For most of the areas Fairway serves, Monday was the first day that truly felt like fall. For southern states, fall temps in the lower 70s means pumpkin spice cupcakes, long sleeve shirts, chili cook offs, and fantasy football.

For Fairway, it’s a time for checking out what our clients are planting while we take care of their lawns. We love to see the work some families do now in order to see beautiful results pay off in the spring. But southern climates can be temperamental, and it’s hard to know which plants are hardy enough to survive. So we’ve gathered our favorite ones that will work for any of the 7 states we serve.

Mums

While mums come in a vast array of stunning colors, we recommend just picking one or two to get the full effect of their large blooms. The ‘Melissa’ variety blooms does well as a fall annual. and following the directions below:
– Choose a location around your home that you know will receive six hours of sunlight
– Ensure the soil you plant the mums in is well-drained
– Give the mum at least 1 – 2 inches of water per week

Perennials

Container-grown perennial mums are easier to find in the fall and even easier to plant. Loosen the roots after extracting from the container, place in the hole you’ve dug, then loosely pack the soil in around the plant, and water regularly,
– Lay a mulch layer that is 2 – 3 inches deep over the soil around the perennial mum plant to prevent weeds
– Water your perennial mums in the morning or right after work to prevent powdery mildew
– Once they are established, they will grow bigger each year. Fall is a good time to split them up to avoid overcrowding

Pansies

If planted now, these flowers can last until late spring and early summer, so we consider them a worthy investment.
-Buy pansies that show minimal yellowing in their leaves (this means they are younger) with white roots
-Ensure you plant them 6 inches apart in a well-drained area
-Pansies can only endure partial sunlight, so place them in a half-shaded area