Fall Landowner Checklist

The leaves have started to change color across Northern Virginia, and we have survived the last balmy days of October. As the month comes to a close, temperatures have dropped, and we have a few tips on how to help the environment you are cultivating make it through to the spring.

In the fall, plants tend to grow more slowly as daylight hours decrease, and the cold slows their metabolic rate. Leaves fall off trees because they no longer catch as much sunlight for photosynthesis, and the cold breaks down leaf tissue. We’ve covered this before, but our first tip is to always keep those dead leaves and utilize them as mulch. Roots need insulation during colder months to prevent damage and retain moisture. This leaf litter also provides winter shelter for small critters on your property and, as it decomposes, provides nutrients to the ground. Organic mulches also help regulate soil temperature and moisture, suppress competing plants, and gradually release nutrients as they break down. A layer no more than three inches deep is generally best.

This October has been rainy, and storms have caused their fair share of telephone line casualties this year. One way to prevent storm and wind damage is to prune off weak or dead branches during this off-season. Fall is an ideal time to do this because, with less foliage in the way, you can spot tree defects more easily. Our land stewards like planning property visits in the fall for this exact reason! Removing diseased plant material can also help reduce the spread of certain plant diseases next spring. Not sure if one of your trees is dead? Check out this article by Casey Trees and learn about the “scratch test” to determine if your tree is really dead or can be nurtured back to health!

What about your produce and flower gardens? Plants like clover, rye, and vetch serve as great cover crops during colder months. They keep nutrients cycling through the soil, aerate it, and create pathways for water to reach roots. This prepares soil for when it’s time to plant your desired crops. At our Terborgh Terrace Garden in Arlington, we use  cover crops in the fall after collecting our fall harvest. For flower gardens, leaving the seed heads on your annuals and perennials provides a welcome food source for migrating and native birds during chilly months. To create even more welcoming shelter for wildlife, wait until spring to trim back stems and grasses, as smaller organisms like insects utilize the hollow stems as shelter.

Finally, a tip you may not expect to hear, but it’s time to plant! We usually don’t think of planting new things on our land in the fall, but native plants are adapted to the climate. This time of year can be a good time to plant tree seedlings especially. Seedlings should be planted 4 to 6 weeks before the first hard freeze of the year so that roots have time to anchor into the soil before it becomes frozen. Do a deep watering before the first hard freeze as well to prevent roots from drying out. The goal of deep watering is to soak the roots up to 2 feet below the surface, which you can achieve by slowing watering the area for 30 minutes to an hour. Native plants like Mountain Laurel, Brown Eyed-Susan, Scarlet Beebalm, and Flame Azaleas are just a few hardy plants that are beautiful and can make it through the winter. Check out the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s on native plants and trees to plant this fall, along with resources on where to find them! Earth Sangha also has a native wild plant nursery with a wide variety of Northern Virginia-native plants, shrubs, and trees!

We hope these tips and resources prove to be useful for your plans for your property. As always, reach out to your land steward for major land concerns you notice and ask for resources. We are always happy to connect landowners with partners and programs that help them achieve their landscape goals!