Fall yard clean-up season is just around the corner and along with what you usually do to clean up your yard space, here are some things you absolutely cannot miss when tidying up your yard this season!
Rake out all leaves and weeds: dried leaves and weeds in your yard or garden can be an ugly sight before and after the snow, so removing those piles in the Fall is best. Plus, leaving those piles around outside can lure other animals and that also is not good for your outdoor space. The best way to clear out these disgusting eyesores is by raking them up all together into a pile and then picking them up and disposing of the leaves and weeds into a leaf bag which can be purchased at any hardware store or even grocery stores! Be sure to find out yard waste collection days in your neighborhood so you know when to put your leave bags out on the curb. However, leaving fallen leaves on the ground can also supply nutrition to your lawn for the winter months!
Clear out vegetable gardens: After you finish harvesting all of the remaining vegetables left in the garden, pick out all of the old or rotting vegetables and compost them if you can for good quality soil in the spring.
Check on gutters and put away all water sources: While you are cleaning your yard, why not clean out your gutter while you are working? Clear out any leaves or twigs that may have built up there in the summer also check to see if the gutter is still draining properly. After you finish with your gutter, move on to any source of water that you have in your yard like rain barrels or fountains, and drain out all the water that is left as you don’t want it freezing in the winter. Finding a dry place to store all of your equipment for the winter like a garage or a basement also works.
Protect sensitive plants: Protecting plants that are sensitive to cold is one of the most important steps in fall yard cleanup because you don’t want them to suffer in the winter months. You can protect them
by putting some mulch around the base of the plant or wrapping a bit of cloth around the plant.
Trim leftover branches: If you have any leftover branches that are dead, ugly, or diseased that you did not get to trimming in the summer, cut them off now as you don’t want the weight of the snow going on them in the cold months and causing them to fall.
So, that is my list of Fall yard clean-up must-dos so you can have a successful spring and a less worrisome winter! Trust me, doing all of these steps will make your garden very happy.
