It’s the first Saturday of Fall! Fortunately it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day for pulling out the Fall Yard Cleanup Checklist. This is a great list I found about a year ago, let’s start with the first half of the checklist items today:
- Clean Your Rain-gutters: Now is a good time to clear leaves and debris from your gutters. Ensure proper drainage of your roof to avoid costly leaks before the cooler wet weather hits. Use a small garden trowel to scoop out the gunk. If the dirt is solidified, soak it first to loosen it, then use a garden hose to rinse it out through the downspouts. If there’s a clog, use a plumber’s auger to free it.
- Prune Overgrown Trees and Hedges: We talked about the trees and shrubs that need a haircut in the Fall a couple of weeks ago, today would be a great time to trim overgrown areas and remove dead limbs before they weaken and fall under winter snows . Thinning your trees now may save you a roof-repair bill in the future.
- Protect Your Deck From the Coming Utah Winter: With summer traffic in your backyard slowing, now is a great time to use a pressure washer to clean the mold, mildew and grime from your deck before sealing it. Once your deck is clean and dry, protect it from costly moisture damage with weather-proof wood stain.
- Start the Compost Pile You’ve Been Thinking About: We talked about composting earlier this summer. If you’ve been putting it off, it might be a great time to start with all the garden cleanup going on.
- Till Your Vegetable Garden: It’s time to clean and clear your vegetable garden. Dig out old vegetable plants and add them to your compost pile. Till the plot thoroughly, then add several inches of compost to nurture the soil for spring planting. Work the compost into the soil to help it breathe and allow rainwater to pass through more easily.
I’m headed out the door now to start on my list, I’ll share the rest of the list next time. If you have any questions about getting your landscape or vegetable garden ready for winter, stop by any Western Garden Center and talk to one of our expert gardeners, we’ll be happy to help. Oh, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.
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Becky is a wife, mother, avid cook and novice gardener. She loves growing organic, wholesome food right in her backyard that she can transform into a delicious creation in her kitchen. When she's not growing or cooking food, she enjoys running half marathons, reading, and watching her children pull weeds in the garden.
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