Autumn is full of pumpkin-flavored drinks, sneaking pieces of chocolate from your kid’s candy bags and the beautiful gradients of fallen leaves. Coming down from spring cleaning, lawn care might not be at the top of your fall to-do list, but those gorgeous leaves can cause a lot of trouble and they aren’t the only things to keep in mind during fall clean-up.
A lawn of leaves
You’ve seen it before. As fall begins, homeowners can’t help but admire their luscious trees as they shed their colorful leaves all across their lawns and driveways. But, the best way to take care of these leaves differs from lawn to lawn.
Lawn care is overlooked in the colder months but is just as important as your mowing and fertilizing in the summer. Avoiding raking can lead to pile-ups with unwanted animals nestling into your lawn.
Keeping your lawn fertilized ensures well-nourished and fortified soil for the winter. This should be done at least one month after your summer fertilizer and two to four weeks before the first frost of the winter. A general rule of thumb is anywhere between mid-October to early November.
Mowing it down
The functions of grass go well beyond growing back green in the spring. A key factor in healthy grass is its ability to retain moisture and fight off unwanted diseases from festering. In the colder months, it can be trickier to maintain a healthy lawn, but there are a few tips that can help.
Don’t stop mowing in the fall. Keeping your grass trimmed is not only appealing to the eye but will help keep insects and weeds at bay. However, as the months get colder, slowly decreasing your grass length can help fight mold and get your lawn prepped for winter. A two to three-inch length is the sweet spot for trapping moisture ahead of the freeze.
Mowing over small amounts of leaves can help disperse nutrients into your soil, in turn making your own fertilizer. This process is known as mulching and is an all-natural approach to dispersing some of the local nutrients from your trees, such as carbon and nitrogen, into your grass. By doing this, you can save money on fertilizer, keep your grass healthy and get rid of unwanted leaves in your yard.
However, be mindful of how many leaves you mulch. Mulching too frequently or too many leaves can cause matted piles, which block the sun and trap disease. This may cause your lawn to mold or die from unlivable conditions.
Pack it up
As the colder months approach, it’s time to say goodbye to summer essentials. Properly storing equipment like grills and hoses is integral for keeping them in the best shape for next year.
Make sure to clean out your summer equipment before storing it in a dry, cool environment to prevent rust, wear or small animals from taking shelter in your outdoor couch cushions.
If you’re a fan of holiday decorations, you might have a motorized, blow-up prop in your front yard. While the leaves are falling, check the motors and vents every few days to prevent electrical fires or mishaps. When the holidays are over, opt for a plastic bin to store your decorations as opposed to leaving them loose in a shed or garage.
Don’t Leaf Anything Behind!
As fall wraps up, don’t forget about those gutters. After the trees have shed all of their leaves or when there is a significant buildup, make sure to schedule a cleaning. Not looking to clean them out every few weeks? Ask your gutter guy if gutter guards are for you.
Dublin Leaf Collection
Leaf collection begins Oct. 7 for Zone 1 and Oct. 14 for Zone 2. To prepare for the season, the City of Dublin advises:
- Rake your leaves curbside or on the curb, but never the street. Help keep the city clean by staying up on your raking.
- Have your leaves ready for pickup by the Monday of each pickup week. Pickups will begin that day at 7 a.m. and proceed until 6:30 p.m. each day until the end of the week.
- Put out biodegradable bags for yard waste pickup on the weeks that City crews are not doing leaf collections in your zone
Mary Nader is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mnader@cityscenemediagroup.com.
