When the cooler weather is on its way in the city of Philadelphia, you can feel it and smell it in the air. There’s a gentle breeze that blows through the trees and awakens every one of your senses. Unfortunately, as a homeowner you have to think about more than just enjoying pumpkin-flavored coffee in the fall — you have to take care of some final yard tasks for the year. Here a few lawn care tips to help you prepare your yard for the fall and winter seasons in Philly.

Don’t “Leave” Piles of Leaves in Your Yard

The many colors of falling leaves may look beautiful for a moment, but there comes a time during the season when you’ll have to remove them. Raking leaves is necessary in northern cities like Philadelphia because leaves block your grass from getting ample sunlight and nutrients. Fall is an important season for the overall health of your lawn. It’s also a good practice to pick up large accumulations of leaves at the corners of your yard to deter unwanted pests from finding a home there.

Image Source: Flickr/renee_mcgurk

Tree Inspections

One smart investment to consider making this fall is to hire an arborist to inspect the trees around your home. This preventive measure will help protect your home, cars, and family in the event of an unexpected storm. Large, old trees are a beautiful addition to the neighborhood, but they can also become a threat to property if they’re not healthy or located in an undesirable place. An arborist can also treat and care for the trees around your home to ensure their ongoing health.

Do Some Prune Work

Prune all of your plants and shrubs that are no longer producing flowers or fruit, or that are hanging over into undesirable areas. For instance, if you have a bush that is hanging over into your driveway or patio, trim it back now because it will be more difficult to do so in the winter. A little prune work will go a long way in tidying up your property this fall. It will also help prepare those plants, bushes, and trees for successful flowering in the spring.

Aerate Your Lawn

When the fall arrives, one benefit is that you no longer have to mow your lawn every week, but there’s one important task you can complete to help keep your grass healthy. Aerate your lawn in the early fall to promote healthy new growth next spring. Aeration is the process of poking small holes in the ground so that grass roots have easier access to water, air, and nutrients. It improves the lawn’s ability to absorb the resources it needs to produce thicker, greener grass for next season.

Set aside a morning one Saturday or Sunday to go through this list of important lawn care tips for the fall. Once these tasks are done, you can finally sit back, relax, and enjoy the many sights and smells of the season around your city.

Main Image Source: Flickr/Deb Nystrom

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