With the weather we’ve been having in Knoxville, Tenn., it feels as though fall is right around the corner. Don’t be fooled; there’s still plenty of late summer landscaping maintenance to be done in your yard. Here are just a few things that you might consider doing this time of year:

Deadhead your perennials.

Plants such as Back-eyed Susan and Coneflower have most likely spent their blooms by now (or they will soon!). To keep your yard looking nice, cut off any dead stalks or blooms from these types of plants and others such as Daylilies. This practice is great for the overall health of the plant, and might help it eke out a few final blooms before fall.

Prune flowering shrubs and trees.

Flowering shrubs such as Abelia and Hydrangea can be pruned later this month when they’re done blooming. Although pruning will keep your yard looking nice for that early-season football party, it’s also ok to leave the task until fall. In our landscaping, we have an Oakleaf Hydrangea that could be pruned now. We like the look of the dried blooms, though, and will leave them on the plant until late fall.

Clean and seal pavers.

Because the nights are still warm and the days have been hot but not scalding, now is a great time to clean and seal pavers. If you have trees around your patio space, this is an especially good time for this project because the leaves haven’t yet started falling. I recommend having a professional help you with cleaning and sealing because there are a lot of opportunities for error in the process. Mistakes will typically be quite noticeable; so save yourself the time and headache and opt for a pro for this one. We work with many contractors in and around Knoxville who will do the job right, so contact us for a referral.

Paint or stain your outdoor wooden structures.

The time (and weather) suitable for painting and staining is passing rapidly. Take advantage of the dry days we’ve been having to paint, stain and seal your decks, fences, pergolas and the like.

Now is also a great time to book a landscaping contractor. Most are seeing a slight lull in workload due to the start of school and the unofficial end of summer. Get on the schedule now, and you’ll be ready for the best planting season in September and October.

Need help designing your fall landscape project? Fill out our contact form or call 865-765-5550 to talk about your plans. You can also visit us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for landscaping tips and inspiration.