Your Ultimate List For Fall Yard Cleanup

Clear the Gutters

Remove the leaves and any debris blocking the gutters. Maintain a clean downspout so that water can freely flow into the sewers.

You could use a domestic grease-cutter and some rags to clean the part of your gutters that faces the street during your fall cleaning.

If you plan on raking the leaves soon, you may throw them on the ground without worrying unless they are extremely damp, stinky, or unpleasant.

Drain Moisture

Equipment that uses water, such as hoses, fountains, and drip irrigation systems, should be dried off and stored away from water. If you leave water sitting around all winter, it might freeze and cause problems for your equipment.

Aerate Your Yard

It is essential to aerate the soil to prevent water from accumulating and ensure that nutrients reach the roots even when the soil is dormant. A garden fork will do the job for smaller lawns, but a walk-behind aerator may be necessary; these can usually be rented for a fair fee.

Fertilize the Lawn

Prepare your garden for the long, cold winter by fertilizing it. Adding a phosphorus-rich lawn fertilizer in the autumn will promote root development, leading to thick, green grass in the spring.

Mulch and Rake

Take your time dealing with the leaves; they might kill the grass if left untreated. Instead, get rid of them by raking and shredding them to use as mulch around young trees, shrubs, and flower beds to aid with nutritional absorption, weed prevention, and temperature regulation of plant roots. By mulching the leaves with a lawn mower, you may not even need to rake them.

Trim Bushes and Trees

During your fall cleanup, remove any dead limbs and prune from any unwanted trees or plants. Now is the time to trim spring-flowering perennials such as lilac and forsythia without affecting the flowering season.

Finalize Mowing and Trimming

A final mow can be done at any time. In some instances, it might change from year to year or even region to region. If you want a beautifully groomed lawn all year round, wait until the grass stops growing in the late fall or until the temperature gets below freezing, whichever comes first.

Make sure your blades are adjusted to the lowest setting possible. Keep it up for a week, and then mow again. Cutting the grass short discourages illness but cutting it shorter than 1.25 inches is not recommended since grass produces most of the food it eats at the top of the blade.

Rake Off Bare Areas

If you have bald patches after your last mow, you should rake over them with plant residues or, better yet, a lawn repair kit, including a seeds composition to spread out over those places.

Perform Repairs on Irrigation Equipment

Now is the time to inspect and fix any problems with your irrigation system, whether a traditional sprinkler system or a more modern drip-irrigation system. It is also essential to let these systems dry up to prevent freezing.

Separate and Transplant Perennials

Remember that you should reduce perennials’ fertilization in late summer to prevent excessive leaf development.

At the start of autumn, you should pull up any perennials beyond their prime and eliminate any slugs or snails currently feasting on them.

Additionally, you should cut any dead or dying leaves down to the soil, and overcrowded plants, mainly herbaceous perennial ones, should be split every three years.

Plant Fresh Vines and Fall Annuals

The planting season for autumn annuals and new shrubs coincides now. We plant new shrubs in the autumn since that’s when the soil is at its coolest and wettest, allowing for optimal root development.

This could be done by excavating a hole twice as wide but 1.5 inches deep, exposing the root to air and light.

Mulch Young Plants

Mulch should be spread over the soil around any freshly planted plants. If you have young plants, prepare the soil by tilling it, adding 2 to 4 inches of dirt if needed, and then covering it with mulch.

Keep Cold-Sensitive Plants Safe

A gentle tilling of the soil, adding essential materials, and applying a layer of mulch can protect plants of any age susceptible to cold from damage.

Wrapping plants in cold barriers to protect them from freezing and other weather-related harm may be essential depending on the plant’s species.

Depending on the harsh weather conditions, you may need to cover the plants extensively with fabric and plastic.

Preparing Your Deck For Winter

Now is the time to do it if you want to avoid having anything blown about on your deck. Pressure washing should typically be done once a year.

If you need help cleaning your deck using a pressure washer safely, it’s best to call a specialist. Decks should be re-stained every five years or as soon as it becomes obvious that it needs it, and you may apply a solution to prevent mildew and other development during the autumn.

Put Away Dirty Equipment

Finally, ensure you dry and keep your garden equipment away from moisture. The life expectancy of gas lawnmowers can be significantly increased by proper winterization.

Ready to Get Started?

Following this checklist will ensure that your yard is beautifully winterized and prepared to wow you with a lush, green harvest once the warm weather arrives.

Don’t feel like spending your free time cleaning up your yard for the fall? You can get a free quote on our professional services by visiting GCS Outdoors or calling 978-417-1403.