How To Clean Up Your Yard For Fall: Our 3 Basic Steps
The weather is getting colder so if you want to know how to clean up your yard for fall, we've got 3 easy ways to do it below!
How To Clean Up Your Yard For Fall: Store Outdoor Furniture
The first how to clean up your yard for fall is to put away summer furniture, accessories, and toys. You'll want things covered and protected - especially when these items are exposed outside and especially if you have snow in the winter where you live. Most homes don't have extra room in their garage for patio furniture, summer children's pools, and outdoor accessories we all enjoy during the summer. The perfect solutions for this is utilizing self-storage! It's affordable, easy and you have access to your stuff whenever you want.
Keylock Storageclued customers in on what they want and should consider when looking into self-storage. They said,
"When renting a storage unit, it’s possible to overlook the full range of security features that your facility provides. The absence of storage security elements could lead to a theft of your property or other problem. Not all storage operators place a high priority on security and renters could end up paying the price.
Keylock Storage is not one of those operators. Committed to the highest and most modern levels of security they strive to provide the safest and secure experience for their customers.
Keylock Security Features Include:
- On-site managers and staff
- Electronic gates with individual coded access
- Secure and locked units
- 24 HourHigh-grade security cameras and security monitoring
- Securely fenced-in facilities
- Well lighted facility grounds and wide aisles
- Tenant Insurance Options Available"
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How To Clean Up Your Yard For Fall: Yard Cleanup
The next thing you'll want to do is get the yard ready. This includes the last lawn mow, raking leaves, pruning and more. Safewise did a comprehensive list of what needs to be done for fall yard clean up. They listed,
"1. Clean out debris.
Fallen leaves and weeds are the perfect place for pests to settle in for the winter. Clear out flower beds to keep the critters at bay. Pay special attention to rose beds, as their foliage can foster disease over the winter.
2. Till the vegetable garden.
After the final harvest, pull out old vegetable plants, remove debris, and completely till the whole plot. If you compost, now is the time to add a layer of compost to help nurture your soil for planting next spring.
3. Trim Rogue Branches.
Trim up any large or out-of-place tree branches that may cause trouble during the winter. You don’t want any branches breaking and falling during the snowfall to come.
4. Clean out the gutters.
Not all fall cleanup is in the yard. This is the perfect time to clear leaves and other debris from rain gutters. Check for proper drainage, clear out any blockages with a small garden trowel, and rinse with a hose.
5. Dry everything out.
Drain all water from hoses, fountains, and drip irrigation systems, and store them in a dry place. Water left standing over the winter may damage your equipment.
6. Aerate.
Break up soil to keep water from pooling and guarantee that nutrients will reach the roots over the winter. A garden fork will do the job for small yards, but larger yards may require a walk-behind aerator, which should be available to rent for a reasonable price.
7. Feed the lawn.
Send your yard into winter with the nutrients it needs to survive the long, cold sleep. Add a fall lawn fertilizer with high phosphorous content to encourage root growth and enjoy a lush, green lawn come spring.
8. Rake and mulch.
Don’t let fallen leaves get the best of you; if left unattended they can suffocate the grass. Rake them up, shred them, and use them as mulch for young trees, shrubs, and flower beds. You might even be able to skip the raking part if you use a lawn mower to mulch the leaves in your yard.
9. Prune trees and shrubs.
Trim any dead branches and cut back overgrown trees and bushes. If you have blooming perennials like clematis or roses, now is the time to prune them and train the branches.
10. Give it one last mow.
Set your mower to a low setting and give the lawn a close buzz before winter sets in. This helps the soil dry out more quickly in the spring, which leads to a lusher lawn.
11. Divide and cut back perennials.
If your perennials really took off this year, go ahead and spread the love. Divide plants and add them to other beds where they will also do well. This saves money and time in the spring. Fall-blooming perennials like chrysanthemums shouldn’t be divided now — wait and divide them in the spring.
12. Protect cold-sensitive plants.
Keep sensitive perennials, shrubs, and roses in top shape through the cold days of winter. Add mulch to the base and wrap plants in cloth barriers to prevent damage from freezing. Depending on the hardiness of the plant and your climate, you can use a single sheet or blanket or wrap them in a combination of cloth and plastic.
13. Plant bulbs, shrubs, and fall annuals.
Some plants do best when planted in the fall. If you want to add new shrubs or spring bulbs like hyacinth, now is the time to get them in the ground. Fall annuals like pansies are also a great addition to keep some color in your yard as other plants go to sleep.
14. Protect the deck.
Prevent the growth of mold and mildew by giving the deck a good power wash. If you don’t have a pressure washer, you can rent one from a garden store. Once the deck is clean and dry, add a weatherproofing stain to protect the wood from moisture damage over the winter.
15. Clean tools and store them.
Don’t throw your gardening tools in the shed and forget about them until spring. Take time to give them a good cleaning and add a light coat of oil to prevent rust during the cold season.
If you follow this checklist you’re bound to have a wonderfully winterized yard that will be ready to wow you with lush, green bounty once the warm weather returns."
How To Clean Up Your Yard For Fall: Blow Out Your Sprinklers
A vital step in how to clean up your yard for fall is by winterizing your irrigation system. This includes blowing out your sprinklers. It's an important step that leads to the longevity and health of your irrigation system but not everyone does it. All Terrain Landscaping addressed this on their site:
"We’ve heard it time and time again: I didn’t blow out my sprinkler system last year and I didn’t have a problem. Or, I’ve been doing it this way for years. Or, I have an auto-drain sprinkler system. Well, it’s time to take off your stubborn hat and let us explain why it’s a good idea to have your sprinkler professionally blown out for the winter. After all, your sprinkler system is the longest lasting appliance in your house. Take a little care and you’ll get 40-60 years of life out of it!
Many people often just turn off their sprinkler and let it drain out. In that instance we’re just hoping that evaporation takes place in the ground and cross your fingers after the first freeze, nothing happens.
There is one potential problem with that method – sprinkler pipes are not always installed with the pipes parallel to the ground; there are often peaks and valleys in the pipe. In other words, there may be one part of your hose that forms a dip, creating a great place for water to collect and freeze, and even a little bit of ice in one spot will destroy over time.
When the water freezes and expands, the PVC pipe will likely burst in multiple places. Furthermore, frozen water trapped in the backflow assembly will cause destruction to the internal components of the pipe. This kind of damage would cost much more than the cost of the having All Terrain do a professional blow out.
Our method?
The blow out method involves placing a small amount of pressure behind the sprinkler system using a commercial air compressor at only 55-65 psi but that delivers 185 CFM. Too much pressure can cause damage to the valves or piping and using a small shop compressor will result in it not having enough “free” air to properly winterize the system. When properly done, the blow out method forces all of the water out of the sprinkler system so there is no chance of freeze damage throughout the winter months."
We hope this how to clean up your yard for fall list has helped you in your yard winter preparation!
In addition, you can visit Keylock Storage Blog for more interesting articles about organization and lifestyle: keylockstorage.com/blogs
