Category: Fall

As the leaves begin to turn colors and start to cover up our landscape, I can’t help but appreciate living in New England.  It’s as if some of the tension from the world seems to blow away like leaves on a windy day.  I have always enjoyed looking through my rear view mirror at the crispy leaves tumbling away from the road as I zip by.  I have also always enjoyed the opportunity that Autumn brings for landscape projects and services.  It is a comfortable time of year to work and often gives you a chance to catch up on any work missed over the busy summer season.  As October winds down and November ramps up there are plenty of opportunities to work on your landscape projects. 

Fall Cleanup approaches vary, but at the end of the day, removal of the leaves is paramount.  Every homeowner wants to see the sharp lines cut into the lawn, crisp edges along the landscape beds and no debris on the walks or drives.  One popular approach is to maintain the weekly visits.  Staying in a routine never allows for an abundance of cleanup, and if the weather turns a little dicey, you are never too far behind. 

Soundview is also a full service yard waste recycling facility. We are registered with the CT DEEP to accept Leaves, Brush, Stumps and Logs.  Need your items picked up?  

Consider renting one of our large roll-off containers to load on your own.

Following the fall cleanup, consider your lawn care alternatives.  Have you done a soil test lately?  How about Fertilizer.  Winterizer formulations can keep your lawn healthy and give you a great head start for the Spring.  We are introducing an 18-0-18 Winterizer formulation in order to comply with the Phosphorous ban in CT.   Pelletized lime applications can keep your soil in shape and the proper pH helps your fertilizer work more effectively.  Read more about soil testing and fertilizer in our lawn care article. 

Consider working on hardscape projects during the fall.  Perhaps you have a walkway or patio in mind.  As long as the ground isn’t frozen, work can proceed and by the winter you can even have a firepit installed in your patio with time to enjoy it!  The fall is also a great time to wrap up any planting projects. 

For fall cleanup, Soundview offers:  

• Leaf and Yard Debris disposal.
• A new line of Heavy Duty Bulldog Tarps as well as lightweight Bempro tarps.
• Outback Mulch and Screened Compost for late season projects or winterizing.
• Landscape Barrels for cleanup efforts.
• Atlas Fit and Thermal Fit Rubber Coated gloves.
• Burlap for use as Wind Screens, or for transplanting plants. 
  

The fading days of summer offer the ideal opportunity to spruce up your garden with new plantings. The cooler, consistent temperatures this month allow your plants to thrive so you can enjoy your garden up to the first frost and, for some plants, through the winter.

It is a good time to plant annuals, perennials and shrubs that will add fall blooms to your garden in Connecticut.  Today we will focus on annuals that will add a burst of color to your garden.

Mums are a natural choice for adding fresh color to your garden. They bloom in the cold weather, so they are at the height of beauty now through the first frost, making them ideal for fall planting in Connecticut.  Mums are bold in color and you can find them in the traditional golden, orange and deep red hues of fall, as well as lavender, pink and white. Check out the colors in your garden to find complementary colored mums for planting.  For the best look from the curb, select just one or two colors and plant in groups for bold splashes of color that will last through the first few frosts of the season.

Flowering kale and cabbage plants are popular fall design options because they bring color that is long lasting and intense to the fall garden. The color of the plants actually intensifies through the late fall and lasts until the first snowfall, so Connecticut gardeners can appreciate the developing landscape as winter months approach.

Kale and cabbage hues range from white to pink and purple. They are low growing and their color can best be appreciated in large plantings where it will stand out. They are also an attractive complement to mums in coordinating hues.

Mums, cabbage and kale are also excellent replacements for your summer plant containers. Artfully arranged cabbage and kale will offer a lasting and fresh addition to your containers well into the cold weather months and offer ideal options for your garden.

Check our next posting about perennials that will enhance your fall garden in Connecticut.