As we move through the fall months, many homeowners are starting to get their yard and gardens ready for winter. At Great Goats Landscaping, we specialize in taking care of all the seasonal yard and garden outdoor projects so that you can get back to enjoying the last of the warmer weather before the snow starts falling.

Getting Ready for Winter

It might seem too early to think about next year’s lawn or garden, but October is the perfect time to get a head start on the 2018 growing season. Adding additional nutrients to your lawn and flower beds, raking leaves and removing them from gutters, and caring for shrubs and perennials are all areas that require annual attention. A little extra care now can make your spring to-do list a little shorter. Plus, your yard and garden will be a more orderly, healthy and productive when it starts to warm up again next year.

Great Goats Landscaping Fall Services

We offer a variety of fall landscaping services designed to get your yard and garden ready for winter and looking beautiful.

Some of the fall services we offer include:

• Leaf removal
• Final lawn mowing
• Lawn aeration
• Lawn dethatching
• Fall fertilization of lawns
• Shrub pruning and perennial cut back
• Brush and buckthorn removal
• Gutter cleaning

Each of these services helps prepare your yard for winter to make sure that it looks its best over the snowy months. Services like lawn aeration, lawn dethatching, lawn fertilization and shrub and perennial pruning encourage healthy growth in plants and prepare your yard and lawn for spring.

Great Goats Landscaping

We always believe that the client comes first and no matter what project we are working on, we strive to make our clients happy. We are a family-owned company that believes in the value of great work and would love to talk to you about your next landscaping project.

Here in Minnesota, we know that fall days mean one thing – winter is coming. But that doesn’t mean we need to retreat inside yet. Now is the perfect time of year to be outside as you can, enjoying the crisp weather and spending time in your yard before the snow starts to fall.

By adding the right landscaping, plants and a few other elements, you can have an outdoor space that feels like an extension of your home and is just as comfy and inviting.

Here are four tips for creating a space that you love and can enjoy as long into the fall as possible.

Stay consistent

As you are thinking about how you want to use your outdoor space, think about your home and the style of your house. Using complementary color and design themes can carry the feel of your home through to the outdoors and make your patio or deck feel like an extension of your house.

Consider using smaller details to add pops of color and sticking to neutrals tones when selecting the larger elements for your outdoor space. Color can be added with plants and other small touches. Remember that plants and smaller finishing details are easier to move around and replace if needed.

Consider your property

The layout of your property is just as important as the type and style of home you have. Take into consideration any elements that will affect your design like steep hills, slopes, trees and other larger plants.

Also, consider when you will be using the space and the position of the sun at that time of day. If you are planning on entertaining in the evening, for example, you would hate to install a deck that is directly in the sun’s rays.

Add some heat

Nothing is more welcoming than a firepit on a cool fall evening. Fire pits are an excellent gathering point for friends and family.

Consider adding seating and other elements to make the area comfortable and enjoyable. Flagstone can also be used to add interest and design.

The finishing touches

Lighting, plants and other finishing details can help a space feel polished and complete. Explore different lighting options to create a space that feels magical in the evening. Plants can help accent a space and add texture and color to a design.

After all the care you’ve put into your yard and garden, the last thing you want is to have it washed away and ruined – especially if you could have prevented the damage.

While soil erosion doesn’t affect all properties, it can become an issue in an area that slopes. Fortunately, by taking some preventative steps, your yard can stay beautiful and environmentally friendly, even during heavy downpours.

Preventing erosion

Erosion is the natural movement of soil from one place to another and can happen on both a large and small scale. Eroded soil can become unsightly, can block stormwater systems and is an environmental concern.

Add a retaining wall

For properties with steep slopes, a retaining wall or terrace will reduce soil movement and add depth and dimension to a landscape.

Retaining walls help homeowners protect steep areas on the property. They increase the amount of usable land on the yard, have environmental benefits and can help protect against water saturation.

Retaining walls also add visual interest to a space. Other landscaping elements can be used in conjunction with a retaining wall to complement the feel and look of your yard. Fences can be added if the wall is on the edge of a property, plants can incorporate pops of color and stonework can add a graphic design element.

Incorporating native plants

One of the best and most effective ways of preventing erosion is keeping soil covered year-round. Exposed soil is susceptible to erosion caused by wind and rain. Adding shrubs, grasses or mulch can significantly reduce the risk of erosion on low-grade slopes. Native grasses have a deep root system and provide more soil stability in the topsoil and subsoil. They also help water absorb into the soil more quickly. Incorporating native plants will attract pollinators and encourage biodiversity, which in turn leads to a healthy yard.