Fall is the besttime to plant.

Cooler weather, warm soil and a whole off-season for roots to settle. Fall is when new plantings get a head start and tired beds get put to bed properly.

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Should you plant in the fall? Absolutely.

It is the question homeowners ask every September. The answer is yes. In the fall, plants stop pushing new leaves and put their energy into roots. The air is cooler, so there is far less heat stress, while the soil is still warm enough for those roots to grow. A shrub or perennial planted in October comes out of winter already established and takes off in spring, instead of spending its first summer just trying to survive.

Fall cleanups set up the spring

Fall is the right time to cut back perennials and ornamental grasses, bring overgrown shrubs back into shape and clear the beds before snow sits on them all winter. Beds that go into winter clean come out of it clean, and spring becomes a quick refresh instead of a rescue job.

Leaves are not harmless

A heavy layer of wet leaves left on the lawn over a Western New York winter smothers the grass underneath. It holds moisture against the turf, invites fungus and snow mold, and leaves dead, matted spots to fix in April. Clearing leaves out of the lawn and the beds is one of the simplest things you can do to keep the lawn healthy.

Book before the ground freezes

Fall work runs on a clock. Planting needs to happen while the soil is workable and there is still time for roots to settle, and cleanup schedules fill up once the leaves start dropping. The earlier you call, the more of the season is left to work with.

Fall planting: shrubs, trees and perennials
Cutting back perennials and ornamental grasses
Trimming overgrown shrubs and hedges
Leaf cleanup in lawns and beds
Bed cleanouts and edging before winter
Fall seeding and lawn repair
Mulch refresh to insulate roots
Planning next spring's projects now

Before & after

See the difference.

Drag the handle to compare. Overgrown poolside grasses cut back in a fall cleanup.

Overgrown ornamental grasses along a covered pool in fall before cleanup — Overgrown poolside grasses cut back in a fall cleanup.

The same poolside bed after a fall cleanup with the grasses cut back — Overgrown poolside grasses cut back in a fall cleanup.

Our work

Real projects, real yards.

Giant overgrown shrub swallowing a foundation bed before trimming

Seasonal cleanup finished at a home in East Aurora, NY

Cleaned and mulched foundation bed at a Grand Island, NY home

Questions about fall landscaping

Good questions.

Is fall a good time to plant shrubs and perennials?

Yes. Roots keep growing in warm fall soil while the cooler air takes the stress off the plant, so fall plantings are established by spring.

How late in the fall can you plant in Western New York?

As long as the ground is workable and there is time for roots to settle before a hard freeze. It depends on the year, which is why booking early matters.

Why cut back perennials and grasses in the fall?

It keeps beds tidy through winter, removes dead growth before it mats down under snow, and makes spring cleanup faster. Some plants are better left for spring; we will tell you which.