How Many Fall Cleanup Shortcuts Do You Know?
It’s time for fall and while we’re sad to see those long, hot summer days and nights go, it’s exciting to enter a brand new season with tons of possibilities. With all the pumpkin-carving, fall colors, and crisp autumn evenings, it’s easy to get swept up in the magic of the season—but there are some chores to be done, too, if you want to be ready for winter when it arrives. How well do you know how to get your landscape and garden ready for its winter beauty sleep?
Can you cut and mulch your lawn at the same time?
Yes, you can mulch and trim your lawn in one easy step. When you’re getting ready for the winter freeze, trim your lawn on a high blade setting without the catcher bag, and spread the clippings on the lawn. You’ll have a trimmed lawn that’s ready to be insulated against the winter chill.
Yes! This is a great multitasking hack.
No way! Trying to shortcut this will just make a mess that makes more work.
It’s extra work, but if you want to save your beautiful terra cotta containers, you’ll need to store them inside.
You can save yourself the work this season! You do need to clean out your containers and make sure that they are free from moisture—which could make them crack in the freezing temperatures—but you can forget dragging heavy containers all over your yard. Simply clean, dry, and store under some tarps wherever it’s most convenient.
True
False
Raking up leaves is a fall cleanup essential
You might be able to skip raking the leaves! If you mow overtop of fallen leaves to break them up, they make a great mulch to protect your lawn all winter. The only catch is that if you have gorgeous big trees that drop tons of leaves, you might still need to clean some of them up before mulching.
True
False
Fall is a good time to fertilize
Fertilizing your lawn doesn’t sound like a shortcut now, but we promise that it actually is in the long run. If you put in the time to fertilize before the first freeze, all those nutrients will be already in the soil and ready to be used in the spring when everything thaws, saving time and giving your lawn a jumpstart!
Yes!
No way, you don’t need it when your lawn will be dormant.
You can make raking less of a chore using which of these tools?
Use a tarp to help gather up all those stray leaves. Stake or weight down the edges of the tarp and rake your leaves onto it. Unstake or release the tarp and you have easy cleanup with all your leaves in one place!
A snow shovel
A tarp
A hose
What is an alternative to a leaf blower for clearing leaves off of gravel and pavement?
A sheet of cardboard is a great tool to drag lightly over surfaces to plow away leaves without disturbing the texture underneath. Thankfully, most of us have easy access to this alternative when a leaf blower isn’t handy! DO NOT use fire to clear any leaves in the fall.
A sheet of cardboard
A shovel
A garden hoe
A match or tinderbox
You can save some of your annuals and tropical planters in the fall
Plant smart in the summer by placing the plants you want to save in your containers in plastic containers before planting. Bury the container for a flawless summer look that still lets you dig up their container in the fall easily to bring them inside for the winter.
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False
Save the storage by covering your aluminum deck furniture in this to protect from the winter elements outside:
Use car polish as a top coat to protect your aluminum outdoor furniture over the winter. Apply with a sponge and not only will your furniture be protected from frost, but it’ll have an improved glossy finish!
Dish soap
Vinegar
Vaseline
Car polish
How can you tell if your wood fence needs a touch-up of sealant before winter?
The splash test helps you to see if your fence is sealed or not. Take a glass of water and splash it onto the fence. If it soaks in and darkens the wood, the seal isn’t good enough and needs to be repainted. If the moisture just sits on the surface of your fence without sinking in, you can skip this chore altogether!
The splash test
You can feel the texture
You should reseal it every winter
Update your landscape look by filling those tough to reach areas with rock mulch.
It might be a little work upfront, but rock mulch lasts for years and is easy to maintain. If you found yourself frustrated with areas of your yard that are tough to reach or maintain, consider the fall season as the perfect time to update the look with some rock mulch.
Great idea!
No, this makes more work
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You got {number correct}/{number of questions} correct answers
Don’t sweat it! Now that you know so many new ways to cut down your fall cleanup time, we hope you can get more done in less time this year.
You got {number correct}/{number of questions} correct answers
You’re obviously not new to this! You already know a few tricks, but hopefully these extra tips can help you get through your fall cleanup even faster.
You got {number correct}/{number of questions} correct answers
Wow, we should be hiring you to do our fall cleanup! You’re a master of the mulch, the ruler of the rake, and the leader of the leaves!
