what to do with your home. You will also want to discuss budget and also anything special you would like to see.

Start the process now so you’ll be ready to go by November.