Make sure your yard is ready for winter by performing routine yard cleanup this fall.
While you might be busy gearing up your landscape with spooky Halloween decor, it’s important not to lose sight of your lawn and garden work ethic. If you want to ensure that your lawn looks healthy and beautiful come next spring, you’ll need to do some cleanup and maintenance before winter arrives. Here are a few things to put on your cleanup checklist this Fall to get the most out of your yard next year.
- Remove debris – Fallen leaves and weeds attract pests to settle in for winter. Leaves can also kill grass if they’re left to sit, which is why raking leaves and removing deciduous branches is so important. You’ll need to clear out flower beds to keep unwanted critters at bay. Rose foliage in particular can foster diseases over a long winter.
- Prepare your lawn. We’ve already talked about the importance of lawn aeration and overseeding, but it’s worth reiterating. Ensuring your lawn gets the nutrients it needs to survive a long, cold winter will go a long way towards how it looks next year. Mow the lawn one last time using a low setting to give it a close buzz before winter, that way soil will dry out faster in the spring, giving you a lusher looking lawn.
- Till vegetable gardens. Once you’ve completed your final harvest, pull out any old vegetable plants and get rid of any extraneous debris. Then, completely till the plot. If you have a compost, you can add old vegetable plants to better nurture the soil for planting next spring.
- Divide and cut back perennials. If you had a successful growing season for perennials, divide them up so other beds will also do well. Take extra care with sensitive perennials, shrubs and roses by adding mulch and cloth barriers to prevent freezing.
- Plant bulbs, shrubs, and fall annuals. Some plants to do better when planted in autumn. Now is the best time to get new shrubs and spring bulbs like Hyacinth in ground. You can also maintain some color in your yard with Fall annuals like pansies.
- Check the gutters. Before you put up holiday lights, check your gutters. You’ll want to get rid of leaves and other debris from your gutters before winter rolls in, as clogged gutters can lead to drainage problems and water damage.
- Store lawn furniture and gardening tools in your shed or garage so that they can be stowed away until next spring. Take some time to give your tools a thorough cleaning to prevent rusting during the winter.
Seasonal Cleanups & Residential Landscape Maintenance from Edward’s Lawn & Home
Need help getting your yard cleaned up this fall? At Edward’s Lawn & Home, we help home and business owners transform their landscapes into the stuff of their dreams. Whether you’re looking to install a new hardscape or simply perform routine landscape maintenance, our experienced design and build professionals take great care to deliver a quality product that will meet your satisfaction. Get in touch with us today by calling (443) 341 6539. You can also check out our portfolio or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.