Making the Most of Your Fall Garden: Tips for Lawn and Landscape

Leaves

Leaves are traditionally raked off the grass into bags and then hauled away. However, in recent years, there has been a societal recognition that it is essential to provide habitat to our local native wildlife. That means leaving leaves on the ground in your landscape. This can be accomplished in a handful of ways. One way, of course, is to do nothing to the leaves once they fall. Wherever they land is where they stay. Another method that will be more appropriate in a suburban environment would be to find a designated space to place leaves and yard debris. Leaves, sticks, and logs can be put together to create a habitat for beetles, moth chrysalis, and ground-nesting bees.

Dividing and Planting Perennials

Even as we head into cooler temperatures, perennials can still be planted in the landscape. Hostas, irises, Solomon's seal, yarrow, and many others can be propagated by division or cutting into smaller plants, then replanted in other areas. This method can fill bare spots in flowerbeds, add seasonal color where there is none, or rejuvenate a mature plant to encourage more vigorous growth.

Lawncare

Cool-season turf does require some attention in the fall. Core aeration, fertilization, overseeding, and adding any soil amendments to the turf area should be done during this time of year. The grass will still be actively growing during the fall, so mowing will still need to take place until temperatures are consistently freezing overnight. You can also mow the leaves on your lawn to shred them into little bits, and by leaving them on the lawn, as they break down, they will add nutrients back to the soil.

Fall has no short list of accomplishments just waiting to happen. With temperatures getting cooler, working outside isn’t as intimidating as it might have been in the middle of summer. Get a start on next year by putting in the work this fall.

by Markis Hill, Horticulture Ornamentals and Turf Agent, 2025