Is Your Yard Ready?

Football has started, the kids are back at school, and summer is officially over. Is your house ready for winter? Even if you have done the typically things to get your house ready for fall, like have your furnace inspected and checking your house for leaks, you might have forgotten that your lawn needs maintenance too.  A little work this fall and it will be all ready for next spring, you won't regret any of the effort you put in. Here is a great article from ELA on a few things you should take care of in your yard:

Just because the weather is turning cooler doesn’t mean your work outside is done! Here are a few things you need to do to get your yard ready for fall, and ensure a great lawn and garden next year, too.

Fall is nearly here. You can smell it, feel the crispness of the air in the early mornings, see the beginnings of leaves changing color and the end of the rapid, lush growth of spring and summer. For many people, this is a favorite time of year, when the weather starts to get cooler but hasn’t yet gotten cold and wet.

Just because the most rapid part of the growing season is over doesn’t mean your work outside is done, however! There is a lot left to do if you want to properly prepare your yard for fall and, eventually, winter. Here are a few things that still need to be done.

• Check all landscape lights and other outdoor lighting. All of your outdoor lighting should be checked both spring and fall to make sure it’s in good working order and won’t be susceptible to moisture damage, especially in the wet winter months. Replace bulbs as needed, and be sure that your wiring is in good shape and well protected from the elements.
• Fertilize, aerate, and seed your lawn. Many people assume that just because the days are cooler and the flowers are no longer blooming, the time to do yard maintenance is over. Actually, the opposite is true. Fertilizing and aerating your lawn in the fall helps it to recover after the scorching heat of summer. Seeding in the fall also helps to fill in bare patches, because the grass can grow undisturbed by weeds.
• Mow to 2 or 2 1/2 inches, as needed. You will also need to continue mowing your lawn throughout the fall, until the grass totally stops growing. Between 2 and 2 1/2 inches is a good length. Long grass plus snow for a roof makes a perfect home for mice, so keeping your lawn short will help prevent animals from tearing it up during the winter!