September 17, 2018

Summer’s winding down and the fall season coming quickly upon us. Leaves begin to change color, the grass grows a little slower, and the temperature starts to cool down. It’s natural to think that Spring and Summer are the only seasons of the year that require the most time, money, and effort to make your commercial property’s landscaping look the most attractive.

By the time Fall comes around, it’s tempting to cast the landscaping upkeep aside and focus on a list of “better things to do.” But, if you’ve got a business that operates 365 days a year, then the need for landscaping upkeep should be on the to-do list even as Fall weather approaches.

Fall landscape clean-up is an essential part of your Company’s Marketing Strategy.

Yes, you read that correctly. The outdoor aesthetic appeal of your business sends a message to your past, present, and future customers about how you manage your company and what matters to you. If your commercial property’s landscape is clean and well-maintained throughout the year, it can show your clients that you manage your business in an orderly professional manner.

Fall clean-up requires more work than a couple of teenagers with rakes.

Maintaining your commercial property over the fall months can’t be completed in a weekend of work. Dead leaves often take several weeks to completely fall from trees. Dead or dying tree limbs may need to be trimmed back before severe winter weather causes potential breakage or property damage. Grass continues to grow up until it turns dormant for winter.

In the Midwestern states, this might mean that grass will need to continue being cut throughout the month of October or even into November. Flower and plant beds may need to have died and/or dying plant life removed or trimmed back. Not removing these could discourage new plant growth in the Spring or could contribute to future plant disease.

And, don’t forget about any ponds or water features that your commercial property might contain. It’s important that these elements be cleaned thoroughly, and any dead plant debris or garbage be removed. These things can clog filters, attract pesky insects and other intrusive wildlife, and can lead to problematic algae blooms in the Spring.

Fall landscape clean-up is the perfect time to prepare for Spring landscaping.

Yes, start prepping your landscape for the upcoming Spring season now. Your lawn, flower beds and plants will appreciate the six-month window of time as they lay dormant over the winter. Fall is the ideal time to pre-treat your lawn to help eliminate weeds that might otherwise pop up in early Spring. Early Fall (October, specifically) is the best time to plant shrubs and perennials before the ground begins to freeze, so they have ample time to take root and be ready to flower in the Spring.

While you’re working in your beds and gardens, be sure to put down a layer of protective mulch 2 to 3 inches thick over the root system of your plants. This will help to protect them over the harsh winter months and give them a blanket of protection from varying winter temperatures. This Fall and Winter mulch can also help protect the ground from soil erosion or soil compaction that may occur from heavy snowfall, freezing and thawing temperatures, and excessive rainfall. The work that you put into maintaining your landscape over the Fall months can help save you crucial time, money, and effort come springtime.

Fall landscape maintenance and winterization can help save your sprinkler or irrigation system.

You might not have thought about it before, but one of the biggest causes of cracks, leaks, and breakage in a sprinkler system is a lack of maintenance before winter hits. If you fail to have your sprinkler and irrigation systems winterized, then any remaining water left in the lines could cause cracking and breakage in the sprinkler heads and pipes. This could result in hundreds of dollars in repairs when the Spring months arrive. Who wants to turn on their sprinkler system for the first watering of the season only to discover that the cold winter months wreaked havoc on the pipes? Winterizing your irrigation and sprinkler pipes can help prevent this problem from happening.

As you can see, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done to keep your commercial property’s lawn and landscape looking its best all year round. Just raking up the leaves throughout October and waiting for Spring to come back around could lead to many otherwise preventable problems come March, April or May.

At Twin Oaks Landscape, we proudly serve south and central Michigan with comprehensive landscaping services that promote both natural beauty and function all year round. Our team of experienced pros can provide full-service landscape maintenance this Fall so that your business can look its best no matter what season it may be. Contact us today to discover how our Fall Clean Up services can positively benefit your property’s aesthetic appeal.