Introduction
While most people prefer to do DIY landscaping projects during the spring, fall is also a great season to grind that elbow grease. If you live in a hot region, the cool weather helps to keep you comfortable and since you have a long time span before summer, you don’t have to rush out everything. Some of these projects may require you to shift some plants or redo the garden. If you need topsoil for that a quick search on “topsoil near me” would point you in the right direction. Let’s check out some DIY landscaping projects homeowners should do this fall:
The Projects
- Create pathways – Stepping stone and tiled pathways are a common sight nowadays. Everyone wants them for their yard. Even if you can afford to sacrifice a couple of weekends and put in the labor, the high cost of materials may be stopping you from installing a stone pathway. However, there is no need to turn your landscape into a generic copy of your neighbors while spending more money. You can get an elegant pathway on a budget with some creativity. Dig a shallow trench and use free pallet wood planks that you get from packaging and other sources to create a wonderful wooden walkway. Place them in a curved arrangement to further enhance the look. You can seal and finish the boards so that they last for a long time and if one rots, replacements are easy to find. It’s a ridiculously cheap DIY project that everyone should try.
- Prevent plant problems by dividing them – Chrysanthemums and asters look great in clustered rows. However, they also bring many problems:
- Too many plants compete in a small area for limited resources and that results in stunted growth.
- If there is a fungal outbreak it can quickly spread and kill all your plants.
- Pest infestation is hard to solve due to the lack of easy access to the roots and other areas of the plants.
You can easily solve this problem by dividing the plants and even gain some additional plants from the process. Dig up the clusters of perennials and lift them off the dirt. After that locate the areas where the root meets the stem and separate the crown. Then replant them in neat divisions instead of a messy cluster.
- Get a wicker border – Wicker has an amazing ability to add a rustic charm. Whether it’s in the form of outdoor furniture or other items like baskets and containers. They can change the overall ambiance with their presence. You can replicate the wicker texture in your landscaping projects with some out-of-the-box thinking. To create a wicker border, start by sharpening bamboo posts on one edge and use them as stakes on the dirt with a gap of at least a foot in between them. Get a bunch of raspberry canes and use them in an interleaving pattern among the bamboo posts to create a woven look. To add the finish touches, you can hammer the bamboo posts to align them perfectly.
- Mulching never fails – Mulching is always a good idea if done in moderation. If done right, it also makes your property look good. Mulch acts as insulation for the soil and prevents excess temperature swings while tackling moisture loss. Moreover, it reduces mowing hazards and prevents damage to the bark. Moreover, some places offer free mulch to their residents. Here’s how you can make mulching add aesthetic appeal along with practicality:
- Mulch accent around the pool
- A mulch ring or square around trees to add texture, color and avoid weeds
- Make your flower beds pop with modern black mulch. However, make sure to lay the mulch over a landscaping cloth.
- Spill it – Gardens are places for happy accidents. You can achieve a new look by incorporating those accidents into the landscaping design. While a spilled trash can may look unsightly, a planned spill can look wonderful. Lay a rusted and old metal bucket on its side and anchor it to the ground by adding soil or rocks inside it. Plants a thick clump of low-lying flowers at the opening side of the bucket to create a beautiful “oops” moment.
- Jazz up the stump – Whether it’s due to a storm or from old age, a fallen tree needs to be chopped down to make way for new life. However, the next step can be different from the rest. Instead of hiring contractors for expensive and time-consuming stump removal, you can take a different approach. You can use the old stump as a unique planter. Hollow out the center of the stump and fill that core with nutrient-rich soil. After that, you can add your favorite perennials or other types of plants to create a one-of-a-kind all-natural landscaping feature. However, it’s only possible if the stump hasn’t started rotting.
- Create an affordable fountain – Stone fountains look amazing in any garden. However, they cost a ridiculous amount of money that can be spent more productively in improving other landscaping features in your yard. Instead, you can DIY a fountain with garden essentials that are collecting dust in the garage. For the structure, you can use thick-walled plant pots. Stack a smaller one on top of a bigger pot and keep the upper pot stable with a cinder block. Add a submersible pump inside the lower pot and use vinyl tubing to make the water lines. Make sure to get a decent pump that can push water at least a few inches above the upper pot for that stone fountain aesthetic. For ornamentation, you can fill up the pots with pea gravel, natural stones on your property, and large rocks.
Conclusion
By now it must be evident how you can make some amazing changes around your property with the above-mentioned DIY projects for the fall season. If any of your projects involve plants directly or indirectly, you can get some fresh topsoil by searching for “topsoil near me”.
