Fall Outdoor Checklist

Since I love to share helpful tips I’ve come up with this Fall Oudoor Checklist, so none of us forget what to do to our beautiful yards outside when the weather changes and we are ready to snuggle inside for a few months. I won’t mind if you sip a Pumpkin Spiced Latte while you read this!

Here are 10 items for you to get done before it’s too cold.

Trim, and Prune all Plants

There are sure to be plants in the yard that will die once the summer is over and all dead leaves, branches, etc should be clipped off and composted or thrown away.  I showed how to prune roses and fall is when all the leftover blooms and rose hips can be snipped off and discarded.

I’ve been using Rubbermaid storage containers since they hold a lot and I don’t have to empty them too often.  Plus the handles make it easy for me to carry them around the yard. We use these all over the house, specially to store things in the attic.

Put away summer furniture

They make lots of covers for outdoor furniture, so you can definitely find some to use over an outdoor table and chairs. We got a new table this year and will take the legs off to put in the garage. If you don’t have space, the covers are a great idea. Before items go into storage, remove and wash cushions and wipe items down so they are nice and clean.

Take down lights

Along our fence we have globe lights, which look so lovely when we have drinks on the patio, but they won’t last outside all winter. So we take them down along with the solar path lights in the yard. We store them with outdoor candle holders and other gardening equipment in our storage container. These Rubbermaid ones are easy to find at Home Depot and they are very affordable, plus they come in different sizes to fit pillows and such too.

Weed one last time

Every garden needs a good weeding at the end of the season. This will prevent you from work the following year. I picked up a Rubbermaid Roughneck 32-gallon rolling garbage can and honestly didn’t know what I’d think of it, I never had a garbage can on wheels before. But turns out I love it. I can move it all around the yard and it holds lots of stuff. I like it for the patio and driveway areas.

Go through all your beds and edges and remove any weeds. It’s easiest to do this after it rains that way the roots of the weeds come out easily.

Winterize the rain barrel

If you have a water-saving container like a rain barrel or container, empty it as much as possible and then disconnect it from the down spout and hose so no more water collects in it. Then, turn the barrel up side down and you can leave it where it is. We made the mistake of leaving it right-side-up one year and all the water inside froze. We were lucky the barrel didn’t break, but to prevent this, all you have to do is turn it upside down.

Plant any bulbs for Spring

Preparing early by planting bulbs in the fall is like getting a present you forgot about once it becomes spring! They sell all kinds of blooms at the store. Just wait for a good day and follow the instructions to get those bulbs in the ground to be ready to bloom come the warmer weather. Look for the best planting times in your garden zone and you’ll be all set with pretty flowers in just a few months.

Distribute any compost you have or purchased

This year we bought our first composter and we’ve been dumping everything in it. After you weed and your compost is all set, get the good stuff out and work it into the soil. Once the spring comes, your soil will be all set for planting new things.

Divide and cut back perennials

Take stock in the yard and see if there are plants that need dividing. You’re almost sure to find a gracious neighbor to accept plants for free. We have a hosta that is getting too large for its home and plan to move part of it to a new spot.

Feed/Fertilize the lawn

They sell lots of products for various types of grass, even fertilizer that is to be used in the fall. Get enough for your space and you’ll get the yard working for you while the winter passes.

Rake up leaves

This is one chore we have to do at our place. We have a large maple tree in the front yard and it gives off more leaves than you thought possible! We rake up almost a dozen bags of leaves in one season. Add them to your compost bin or on top of the compost you’ve distributed in your garden beds for natural fertilizer. Raking will keep the yard looking nice and tidy too.

Now that I have a mobile garbage can I can use it for tasks like this. I like that the Rubbermaid garbage can comes with a lid so we can keep things in it like rock salt for the sidewalk. Plus it keeps the rain out.

What other items are on your fall yard clean up checklist?

This post was originally part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Rubbermaid but all my opinions are my own. http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV