September 18th

By Mutt Mulligan

Celebrate fall by getting your yard ready for year-round living

Autumn arrives on Sept. 22, and that means now is the time to get your yard ready for spring. Fall is the perfect season to ready your yard for year-round living.

Your living landscape does a lot for you. It produces oxygen, reduces the urban heat island effect, filters and captures runoff, improves air quality, controls erosion, absorbs carbon dioxide and supports biodiversity. In addition, yards connect us by providing a safe place to connect with family, friends and nature.

Here are fall yard tips from OPEI and TurfMutt’s Mutt Mulligan.

Maintain your landscape with purpose. Many people are sprucing up their yards for fall entertaining and adding trees and shrubs. If adding a tree or bush , consider location, maintenance, sunlight and watering needs, as well as how it might support local pollinators in the spring and backyard wildlife over the winter.

Make a leaf management plan. Mulching leaves and leaving them on the grass – rather than raking and bagging them – is good for the lawn and the environment. As shredded leaves decompose, they feed it naturally. If you need a mulching attachment or want a mulching mower, now is the time to shop.

Keep your lawn healthy by aerating it. Aeration prevents soil from becoming compacted and covered with thatch, a thick layer of roots, stems, and debris that blocks water, oxygen and nutrients from reaching the soil.

Conduct an equipment survey. Clean and inspect your mower, trimmer, leaf blower, pruner, or hedger. Get out attachments needed for fall like an aerator or mulching attachment. Take any equipment that needs it to an authorized service representative.

Continue mowing. You should cut the grass until the first hard frost. Find the just-right length for your yard’s species, typically between 2-3 inches, to keep the grass healthy when it turns cold.

Prune trees and bushes. Look for low-hanging branches that might snap or break in the winter and cause damage. Now is the time to trim them. Call a tree service if needed.

To learn more,  go to TurfMutt.com.