Fall Yard Clean Up

If you live in in a neighbourhood that has mature trees it’s the time of year when the leaves have turned the colours and have started to fall. Autumn is the most colourful time of the year but it can be the most labour intense. It tends to start with the eave troughs, which requires setting up a ladder to reach them. Remember to always have someone holding the bottom of the ladder and don't try to stretch that extra two or three feet. Get down and move the ladder! For those who don't like ladders, there are a couple of options. First, you can have gutter guards installed to keep leaves out. Second, there are leaf blower extensions that can reach up into the gutter and blow leaves out. Either way, you'll need to be sure that the joints where the gutter meets the downspouts are cleaned out.

Once they are clean, take a hose and pour some water into your eaves and watch where it goes. You may need extensions to direct the water away from your foundation and prevent leaks. When diverting water from your foundation, be sure to avoid driveway and walkways, which will ice over and become hazards in the winter.

Lawn clean up
Leaf cleanup is a necessary but it is a never ending battle. Leaves left scattered for the winter will smother the lawn, not good. Don't worry, however, about getting every last leaf out of the plant beds. As they breakdown, leaves can help insulate plants and provide them with valuable nutrients.

As for what do to with all the leaves you've raked, remember to recycle them in your own compost pile or put them in the paper bags that the City of Winnipeg provided when they dropped off our new garbage and  recycling bins. The city is picking up our yard waste every second week during certain times of the year. Check your schedule for pick up in your area. If you are using the leaves on your own compost pile, either grind them up or run them over with a lawn mower to speed decomposition. To move large piles of leaves, I recommend piling them onto a tarp and dragging them to their desired destination, be it the compost pile or paper yard bag.

Once the leaves are collected, cut your lawn one last time before the winter, trimming it as short as possible to prevent matting, disease and rodent damage. When you are done mowing, run the lawn mower itself until it runs out of gas. Gas left to sit in the tank over the winter will gum up the carburetor so it won't run as well next spring. Also, change the oil, grease the engine and pull and inspect the spark plug. Before you replace it, place several drops of five-weight oil in the hole and pull the start cord several times to lubricate the engine so it won't rust. In the spring, you'll only have to add gas, sharpen the blades and start mowing again.

Early in November, I like to fertilize the lawn with a high phosphorus mixture to promote root growth over the winter, so the grass will green up sooner come spring. Fall is also a great time to fertilize trees and shrubs. It not recommended pruning ornamental trees and shrubs, as they can contract die back and suffer from winter desiccation.

Perennials
Your perennials will need to be cut back as they fade. While you are at it, scratch some super phosphate fertilizer into the soil around them. In the garden, remove leftover vegetation and put it in the compost pile. 

Getting ready for the white stuff
Now's the time to get your snow blower up and running. Nothing is more frustrating than having your snow blower not start when the first snow storm hits. If you shovel, double check that your shovels are where you left them.  


If you have an underground irrigation system, be sure that the lines are cleared of water so it won't freeze up and damage the pipes. Drain and coil up your garden hoses also and store them for the winter in your garage or shed. Then head to the basement to shut off the water to your outdoor taps. On the pipe, in between the shut-off and the tap, you'll find a weep valve that you can open and drain into a bucket. These steps will prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Please remember we are never to busy for your referrals. If you you now of anybody that's thinking of selling or buying a home please let us know. The Tony Marino Team of Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate are here to help you with all your real estate needs.