Fall is quickly flashing by, and winter will be with us
soon.
I’m caught up in a complicated yard project – ripping up
old, rotten weed fabric and replacing it with new on my side yard next to my
raised bed garden.
However, I made a mistake and raked the rocks off the old
fabric into the dirt and weeds. I thought it would be easy to get a screen and
separate the mess. Not so.
Not only am I behind in fall yard work, I haven’t even
finished raking up the rhododendron prunings I created in the spring. And,
worst of all, weeds in the rest of my yard are growing and getting big.
I also need to wash my metal roof. I’m waiting for the rain
in the next few days to get some of the dirt off.
What do you need to do to get your yard ready for winter? Here
are some suggestions:
- Aerate and feed your
lawn.
- Store garden chemicals. Read the label for information on correct storage or find a guide on the Internet.
- Drain hoses well.
- Winterize lawn mowers and other power
equipment.
- Clean and lightly oil hand shovels,
clippers, trimmers, and other hand tools.
- Move woody plants.
- Plant trees or shrubs.
- Rake leaves each week.
- Clean up dying foliage
from perennial plants and your garden.
- Pull up any annuals and
add to compost.
- Pull up weeds and
edge flowerbeds. Discard weeds
that have seeds in the garbage.
- Plant spring
bulbs.
- Apply winter mulch after
the ground freezes.
Best
wishes with your fall yard work. I hope you’re not as far behind in your yard work as I am.




