WIN Home Inspectors had great suggestions for homeowners.
After a flurry of work managing yards and gardens during the summer growing season, many homeowners and home shoppers are ready to take a break from outdoor activities. Unfortunately, handling autumn lawn care tasks is necessary to assure that the lawn, trees, and plants are healthy come springtime. Fortunately, the fall to-do list is easy—and will vary somewhat by climate. But in general, here’s what clients can expect to find on their outdoor chore list:
Mow and kill weeds as usual.
Rake and manage leaves.
It may sound simple and obvious, but letting leaves pile up for too long, especially in a moist environment, can choke the grass beneath, leading to “dirt patches” where formerly living grass used to be. You need not run out and rake every day, but keep an eye on accumulating leaves and consider raking every three days or so. When raking, rake deeply rather than just skimming the surface to remove leave, which can help remove “thatch”—a dying layer between the soil and grass. As the season progresses, double-check that leaves aren’t clogging outdoor drains or gutters.
Water, but time watering carefully.
Water trees and shrubs in early fall (if you’re not getting normal rainfall), and water both evergreen and deciduous plants in early fall. However, once leaves begin falling wait until the plants are bare before giving them a major watering. The reason for this is to prevent the plants from launching new growths that won’t be hardy enough to withstand the coming winter.
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