With the exhaustive heat of summer dwindling, everyone’s itching to get outside. Fortunately, there’s plenty of work to be done around the lawn and garden in fall, one of the best seasons of the year in Louisiana for planting, pruning, and maintenance. This season, we’ve checked in with local landscapers and gardeners to get an annual checklist of fall outdoor to-dos.
“Presentation and good plant health depend on the fall season preparations,” says Beverly Katz, owner of Exterior Designs, Inc. “Correcting drainage, cleanup, removal of diseased or weak plants from gardens, installation of new plant materials, providing a fresh layer of mulch and an irrigation system are all essential for a beautiful landscape. Maintenance is the key,” she says.
Maintenance is naturally a year-round affair, but fall maintenance may look a little different from other seasons.
“As cooler weather sets in, plant and lawn growth slows, requiring only biweekly mowing,” says Daniel Ybos, residential garden manager at Mullin. You may be mowing less than you did during the wet early summer, but you’ll certainly be raking more and doing seasonal pruning and preparations.
“While the fall brings on beautiful color hues, deciduous trees begin to defoliate in this season, and ultimately leaves cover the ground,” says Katz. “Commonly, the homeowner’s maintenance will include removal by raking, then installing mulch in garden beds,” she says.
“In the garden, careful pruning is crucial, particularly for camellias and azaleas, which set their flowers for fall and winter,” says Ybos. “To avoid cutting off these eagerly awaited blooms, it’s best to do any hard pruning or shaping after they’ve finished flowering.”
Another key to maintenance, according to Katz, is seasonally adjusting and monitoring the amount of water your landscape requires. Hot summer months in New Orleans will require more water than other seasons, so irrigation must be adjusted accordingly.
“The two important and key considerations and necessities for the New Orleans area are an irrigation system and good drainage,” says Katz. “Correcting problems such as drainage issues must be addressed first for proper function and then beauty.”
Fall is also a good time to correct problems brought on by pests and disease.
“In Louisiana, our climate — with heavy rains, intense heat, and colder winters — makes pest and disease vigilance essential,” says Ybos. “A common issue is sod webworms, which create crop circle-like patterns in the lawn.” For effective treatment, Ybos recommends using both a granular insecticide to target bugs beneath the surface and a spray insecticide that attaches to your hose to address those on top.
Another warning sign of landscape problems is browning or discoloration of leaves. Katz recommends looking under the leaves for discoloration and abnormalities. Pests and plant diseases on shrubs, lawns, and other plants should be treated as soon as they are noticed to prevent spread to other healthy plants. She recommends asking a professional arborist or horticultural service for help and advice when needed.
Fall is also the best time to prepare for winter. Katz says to weed all garden beds and add mulch to protect root systems from the upcoming cold weather and to control water runoff.
“Think of it as throwing a blanket over the plants,” she says.
“To reduce plant and property damage during cold spells, I advise purchasing materials early, as supplies at big box stores can run out quickly,” says Ybos. “Utilizing freeze blankets can help trap heat from the ground, warming the roots of tender tropical plants. Additionally, a thick layer of pine straw provides excellent insulation.”
Is fall too close to winter for planting new trees, flowers, and shrubs? Absolutely not, say the experts.
“Spring and fall are the best times to plant new shrubs and trees,” says Ybos. “The cooler weather gives the plants time to grow strong deep roots before the temps get too hot or too cold.”
Katz’s recommendations for cool season annuals and perennials for color include chrysanthemums, pansies, violas, dianthus, snapdragons, Louisiana iris, daylilies, and more.
“All are hardy enough to take you through fall and winter,” she says. “Some of our favorite shrubs to plant are azaleas, camellias, sasanqua, sweet olive, Indian hawthorns, Variegated ginger, cleyera, and gardenia.”
