It’s one of the most anticipated times of the year: Fall!
Browning grass and sticky heat are coming to a close and being traded for chillier weather and falling leaves. It’s the time to transition indoor festivities to outdoor. You can now share meals with friends on your lawn under the stars instead of inside under the ceiling fan.
In order to really reap the benefits of a beautiful fall spent outside in an even more beautiful yard, however, you need to put in a bit of yard care before the season officially begins. This not only means making sure you have the right furniture and accommodations for a beautiful yard, but you’ve done the dirty prep work to make sure your plants actually survive the season and look as alive as your events should feel!
Let us help you prepare for a festive and beautiful fall, and to be the place all of your neighbors want to host their dinners at.
Prepare Your Grass and Garden
Unfortunately, any nice yard has to begin with the not-so-fun prepping. You can’t exactly enjoy a family dinner outside on the lawn if the lawn is brown and crispy though, can you? In order to ensure that your grass is as beautiful as possible, follow these yard care tips.
1. Change the Blade on Your Lawnmower
As you near fall, make sure that you continue to mow your lawn but make sure you drop the blade to its lowest setting, which allows more sunlight to reach the crown of the grass. By doing this, you’ll notice less browning of your grass. We recommend gradually lowering the blade over the duration of two mows, and then completely lowering it the third time.
2. Rake the Leaves
Depending on where you live, you might already have some leaves taking up your yard. As mundane of a chore as it might seem, this is definitely a yard care task you need to take care of! The leaves that exist on top of your plants or grass are slowly suffocating and killing it, so when you finally get around to raking them up you might be sad to find that your grass is dead. Leaves left alone for an extended amount of time can also breed fungal diseases, which is the opposite of a fun fall time. You can use lawnmowers, rakes or vacuum systems to address the problem. Mix it up and make a jumping pile first if you need some fun incentive!
3. Plant, Plant, Plant!
Right before fall is the perfect time to plant anything new you might have had your eye on. When plants are planted in the fall, they immediately begin establishing themselves in the ground versus searching for nutrients, and their roots won’t be damaged in the perfect autumn weather. This also allows your new additions to acclimate themselves before the winter comes so they have a better chance of survival.
Have Fun With Your Decor
Now that you’ve set yourself up with a clean lawn and your plants are prepared for success, you can have some fun with design. Below are some ideas on how to get your yard up to speed to make it the community favorite and inspiration.
4. Add a Fire Pit
It might still feel too warm to talk about having a fire pit, but trust us, it’s so worth it! Invest in a fire pit or chiminea (or find one used and fix it up) that is big enough for a group of people to sit around it. This makes for great group conversations, scary stories, s’mores and not to mention it just looks great in any yard whether the fire’s lit or unused. It’s the potential for fun that makes it appealing.
5. Purchase Comfortable, Substantial Furniture
When looking for the best possible patio furniture, you’re looking for something that not only is beautiful but is comfortable and can also withstand crazy weather. Know your typical weather conditions and shop accordingly. If you see a lot of wind in the fall, consider going with wrought iron in your yard. It is heavy and can handle just about any type of storm without being moved. With a little bit of tough-up paint in your back pocket, this furniture will last you for years. Wood furniture is also another charming addition to any yard.
Having cushions on your furniture is always a nice addition, as it makes sitting outside for long periods of time much easier than just sitting on a metal chair. If you want lingerers at your party, get cushions!
Make sure that your furniture is easy to move so you can easily adjust the setup depending on what kind of event you’d like to host in your yard. Whether it’s a small gathering just for you and your family or you’re inviting the whole neighborhood, it’s nice to be able to switch it up.
6. Clear Some Space for a Long Table
Ever thought of hosting a long-table dinner party? Imagine you and your greatest friends all at one table, sharing an awesome night together in the magic of your yard. Fall is the perfect time for this! You can purchase a long table from any of your normal furniture vendors, or you can reclaim long pieces of wood and create your own table.
7. String Up Some Lights
If you have trees lining your yard, utilize them and string some sparkling lights throughout the yard. This brings all of the decorations together and brings the entire yard to life. The great news is that even if you don’t put much effort into the actual furniture and you buy inexpensive outdoor lights at any general store, it still looks like you put way more effort into it than you actually did!
Final Note
And here we are, at a place where your yard is tidied and spruced up and ready to entertain just yourself or a large group of people. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing fall evening outside by the fire with your closest friends or bringing a large group of people out for larger festivities, your yard will be ready to impress.
The post 7 Yard Care Tips to Help You Prepare for Fall Festivities appeared first on Living Direct.
