Earthly Garden

CLEVELAND, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ — As nightly temperatures begin to drop, days become shorter, and leaves turn shades of orange and gold, nature is giving us the signal to put away the lawn mower and string trimmer and take out the rake. Prime gardening season may be over, but fall cleanup chores and key preparation for spring have just begun.

“After spending many mornings cultivating and caring for your landscaping, it's easy to forget how vital 'shutting down' your yard and tools for the winter is,” said Heidi Ketvertis, brand manager of Troy-Bilt(R), a leading manufacturer of outdoor power equipment. “But it's a critical step for the next gardening and landscaping season.”

Creating a checklist is a simple way to organize your fall chores into manageable tasks. If you feel overwhelmed, grab friends and family and encourage them to get outside and help with the fall cleanup; in exchange, you can return the favor on their yards. Troy-Bilt offers a few must-do items to ensure your yard and tools reap the benefits next spring.

— Walk around your landscaping - Remove any flowers or shrubs that didn't
grow well and tidy up the area for new bulbs; perennial planting is
best in early fall. Make a note of what plants didn't work and try
something new next year. Weed beds now to prevent pesky weeds from
growing next spring. Remove decorative stones or collectibles from
gardens and bring them inside.

— Fertilize the lawn - Fall is a great time to fertilize, reseed and
touch up bare spots before temperatures plunge. Try fertilizing and
reseeding once in early fall and once in late October. This process
pumps nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium into the
roots, giving them a boost to grow in the spring.

— Add leaves to the soil - Instead of raking leaves out of the flower
beds, spend a few extra minutes tilling them into the soil to enrich it
for next season. Chop up extra leaves with a quick pass of the lawn
mower and add to a compost pile, or take them to the nearest recycling
center.

— Plant new bulbs - Spring flowers like tulips, daffodils and hyacinths
should be planted in the fall to develop healthy root systems before
the soil cools.

— Clean up the vegetable garden - Start preparing your garden for next
spring by cleaning out dead plants and adding in organic matter from
your compost pile. Be sure to till the soil well to help to refresh the
soil's nutrient levels by breaking down old vegetable organic matter.

— Trim trees - Remove all dead or dying tree limbs before the snow starts
to fall. Snow or ice can build up on weak branches, causing damage to
property and bystanders. Trim healthy trees after leaves turn to
encourage healthy growth next spring. For easy cleanup, place an old
sheet or tarp underneath the tree to catch the trimmings.

— Prep your hand tools - Grab a wire brush and scrape off the caked-on
dirt from tools such as hoes and shovels, then clean with soapy water.
Wipe metal surfaces with an oiled rag. Lubricate all pivot points and
springs and wipe down wooden handles with boiled linseed oil to prevent
drying and cracking. Sharpen bladed tools like pruners, and spray bare
metal with a penetrating oil to prevent rusting.

— Prep your lawn equipment - Empty the gas tank and oil crankcase of lawn
mowers, string trimmers and edgers. Wipe the entire unit down with a
clean rag to protect its surfaces and grease all lubrication points.
Store your lawn equipment in a clean, dry place. If equipment is light
enough, hang on the wall in the garage.

— Check sprinklers and hoses - Make sure to drain all hoses to avoid
freezing and breaking. If you have a sprinkler system, shut it off to
prevent pipes from freezing, and store extra hoses in the garage, shed
or basement.

— Wash down lawn furniture - Give the lawn furniture a good cleaning
before you store it away. Wash all fabric cushions and store those
inside, out of damp weather conditions. Move ceramic fireplaces into
the basement; extreme cold weather can cause the pots to crack or break
completely.

Check out this article for more fall gardening info.

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