Fall is officially here. The trees are changing colors and temperatures are slowly cooling down. Now is the perfect time to get outside and tidy up the yard to protect your beautiful landscaping before the bitter winter swoops in. Take a look at these four tips on how to keep everything looking great while protecting your yard.
Spread Mulch
It is better to lay mulch down in the fall than in the spring, because it will protect roots from any winter frost and help retain moisture in the ground. It is best to buy hardwood shredded mulch from home and garden stores so that previous plant diseases can be avoided.
Remove Dead and Dying Plants
You don’t want to completely prune during the fall season, but you should at least neaten everything up before leaving it for the winter. Remove dead annuals and cut back dead flowers so they will have a chance to freshly bloom when spring rolls around. Lightly prune dead branches from trees and shrubs.
Collect Leaves
If you have a bounty of trees in your yard, you and the rake are likely to become close friends (or enemies). To make it easier to maintain the falling leaves, rake them onto a plastic tarp so large amounts can be dumped at once.
Keep Mowing
Keep a yearly routine of mowing the grass so everything will stay fresh. Your local nursery or home improvement store is a great resource to look for tips on fertilization and upkeep. Maintaining the grass gives it a better chance of surviving the winter.
Don’t forget to keep up the curb appeal of your home through all of the seasons! Thankfully, fall in the south is one of the best times of the year and you will WANT to be outside beautifying your yard.