tips for Lawn Care and Plant Care 

The weather is just starting to cool down, that means it is now time to start taking care of your yard. The hot summer may have beaten your yard up a bit, so it needs to be brought back to good health and ready for autumn! October, and the fall season, is one of the best times of the year to rebuild a landscape or start a new project. Fall is also the best time of year to plant any trees, shrubs, and other plants you’ve had your eye on to improve your yard.

The Houston area is finally getting cooler days and even cooler evenings. This is a welcome relief from the blistering summertime heat, and relief for any home owner who has been avoiding the sun for months! While we can start to enjoy being outside more and working on our yard, the soil is still warm and will hold onto the heat for a while. This makes for a perfect environment to transplant any plants or trees and get maximum root growth potential and prepping it for long term success.

Watering Tips

Any time the weather starts to change, your watering schedule should change too! Now is the time to adjust your watering schedule for the fall season, so be sure to change the timer for your landscape or manual watering schedule accordingly. Since we are starting to have cooler nights and days, the soil can hold on to moisture longer. This means that you can use less and less water through the next few months. While this gives you the chance to save some money on your utility bill, you still want to use the same amount of water for each watering session. You just don’t need to water as often.

• For Low Water varieties, water 1 time and do this every 10 days (New Trees, water 1x a week).
• For Moderate Water use varieties, water 1 time every 10 days (New Trees, water 2x a week).
• For Topical varieties, water 1 time per week (New Trees, water 2x a week).

Click here to read more about our Watering Guide Schedule.

Weeding Tips

There are no more excuses now that summer is going away and taking the unbearable heat with it; it's time to remove those weeds now! October is a great time for getting rid of all those weeds that are still taking over your yard. Once you rid your lawn of all those pesky weeds, we suggest using pre-emergent herbicides. Spray these now to help prevent new weeds from forming during the rain that is sure to come soon. This can also lessen the work waiting for you in the spring by helping reduce and prevent weeds through the winter.

Don't let those weeds settle in! Come visit Moon Valley Nurseries today and let us help you fight off those weeds!

Fertilizing Tips

We cannot talk enough about how important it is to make fertilizing a consistent habit for everything in your landscaping. And by everything, we mean all your trees, flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and of course - your lawn!

Using the proper fertilizer, like our custom-made Moon Royale, during this crucial time ensures optimal health and growth. Your lawn has been working hard all summer to survive and now it needs a bit of extra nutrients. Our Moon Juice, the best root enhancer on the market today, should be a staple in every home. It can be used on all your trees, flowers, vegetables and any other plants all year long in Texas.

Get things fertilized now for the second growing season. It will also get them strong and ready for the upcoming winter! Click here for all our fertilizer products and see which ones best fit your lawn care needs!

Tree Care Tips

The fall season is the time to trim off any dead or damaged sections of the tree that may have occurred over the summer from heat or seasonal storms. Make sure to cut back any excessive branches and to also clean all your citrus and fruit trees and remove any unwanted tree suckers.

Best Trees to Plant in October

Piru Queen Palm (Arecastrum romanzoffianum)

The Piru Queen Palm is the epitome of what you imagine when you think of a palm tree. This is an excellent palm for the southwest region and great to use as a focal point in any size yard! At Moon Valley Nurseries, we grow these palms ourselves to make sure we are growing a palm with thicker, harder trunks, and greener leaves and fuller crowns.

The Queen Palm is a perfect choice for a look that is sure to add a tropical feel to any landscape. These beauties are extremely well-suited for the Texas climate and they are custom grown to be extra resistant to the hot or cold weather.

Crape Myrtle Tree (Lagerstroemia)

The Crape Myrtle tree has something to offer for any time of the year. In the fall, the Crape Myrtle’s foliage turns to a showy bright orange, getting into the spirit of fall festivities! It also stands out in late spring to summer when it begins producing stunning blooms of purple, pink, red, and white flowers.

Those colors create a visually pleasing look when planted in clusters or accent locations. The Crape Myrtle is known for its lengthy and constant bloom cycle and fits well in just about any landscape.

Tipu Tree (Tipuana tipu)

The Tipu tree offers immense shade, ridiculous growth rate, low water usage, and bright yellow pea shaped flowers. These amazing features have made this a popular tree for homeowners across Texas. When you know you want shade in your yard, the Tipu tree is the perfect choice.

This semi-evergreen grows extremely fast and spreads out with age, producing a covered umbrella-like canopy. Its growth habit and massive canopy of shade makes it an ideal tree to cool your home, shade your patio, or a natural way to protect other plants in your yard from the summer sun.

Live Oak Tree (Quercus virginiana)

The Live Oak tree is a beautiful evergreen tree that would be a great addition to your landscape when you’re looking for privacy. This tree grows large with thick, shady green foliage that can block unwanted views. Besides creating privacy, the evergreen Live Oak trees feature a wide-spreading crown that can provide lots of shade.

After it is established, all this tree really needs to succeed is to soak in the full sun. The care for a Live Oak is minimal to none. Plant one in your front yard and let your children explore the sturdy limbs and create privacy from nosy neighbors. The local wildlife is sure to enjoy this tree as well. Just add some bird feeders and get ready for some guests!

Shumard Oak Tree (Quercus shumardii)

The Shumard Oak tree is another great oak tree to include in your yard. It is a medium to large tree and has a canopy with a wide spreading reach to create a large area of shade coverage. This Oak tree is known for its large dark green leaves that can grow up to eight inches long with an overall classic look.

Another benefit of having the Shumard Oak tree is the beautiful vibrant red orange colors that take over tree during the fall season that will get you into the holiday spirit. This would be the perfect tree to set up a tire swing for the family!