It’s almost time to put away your lawn and garden tools after lovingly caring for your lawn, garden and trees since Spring.
Here are some handy tips to take care of your yard and property before it’s time to swap your lawn mower and rake for your snow shovel and ice melt. Okay, that doesn’t make winter sound like much fun, but it sure is pretty and it doesn’t normally snow every day. Winter also brings Christmas and days off to enjoy spending with family and friends, so there definitely is an up side to the cold and snow. And let’s not forget fun winter activities like toboganning, snowball fights, sledding, skiing or simply staying cozy in your home with the fireplace running while you watch mother nature coat all of the trees with snow.
These tips will help you prepare for Winter and a healthy yard come Spring.
1. Care for your Trees
Autumn is a great time to prune most trees and shrubs, when they are not blooming or putting out new buds.
It is also a good time to trim dead branches rather than having a dead limb fall on your property during a winter storm or strong wind and inadvertently cause property damage.
Fall is also a good time to apply deep root fertilizer to young trees, trees with slow growing or dull foliage, and trees with pests. Not sure if your trees and shrubs could benefit from this service? Then check out our blog, “Signs Your Trees May Need Fertilizer”.
2. Tackle those Leaves
Make sure to rake leaves from your lawn or use your lawnmower to collect leaves and use for compost. Dry leaves are carbon rich and are excellent “brown materials” to use in your compost, to create that 1/3 nitrogen (green) material and 2/3 carbon (brown) material combination. Compost is nutrient rich, helps retain water, lightens the soil and is very effective to use as a lawn fertilizer, in your garden and flower beds. Or use your lawnmower to mulch the leaves and leave them on your lawn.
If you don’t rake your leaves from your lawn, they will form and create a wet barrier and the grass blades will be unable to breathe and absorb moisture for dry roots.
Raking or mulching also helps to maintain a healthy thatch layer (1” or less). “Too much thatch can limit the ability of oxygen, water, insecticides and pre-emergent herbicides to reach their intended target.” (Source: Total Landscape Care, Clearing up confusion: The pros and cons of thatch)
3. Care for your Grass
Continue cutting your grass if it is above 2-1/2” or 3″ in height. As the season draws to a close and your grass stops growing, it is time for the last cut before Winter. Cut your lawn to 2″ to 2-1/2″, but no shorter.
Apply fertilizer, aerate and again, make sure to remove the leaves from the lawn or mulch.
Mulching the leaves and leaving them on your lawn helps the soil absorb their nutrients and is good natural fertilizer for your lawn.
For more Fall Lawn Care Tips check out our Blog.
4. Store You Lawn Mower and Yard Equipment
Help protect your lawn care equipment by properly cleaning and storing before the snow falls and the temperatures drop. If you do it before it gets too cold and you don’t have to brush the snow off of your equipment, it will be much more pleasant and a much easier job.
If you notice any repairs that need to be made or equipment that needs to be replaced, make a note to take care of before you need them in the Spring to avoid last minute scrambling.
And while you’re storing away that lawn equipment, don’t forget to shut off exterior water taps and to store hoses, sprinklers, children’s toys and anything else you have in the yard that you can’t use over the winter.
5. Prep for Snow
Yes, snow is one thing we can all be sure of, living in Alberta.
If you have recently moved into a home with a driveway and sidewalk that you need to take care of yourself, or if you pitched your old snow shovel last winter, after wearing it out, then it’s not too early to start shopping before the first winter snow storm and everyone is rushing out to the home centres and hardware stores.
And, if you have winter tires, now is a good time to think about making an appointment to have them installed before everyone else has made an appointment to do so as well. And, if you took your ice scraper out of the car, maybe you should put it back in the car now, before you actually need it.
Preparation can help avoid extra stress later.
Earth Smart Property Solutions offers Lawn Care Services (fertilizer and weed control, aerating and fall yard clean ups) and Tree Care services (minor pruning, hedge trimming and deep root fertilizer) in Calgary and Red Deer areas if you don’t have time to take care of these seasonal chores yourself. Please contact your local office for more info.
We are also offer Snow Removal Services in:
- Central Alberta: Red Deer, Penhold, Sylvan Lake, Blackfalds and Springbrook and areas
- Calgary Area: Calgary: SW and SE quadrants (some areas may not be available) and Chestermere
Please note: This blog is an adaptation of an article by Consumer Reports, “Complete Guide to Fall Yard Care”.
Source:
Consumer Reports, “Complete Guide to Fall Yard Care”
Total Landscape Care, “Clearing up confusion: The pros and cons of thatch”
Earth Smart Solutions, “Fall Composting Tips”
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