Preparing for Fall: The “To Do” List for Your Yard

Moisture meter tester in soil. Measure soil for humidity with digital device. Concept for new technology in the agriculture.

Test the soil. As we reach the end of growing season, now is the right time to evaluate how plants did over the summer and assess damage. Remember that the end of growing season is also the start of getting your garden in good shape for spring – conduct a soil test to make sure you soil is getting the right nutrients and determine if you’ll need to fertilize in time for next spring. Photo Credit: GettyImages, deyangeorgiev (Getty Images/iStockphoto/deyangeorgiev)

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carpenter hands using electric drill on fence wood

Check for fence repairs. Unless your fence was obviously damaged by something like an automobile accidents, it’s easy to miss repairs needed from natural wear and tear. Summer rain, winds and other seasonal elements wear down you fence over time. Heading into fall, take a moment to assess if any repairs need to be made before winter and freezing weather comes in. Photo Credit: GettyImages, geargodz (Getty Images/iStockphoto/geargodz)

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Green rubber hose with a brass nozzle. Water is pouring from the nozzle. That image is isolated on a white background and includes a clipping path. The image is shown from the side, and the water is spilling out turning into drops.

Drain and dry everything out. Drain out your garden hose, fountains, irrigation systems and anything in your backyard that stores water. Standing water will freeze in the water and could cause damage to your equipment. Photo Credit: GettyImages, rimglow (Getty Images/iStockphoto/rimglow)

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cleaning terrace with a power washer - high water pressure cleaner on wooden terrace surface

Protect the deck. Use pressure washer to give you deck a power wash at the end of summer, preventing any growth from mold or mildew. After it dries, protect the wood with a weatherproofing stain to prevent any moisture damage in the colder months to come. Photo Credit: GettyImages, Wojciech Kozielczyk (Getty Images/iStockphoto/Wojciech Kozielczyk)

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Man gardener using garden shears to cut trim the fence hedge in the summer day professional manual

Cut back the shrubs. Trimming back shrubs early on in the fall makes way for new growth to harden before freezing weather sets in, putting them in good shape from spring. Photo Credit: GettyImages, Miljan Živković (Getty Images/iStockphoto/Miljan Živković)

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Scarifying lawn with a scarifier. Person dethatching moss in a backyard, lawn maintenance, UK

Aerate the lawn. Continuous rain in the summer months leads to water pooling in the grass. Aerate your soil with a garden fork, or use a walk-behind aerator depending on the size of your yard, to make room for water and nutrients to get down to the roots. Photo Credit: GettyImages, PaulMaguire (Getty Images/iStockphoto/PaulMaguire)

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Lawn mower cutting green grass in residential area in late afternoon light

Adjust mow height. While in the summer you might want to raise your mow height to avoid heat stress, in the fall it’s just the opposite. Lower your mow height to about two inches in the fall to avoid matted grass from leaves, and later snow in the winter. Photo Credit: GettyImages, MariuszBlach (Getty Images/iStockphoto/MariuszBlach)

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Gardener planting juniper plants in the yard. Seasonal works in the garden. Landscape design. landscaping. Ornamental shrub juniper.

Plant for the winter. While your soil is warm and the air is cool, conditions are great for fall planting! Tress, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and winter annuals are ideal – just make sure you plant before the soil gets too cold. Photo Credit: GettyImages, SbytovaMN (Getty Images/iStockphoto/SbytovaMN)

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Clean the gutters. This is especially important during the fall, when leaves can collect inside the gutters. If your gutters are clogged, rain will not drain properly and the gutters will overflow with water damage that could extend to walls, siding, basements and more. Give those gutters a good cleaning before the first winter storm rolls in. Photo Credit: GettyImages, JJ Gouin (Getty Images/iStockphoto/JJ Gouin)

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Remove leaves. A blanket of fall leaves over your yard is a colorful sight to see, but the blocked light and trapped moisture is not so good for the grass underneath. Regularly blow and rake away leaves to avoid soggy, decayed grass come spring. Photo Credit: GettyImages, Rabbitti (Getty Images/iStockphoto/Rabbitti)

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