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It’s not quite winter just yet, but the coldest season of the year is fast approaching. When fall comes, it can make a real mess of the garden. You might want to wait until spring to tidy it all up but if you’re not careful, it can cause real problems now (unless of course, you live somewhere you can have a winter garden). Here are some of the post-fall tidy-ups you should consider getting started on soon and why it’s worth making the effort.
What to Do With Leaves
By mid to late fall, most of the trees have hopefully already lost their leaves. Renting a leaf blower from companies like Sunbelt Rentals can help you tidy them up in no time. However, you might also want to consider leaving some leaves behind. A tidy lawn might be worth the effort, but leaves in the flower bed will eventually rot away and leave the soil much richer, helping your growth in the new year. It also provides garden-friendly animals cover for winter.
Treat Lawn Problems Now
If you leave problems like moss, thatch, and dampness to take over your lawn by the end of fall, then your garden can be in a dire state by the time spring rolls around. If you can rake it up, then do so, but don’t be afraid to use moss killer, following it up with a sandy top dressing and some lawn feed to keep it cared for during the winter months.
Pressure Wash Surfaces
Aside from falling leaves and general green clutter, there’s going to be a lot of organic particulate in the air. Dirt, grime, pollen, and the like all get stirred up and the rain can batter them into stone and other surfaces in the garden. Our shed, in particular, always needs pressure washed in the fall. As New Again Pressure Washing can help you clean those surfaces right back up. It’s worth considering as they can get very slippery, forming a fall hazard, if you’re not careful.
Pull Up Dead Plants
If you have anything left in the summer garden, then it’s a good idea to remove them now before your first frost. You might think to leave them there to serve as fertilizer for the next generation of plants, but mostly they’re going to provide fodder for garden pests, not to mention fungal diseases that can take hold and spread through the rest of the garden, after. It’s best to discard them now and make compost out of them.
Remember the Wildlife
This might not exactly count as tidying up the garden but it’s worth remembering that local wildlife can use a little help in the winter, and your garden can play a big role in that. Top up your bird feeders with high-energy birdseed that’s specifically meant for the winter months and keep them clean during the winter, too. This is just one example of how you can do your part for the little creatures.
You don’t want to give yourself extra work to do in the garden in the middle of winter. Follow the tips above and make your home a little easier to take care of when the season approaches.
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