Ask a Texan what the best thing is about fall and you’ll get an easy answer – football. But after that, opinions differ. Some will say the next best thing is getting the kids back in school, tailgating and barbecue, or just seeing Halloween candy in the stores. But for many, after a hot Texas summer, fall is all about cooler weather.
Fall’s moderate temperatures aren’t just good for us, they’re good for our yards, too. It’s been said that Texas has one long growing season, stretching from February to December for Houston and the coastal plains. In reality, that growing season takes a hiatus in mid-summer, when soaring temperatures make many a plant wilt and droop, and new plantings won’t take hold. As summer subsides, though, the plants perk up and a second gardening season unfolds. For Houston homeowners who are getting their home ready to sell, or just wanting to spruce the place a bit, a few fall yard TLC hints are in order.
Clean up and clear out. Tend to those poor plants that took a beating in the heat. Dig up any plants that didn’t quite make it, and cut back any overgrown areas to give a tidier appearance. (Save any major pruning, though, for mid-winter.) Add a fresh layer of mulch to flowerbeds to help insulate plants from temperature changes. While you’re tidying up, clean out the gutters as well. That will ensure proper drainage during fall rains, and will help keep downpours from crashing from the roof onto shrubs and plants below.
Be a lawn ranger. Now is a great time to give the grass one last round of fertilizer before the dormant period sets in. Fertilizing now helps keep the yard green into the fall, and helps it recover more easily in the spring. Our local agricultural experts, the Texas Aggies, recommend using a complete fertilizer in the fall, consisting of nitrogen and potassium, but low in phosphorus.
It’s also a time to tend to those bald spots that can crop up due to lack of watering or excessive heat. Patching with a few pieces of sod might work during early fall. Once supplies drop off, though, the best bet is overseeding with rye grass. Spread rye grass seeds over bare areas – or the entire yard – in mid-fall and water frequently for the first few weeks. By Thanksgiving, you should have a lush green carpet perfect for a post-meal game of touch football.
Think shrubbery. With its moderate temperatures, fall is the perfect season for planting trees and shrubs in Texas. Water newly planted shrubs frequently until they’re established, and apply three to four inches of mulch to help protect them from temperature fluctuations. In the late fall, give them a feeding of high-potassium fertilizer, which will stimulate winter hardiness.
Grow a salad. While it’s too late to grow a pumpkin for Halloween (those go in the ground on the 4th of July), a Houston backyard can still yield plenty of vegetables this fall. Early to mid-fall is the perfect time for planting carrots, radishes, lettuce and turnips. Certain herbs do well right now, too, including parsley and cilantro.
Think Spring. It’s hard to think of tulips and wildflowers when we haven’t even carved a pumpkin yet, but this is the time to plant spring flowers. If you plant bulbs such as irises or daffodils, prepare the beds now and get ready to put them in the ground by mid-fall. Or for a wilder look, scatter bluebonnet seeds in a flowerbed – or even along the side of the road. They, too, need to be in the ground by November in order to flower in spring.
Fall is an important time to tend to that landscaping, both to take advantage of the moderate temperatures and get ready for the colder days ahead. Just a few hours a weekend should get your yard in winter-ready shape, and then you can get back to watching the game.
Wes McFarland covers the Houston real estate market. He follows the economy and its impact on Houston homes for sale. Local trends are followed from information gathered from the Greater Houston Metropolitan Area, local MLS, and Houston Realtors working in the local markets.
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