Tips to Make Fall Clean Up Easier

7 Tips to Make Fall Clean Up Easier

As fall rolls in, homeowners everywhere are spending more time cleaning up fallen leaves and otherwise preparing their landscaping for the cooler months ahead. Since the leaves fly for at least a month or two, all of this cleanup can be time consuming and exhausting. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make fall clean up easier on yourself.

1. Use a leaf vacuum on your flower beds

Removing leaves from a garden bed can be a huge chore since you have to work around the plants to avoid damaging them. Instead of using a rake for this task, invest in a leaf vacuum. It will not only suck up leaves, but any twigs and small debris that are in your garden as well. You won’t have to worry about damaging your plants, and it will be easy to dispose of the leaves by dumping them out of the vacuum and straight into lawn recycling bags.

2. Mow over your leaves

When you have a thin layer of leaves on your lawn, try mowing right over them rather than raking them first. By using a collection bag on the back of your mower, the leaves will simply be ground up and tossed out with your lawn clippings.

3. Buy a better rake

Today’s rakes are more comfortable to use than the plain wooden and metal rakes of yesteryear. They often feature ergonomic handles and wider heads, allowing you to rake leaves quickly and efficiently, and with less discomfort. Foam-cushioned handles help prevent blisters too. Invest in a new rake, and you may even look forward to using it throughout the fall.

4. Invest in a leaf blower

If you’re spending hours every week raking, it may be time for an upgrade. Leaf blowers can be found at discounted prices in big box stores as fall rolls in. Blowing your leaves into a pile takes a lot less energy than raking them all up, especially if you have numerous large trees on your property, or a very large yard.

5. Use a tarp for easy leaf collection

Once your leaves are in a pile, you have to then get them into lawn bags or on the curb for disposal. Make this process easier on yourself by laying down a tarp, and then blowing or raking the leaves onto that tarp. That way, you can dispose of the leaves easily by lifting the tarp (with the help of a friend) and dumping them into bags or moving them to the curb.

6. Put tarps down under large trees

If you have a large tree that’s constantly shedding, consider laying a big tarp down at its base. Use a few rocks or other heavy objects to weigh it down so it does not blow away. Empty the tarp of leaves every few days so they don’t start to decompose or blow away.

7. Turn your leaves into compost

It’s often easier to rake leaves into a compost pile than to put them into lawn recycling bags. Plus, once spring rolls around, you’ll have some nutrient-dense compose to add to your gardens. Make sure you also add grass clippings, twigs, and even vegetable scraps to your compost pile so that it breaks down well and has a good balance of nutrients. Turn your mulch over weekly.

Conclusion

Fall clean up can be time consuming, but it does not have to take over your life. Follow the tips above, and you’ll be able to spend less time on fall clean up and more time on the fall activities you really love, like picking apples, carving pumpkins, and hiking outdoors.

Source ultimatelandscapeoh.com