Six Fall Clean Up Tips for your home.

It’s time to get ready for winter with a thorough fall cleanup all around the outside of your home. 
Courtesy of True Value

Step 1: Keep Up on Lawn Maintenance

Keep mowing your lawn right up until the first frost, but try to keep the grass length longer than 2½" throughout the fall season. When you mow for the last time, use a mulching mower. The mulch will keep as much nitrogen as possible in the soil over the winter and into the spring. Don’t forget to check your lawn for weeds. Use a dandelion weeder to pop them out of the soil, and they won’t return in the spring.

 Step 2: Dethatch and Aerate Your Lawn

Thatch builds up when grass clippings are not chopped finely enough with a mulching mower or if excessive clippings are not removed after cutting. To prevent thatch from accumulating, rake your lawn after mowing. 

Lawn aeration in the fall will give you healthy grass in the spring. Aerating allows for greater movement of water, fertilizer and air. It also increases the speed of mulch decomposition and encourages deep root growth, so be sure to aerate before applying fertilizer.

Step 3: Plant in the Fall for Spring Blooms

For the best spring bloom of your garden, start planting bulbs now. Many common bulbs can be planted in fall, including tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. Tubers such as daylilies and dahlias are also popular choices for the fall planting season. Use a blanket of compost or mulch several inches thick to cover your newly planted bulbs during the winter months. Fall is also the best time to plant cool-season grasses. Varieties such as perennial rye, bluegrass and fescue do well this time of year for filling bare spots. 

Step 4: Fertilize Your Lawn and Garden

It’s important to fertilize before the first frost. Experts at your local hardware store can fill you in on everything you need to know about lawn fertilization, including how to find the right fall fertilizer for your grass or flowerbeds. Take note not to fertilize roses, however, because this discourages winter growth and makes your roses more vulnerable to extreme temperatures and conditions.

Step 5: Prepare Your Deck or Patio

Wintry conditions can be hard on decks and patios, and any furniture on them. Remove patio furniture and store it in the garage or wherever there’s space. If that’s not an option, invest in furniture covers that are made to withstand the harsh winter weather. Before you store or cover anything, clean your furniture properly. Wipe each piece with damp cloths and dry with towels. 

Step 6: Clean and Repair Gutters

When the bulk of leaves have fallen for the season, check your gutters. Clogged gutters can damage your home and cause basement flooding when snow melts, so it’s important to clean your gutters before winter hits. Use a ladder to get onto the roof, and then remove leaves and twigs with gloved hands and/or a large scoop.  Use a hose to flush out the gutters after you’re done cleaning. With the hose running, you may find any leaks that need to be repaired.