Straightening up your yard in the fall can be as rewarding as it is difficult, especially when you have fall cleanup tips to help make the process more fulfilling. However, since varying tasks need to be carried out to ensure a thorough job, you should make sure you create a proper plan beforehand. If you fail to create a detailed plan, you will end up wasting an unnecessary amount of time and energy without even getting everything done the right way.
When cleaning up your landscape for the fall, you will need to remove the leaves from the floor and your drainage. You will also need to prune your plants and prepare them for the cold winter days ahead. You may also need to thoroughly clean and cover your pool since it will not be getting much use during the cold weather.
Once you’ve decided what tasks need to be tackled, you should keep the following tips in mind to help make your fall cleanup a lot more efficient.
Prevent Crop Disease by Removing Wasted Vegetables
If you want to save a lot of time and prevent plant disease from spreading to your crops in the spring, you should make sure you completely pull out and dispose of any crops from the ground. If vegetables are left in the yard during the cold season, they can attract pests, and this infection may stay until the spring, creating disease in any new vegetation you plant.
If your crops are already infested with disease, you should take extra care in removing them. Such vegetables should be removed entirely, and they should not be placed in the compost pile either.
Start Weeding Early
Your fall yard cleanup is also the perfect time to start the weeding process. Though it may look like no weeding needs to be done, in truth, this is the ideal time to begin the process, so you don’t have to deal with a yard full of weeds in the spring. You should water the ground before you start weeding to make the ground softer, and you should run a rake across the grass to loosen up the soil and make your job even more straightforward.
Cover Your Crops
If you don’t intend on growing any winter crops, you should cover the ground with an organic mulch or tarp to prevent any weeds from growing. If you intend to grow crops, you can use a bedsheet or growth cloth to avoid the cold weather and the snow from doing any severe damage to your plants.
Don’t Cut Your Grass Too Low.
Another vital tip to keep in mind is that you should avoid cutting the grass too low when you’re mowing your lawn. Naturally, your grass won’t be growing much until the spring rolls around again, and cutting it too low can result in damage to your soil and can make it more difficult for soil-enriching insects to do their job. When cutting your grass, you should also try to use a shredding mower because returning the shredded grass to your lawn is excellent for helping further enrich the soil.
Save Fall Leaves for Compost
When cleaning up your yard, you should also try to save as many leaves and other plants as you can to add to your compost collection. Throughout the year, it’s easy for most individuals to get access to vegetable peels and similar nitrogen-rich compost material. However, carbon-rich compost materials are hard to come by but can be collected in bulk during the autumn. So instead of just bagging all your leaves, consider leaving some in piles at less-often visited areas to help enrich your soil. Saving the leaves in banks can also provide perfect habitats for pollinators such as birds and butterflies.
Get an Early Start on Planting
Once you’ve cleared the area, you can start planting bushes, hedges, and berries. You can also begin planting fall bulbs that will eventually sprout into early flowers in the spring.
Use the Right Tools and Prepare Your Tools for Storage
Using the right tools to help clear the fallen leaves and help you dig up the ground can make all the difference in how efficiently you get your work done. Always use a sharp spade to ensure you are not exerting unnecessary effort digging up the soil.
Once you are done cleaning and you are finished using your tools, you should turn off the water for your hose and drain it completely so it does not freeze. You should also drain out the gas in your lawnmower and clean all your gardening tools before officially storing them for the winter.
Don’t do Everything on Your Own
It can be tempting to do all the work on your own, especially if you love gardening, but you have to remember to prioritize your health and time. If you have many areas to cover or want to make sure you don’t make any mistakes or forget something during your autumn cleanup, consider hiring a lawn care professional at Divine Lawns to help you with clearing out your yard and preparing it for the winter.
Fall cleanup doesn’t have to be complicated. You can make the most of your fall yard cleanup by following these simple fall cleanup tips and ensuring you remove wasted crops and save suitable leaves for your compost pile. You should also make sure to cut your grass to the correct height and get an early start on planting for the spring season. Lastly, you should make sure not to do everything entirely on your own as this can be exhausting and can result in you doing a poor job.
Get in touch with a lawn service professional at Divine Lawns to learn more about our autumn lawn care services so you can relax and enjoy the lovely season while we take care of all the heavy-duty work that it takes to make your lawn simply Divine.