Your grass is going to be in growth and recovery mode for the next months. Come November it will start slowing down and then in mid to late December it will turn grayish-brown as it goes dormant, saving energy for winter. It’s still alive, just “resting”. Timing will depend on cold snaps. But remember that it doesn’t get consistently cold until late December or January. (my wife and I were married outside in dripping springs on Dec 23rd…A bit risky but it worked out…)

Yes indeed. Some options…plant pansies, violas, snapdragons, and ornamental kale. These thrive in our mild winters and provide vibrant colors through the cooler months.

Fall fertilization is key for Central Texas lawns. Use a winterizing fertilizer with a high potassium ratio to strengthen the roots. Strong roots = strong lawn. If you want a green lawn throughout the winter, overseeding with winter rye is highly recommended here. But we only do this for Bermuda lawns. I recommend caution on St. Augustine or Zoysia lawns.

Apply a pre-emergent herbicide in the fall to prevent winter weeds from taking over your yard.

• Fire pits – highest use area for the yard in the fall/winter
• Sod – great time for sod to get roots established
• Top Dress and Aeration – apply high quality dirt or compost to the grass to improve soil.
• Planting for trees or plants – maybe the best time of year
• Dance routines – always a good season to dance
• Holiday Lights – you can get your lights up for Halloween and enjoy them through New Year’s (we can even change the colors).

Trees like oaks drop a lot of leaves in the fall. Besides blowing them, you can mulch the leaves back into your lawn (mow them up) or use a leaf vacuum for easy collection. There isn’t a reliable robot for leaf collection yet! Of course…we can always pick them up for you but it is a separate service than mowing.

Live oaks are semi-deciduous – they always have leaves but they drop in earnest twice a year. We will see a big drop in around January…

Deciduous trees in the area (like red oaks, maples and cedar elms) drop their leaves in October and November (depending on the weather and the micro-climate).

In Central Texas, fall is ideal for planting trees and shrubs because it gives their roots time to establish before the heat returns.

Watch the weather, but I wouldn’t worry about this until late December.

If you promise to represent the company with pride and honor, then yes.

Fall is a great time for either sodding the area or top dressing to help your other turf grow in.

Robot mowers are becoming more and more popular. Unfortunately, they just aren’t good enough yet. They struggle with gates and borders. I look forward to them helping alongside a crew to increase efficiency, drop costs/prices…just not yet. When they are ready, I will let you know.

Yes, fall is prime time for growth and recovery. You need water to make this season successful. Don’t think you can cut back and have a good landscaping fall…we are playing offense right now with our water – not defense like during the summer.

You are good. Oak tree pruning should be avoided from February through June to prevent the spread of oak wilt. Fall is a safer time to trim your oaks.

While some people leave leaves to decompose, too many leaves can suffocate your grass. It's best to mulch or collect them to allow air and sunlight to reach the lawn.

Absolutely! Adding mulch in the fall helps insulate plant roots, retain soil moisture, and suppress weeds. In Central Texas, it's a great time for this task.

We are going to see temperature highs dropping a couple of degrees weekly. It is still warm but the days are shorter and the nights are cooler which means the weather is getting nicer and nicer.

In October, Austin typically receives about 4 inches of rainfall on average, with measurable rain on roughly 7 days during the month. That can swing a lot year to year, so watch the forecast and water when we go dry — fall is still a growth season for turf and new plantings.

It’s pretty, it’s insulation, it’s natural slow release fertilizer.

In Central Texas, mosquitoes can still be a nuisance well into fall. Cooler weather slows them down, but they won’t disappear until temperatures consistently drop below 50°F. To reduce mosquitoes in your yard, focus on eliminating standing water.

Fall is a great time to add good soil or compost. It helps improve soil health, boosts water retention, and provides slow-release nutrients over the winter.

Yes, fire ants remain active in Central Texas well into the fall. They may even become more aggressive as they prepare for winter. Fall is an ideal time to treat your yard because fire ants are busy building deeper nests. Use a bait treatment to target the entire colony.

Now. Go! Go! Go!

There are so many acorns right now – and it is likely just going to get worse. We had great acorn conditions this year with the rain and the moderate temperatures. Expect them to continue to drop for another 4 weeks or so.

To differentiate between dormant and dead grass in winter, start with a visual assessment: dormant grass turns a uniform brown, while dead grass may show patchy browning. Perform a tug test—if the grass pulls up easily with little resistance, it’s likely dead; if you feel resistance and see white roots, it’s dormant and can recover. 

They don’t change until November and we will let you know when it happens and what are the results.

If/When you plant stuff this fall, make sure it is native and that you use plenty of mulch. If you plant something that is really better suited for a warmer climate, then it may struggle. Also, mulch protects the roots of the plant as insulation increasing the chances of long term success.