Fall is officially here.
With the kids back in school and the holidays around the corner (seriously, is Thanksgiving less a week away?), you’ll be too busy to devote much attention to those small autumn landscaping tasks every homeowner needs to take care of.
So head on down to Lane’s Landscaping Supplies and let us help you with your fall landscape maintenance checklist.
Job 1: Spread down one last layer of mulch
There’s a reason giving your garden fresh mulch is the first task listed in your fall clean-up checklist.
As the temperatures drop, the moisture and nutrients your plants require are harder to come by.
By putting down new mulch on top of your topsoil, you’ll:
- Protect roots from sub-zero temperatures
- Lock in moisture when it’s windy and cold
One last thing: When you do mulch this fall, be sure to use a composted mulch product.
It has organic materials which will biodegrade over winter (thus creating another source of food and nutrients for your landscaping.
Job 2: Clear out dead branches and plants
While the weather is still pleasant, you should get outside and remove any unwanted debris from your landscaping.
Here’s why:
- Doing it now means it won’t be an eyesore all winter long
- There’ll be no spots for animals to hide or nest in
- It keeps your interlock pavers clear of trip or slip hazards
Also, you may want to hold off on any fall pruning.
When you prune your plants, you’re actually stimulating them to grow back. If you prune now, they may grow back before winter hits.
In that case, the new growth may not be able to handle the cold and snow.
Instead, prune in the winter when your plants are dormant. When spring arrives, they’ll be ready to grow and bloom in full.
Job 3: Cover up delicate or sensitive plants
Your garden plants which can’t come indoors need to be protected during the winter.
You can either:
- Wrap them up with a burlap sack or other special winterized plant covering
- Cover them with an unused plastic bin or container (like a recycling box)
Job 4: Remove gunk and standing water
If left, ignored or forgotten, standing water will freeze. Depending on where it is, it may end up cracking or warping certain areas (thus adding to your interlock cost).
And gunk like wet leaves can serve as a breeding ground for bugs and insects.
Take a walk around your backyard and look for any leftover water and waste in things like:
- Backyard pond
- Hoses
- Children’s climbers and swings
- Patio furniture
- Outdoor cooking or entertainment areas
- Natural steps
Then, grab a ladder and climb up to your eaves troughs. Any leaves, mud, twigs or other junk should be carefully and thoroughly removed.
Job 5: Lawn care
Your grass could use some TLC for the fall and winter.
Here’s what to do:
- Aerate: This helps rain, water and other nutrients reach the roots. At the same time, aerating your lawn prevents water from pooling and flooding it.
- Feed: Fertilize your lawn and help the roots stay strong all winter long.
- Compost: Collecting fallen leaves and composting them now will give you a source of nutrient-rich soil that’ll help your lawn (and flower beds too) come back to life after a long, tough winter.
Job 6: Clean and seal your interlock
Your interlocking pavers are tough.
But even they’re susceptible to staining, freezing and chipping during the fall (and especially in winter).
Cleaning and sealing your interlocking patio stones with Techniseal products will ensure they retain their colour and appearance all the way through spring.
To wash your stones:
- Clean them with a high-pressure washer
- Sweep in any lost sand or aggregates with a broom
- Give a quick rinse with your garden hose
To seal your stones:
- Make sure no precipitation will fall in the next 36 hours
- Apply the sealer product as per the directions
- Let dry for 24 hours
- Apply a second coat of the sealer product and let dry for another 12 hours
One last thing: Always make sure you follow the directions on whatever cleaning and sealing products you use.
Job 7: Order your driveway and sidewalk winter salt
Why is ordering homeowner driveway and sidewalk salt a fall clean-up checklist item (as opposed to a winter one)?
Because you’ll want to have your bulk salt supply – especially if you’re a contactor – before winter arrives and the snow starts to fall.
You just never know if an unexpected salt shortage will take place.
And by the time you find out, it’s already too late. Your driveway is covered in snow and ice and you don’t have anything to get rid of it with.
That’s why it makes sense to order your bulk salt now; even if it’s mild out.
Need help with your fall landscape maintenance checklist? Come to Lane’s
We’re homeowners too. We understand that fall is a busy time and there’s plenty of landscaping jobs to tackle.
So we want to help.
Contact us with any questions you have. Or, if you already know what you need, ask for a FREE quote on any of our products.
We’ll get back to you ASAP with the information you need.
