Can you believe that summer is practically over and the autumn season is right around the corner? If you live in certain areas, your yard might already be showing signs of the changing seasons. There are certain outdoor chores that you can start doing now to set your lawn up for success in the cooler months ahead.
Here are some lawncare prep tips to get your outdoor space ready for fall.
Keep the Water Flowing
Just because the hottest days are over doesn’t mean you can skimp on watering. This might not be a problem if you have a rainy autumn season where you live. But if not, it helps to water your lawn in the fall to help it recover from summer damage and become more resilient for winter.
Mow and Rake
Fall is not the time to stash away the mower in the shed just yet. You’ll want to keep mowing at about a two-inch height to support future grass growth and get rid of fallen leaves too. Raking leaves will keep your existing plants in the sunlight and prevent excess moisture build-up. Another option is to mulch those leaves so that they can decompose into a natural fertilizer.
Apply Some Fertilizer
Many people think that fertilizing is only for the springtime, but fall fertilizing is actually very important. A good time to apply fertilizer is a few weeks before the last time you mow for the season. This gives plants an extra nutrient boost before the grass goes dormant and so the roots can store nutrients for the upcoming winter.
Seagate offers Fish Fertilizer and Seaweed & Fish SoilTabs to give your flowers, trees, and vegetables a nutrient boost.
Aerate Your Soil
To free up the passageways so nutrients can reach the roots of plants, consider aerating your soil in the fall. Professional machinery is often used for aeration, especially in large spaces. But by doing this fall chore, you can often avoid thinning and brown grass that results from heat stress and soil compaction over time.
Drain Your Hoses
It’s easy to forget about hoses around the outside of your property when you’re not watering plants every day. But it’s a smart idea to drain your hoses in the fall so that water doesn’t freeze in them when the weather turns colder. Frozen water can split a hose open so that you have to buy a new one before you would have otherwise needed to. It’s easy to drain hoses by extending them out along a slope on your driveway or yard.
Keep Gutters Clean
As leaves begin to fall from the trees, you’ll want to check your gutters for blockages. Leaves collecting in gutters, spouts, and on the roof can result in drainage problems, water collection, and costly damage to your house. Plumber snakes can be helpful to pull wet leaf clumps from downspouts that have become clogged.