By August, landscapes have been through a lot.
Months of heat, intense sunlight, irrigation, foot traffic, weed pressure, and summer storms have exposed the areas that are performing well and the ones that need attention. Mulch has shifted. Weeds have found weak spots. Slopes may be showing signs of erosion. Landscape fabric installed years ago may be reaching the end of its useful life.
At the same time, fall project season is getting closer.
For landscape contractors, nursery operators, property managers, and other professionals, August is an important transition month. There is still plenty of summer left, but now is the time to evaluate existing landscapes, make necessary repairs, and begin preparing materials for fall installations.
The work you do now can make fall projects easier and help reduce maintenance headaches next spring.
Start With What Summer Taught You
Summer has a way of revealing problems that were difficult to see earlier in the growing season.
Walk through the properties you manage and pay attention to areas that required repeated maintenance. Where did weeds keep returning? Where did water consistently pool or run off? Which planting beds dried out fastest? Where did mulch move during storms?
Those patterns can tell you where a landscape system needs improvement.
Repeated weed growth along a seam, for example, could indicate that landscape fabric has shifted or was not overlapped sufficiently. Exposed soil on a slope could point to an erosion problem. Areas that constantly require additional irrigation may benefit from better ground coverage and moisture management.
Take note of these areas now while the evidence is still easy to see. By the time leaves begin falling and temperatures cool, some of those problems can become much less obvious.
Reset Planting Beds Before Fall Projects Begin
August is a good time to evaluate landscape beds that have been working hard all summer.
Start by checking the condition of the existing mulch and landscape fabric. Look for exposed areas, tears, shifting material, open seams, and places where weeds have established themselves.
Some areas may only require minor maintenance. Others may be ready for a more complete reset.
When replacing or installing landscape fabric, site preparation remains one of the most important steps. Remove existing weeds and debris, level the soil, and address any drainage problems before installing new material.
Choose the fabric based on the application. DeWitt offers woven and nonwoven landscape fabrics designed for different installation requirements, from residential planting beds to demanding commercial landscapes.
Proper installation matters just as much as material selection. Overlap seams sufficiently, secure the fabric to prevent movement, and cover it with the appropriate layer of mulch or decorative stone.
Taking the time to rebuild a problem area correctly can significantly reduce the amount of maintenance it requires later.
Get Ahead of Fall Weed Pressure
Spring gets most of the attention when it comes to weed control, but fall deserves just as much consideration.
Weeds that establish late in the growing season can produce seed, spread into surrounding areas, and contribute to problems the following spring. Cooler temperatures also create favorable conditions for certain winter annual weeds to germinate.
That makes late summer and fall an important opportunity for prevention.
Landscape fabric creates a physical barrier that limits the sunlight weeds need to establish. When paired with proper site preparation and an appropriate surface material, it can provide long-term weed suppression without requiring crews to continually revisit the same beds.
Groundcover can provide similar benefits in nursery and growing environments where large areas need to remain clean and manageable.
The goal is to enter fall with fewer opportunities for weeds to establish. That can mean less pulling, spraying, and cleanup when the next growing season begins.
Look for Erosion Before Fall Rain Finds It
Water always finds the weak spot.
After months of summer heat, exposed or disturbed soils may be particularly vulnerable when seasonal rainfall increases. Slopes, drainage channels, newly graded areas, construction sites, and recently established landscapes deserve additional attention.
Look for early warning signs such as small channels in the soil, sediment collecting at the bottom of slopes, exposed roots, displaced mulch, or bare patches where vegetation has struggled to establish.
These problems rarely improve on their own.
Erosion control products can help protect vulnerable soil while vegetation becomes established. Depending on the site, the appropriate solution may include erosion control blankets, geotextile fabrics, or other stabilization materials designed to keep soil in place while allowing water to move through the landscape.
Addressing erosion early is generally much easier than rebuilding an area after a major rainfall event.
Don't Forget the Groundcover
Commercial nurseries and growing operations should use August to inspect groundcover as well.
After a busy spring and summer, high-traffic areas may show wear. Seams can separate. Anchor points can loosen. Soil and organic matter may accumulate on the surface.
A relatively small opening can eventually become a much larger maintenance issue.
Inspect seams and perimeter areas closely. Remove accumulated debris and address tears or loose sections before they spread. If sections have reached the end of their service life, replacing them before fall can help prepare the operation for another busy season.
Quality groundcover supports weed control, drainage, moisture management, and cleaner working areas. Keeping it in good condition helps protect all of those benefits.
Think About What You'll Need for Fall
August is also a good time to look beyond current maintenance needs and toward the upcoming project calendar.
Fall can be an excellent season for landscape renovation, planting, seeding, erosion repair, and other outdoor projects. Cooler temperatures reduce plant stress, while soils often remain warm enough to support root development.
That opportunity can create a busy period for contractors and landscape crews.
Review upcoming jobs now and identify the materials you will need. Landscape fabric, groundcover, erosion control products, tree care supplies, frost protection, staples, pins, and other installation materials are easier to organize before crews are headed to the jobsite.
For contractors and distributors, this is also the time to review inventory and restock commonly used products.
Running short on fabric or installation supplies halfway through a project costs more than an extra trip. It can interrupt crew productivity and complicate project schedules during an already busy season.
Prepare for Cooler Weather Before You Need To
Fall preparation also means thinking ahead to the first significant temperature drop.
Frost protection may feel premature during the heat of August, but waiting until frost appears in the forecast leaves little room to prepare.
Nurseries and growers should begin identifying sensitive inventory and considering how it will be protected as temperatures change. Landscape professionals can do the same for newly installed or vulnerable plant material.
DeWitt frost protection products, burlap, tree care products, and other seasonal materials can be staged ahead of time so crews are prepared when conditions change.
Weather will always be unpredictable. Your response to it doesn't have to be.
Use August as Your Reset
There is a tendency to treat August as the final stretch of summer.
For landscape professionals, it can be much more useful to view it as the beginning of the next project cycle.
Summer has already shown you which areas need attention. Use that information.
Repair worn planting beds. Reinforce erosion-prone areas. Address weed pressure. Inspect groundcover. Review fall jobs and make sure the materials needed to complete them are ready.
Each task is relatively straightforward on its own. Together, they can make the transition into fall considerably smoother.
The Bottom Line
Good fall projects start before fall.
August gives contractors, growers, nursery operators, and landscape professionals an opportunity to assess what summer has revealed and make improvements while there is still time to plan.
DeWitt landscape fabric, groundcover, erosion control, and seasonal protection products can help address many of the issues that become apparent late in the growing season while preparing landscapes for the months ahead.
Review your upcoming projects, check your inventory, and talk with your DeWitt representative about the products you'll need for fall.
A little preparation now can mean fewer surprises when the season changes.