Okay, I blinked and now it’s fall. The summer was here and gone and my favorite season has arrived! Though we are still experiencing high temps, it somehow already “feels” like fall. This morning I finally felt a chill in the air which didn’t last all day but I’ll take it!

In the spirit of writing to encourage inspired home ownership, this blog will be about how to prep your open spaces and exterior for winter. There’s the really blah maintenance stuff that should happen every fall but there’s also some things that will allow you some creative engineering—things you can be doing with fall pots, landscaping, and planting for a spectacular next spring and summer.

First: the exterior and some interior tips.

1. Caulk around exterior doors, window frames, and gaps where pipes or wiring is entering the home. That prevents heat from escaping and water from intruding.

2. If you can, check the roof for missing or damaged shingles to prevent leaking when snow piles up later on in the year.

3. Check and clear gutters. Make sure downspouts are directing water away from the house—I can’t tell you how many times this is called out during home inspections!

4. Drain and disconnect garden hoses. Shut off outdoor faucets and make sure exterior pipes are drained of water.

5. Have your furnace inspected—most utility companies will provide basic, no-cost furnace inspections to their customers—but book early!

6. Get your fireplace ready—if it’s been a while, get it professionally cleaned by chimney sweep.

 

As for routine lawn care for the winter….

1. Aerate—Allow your lawn to breathe a bit to allow water and nutrients to penetrate the roots.

2. Overseeding—Overseeding helps fill in bare spots to provide a thick, green lawn. I’ve got this annoying yellow patch in our lawn next to our BBQ- I hope it fills in this winter. This also helps make your lawn less susceptible to disease and weeds by introducing a variety of hardy grass types into the soil.

3. Fertilize and use a soil conditioner—Use a soil conditioner to green-up your lawn and help eliminate brown spots. Fertilizing introduces vital nutrients into the soil. You can also introduce a weed control treatment that will curb weed growth- we have a huge problem with dandelions that emerge in the spring.

4. Prune—It’s important to prune certain species during their dormant season in order to prevent the start of diseases. It’s also a great time to prune deciduous (leafy) trees when they are dormant, and it’s the optimal time to prune overgrown evergreen and spruce trees.

5. Tree Watering through the fall and winter—The driest months in Colorado tend to be November through February. Trees should be watered about every three to four weeks, as long as temps are above freezing. If moisture levels are about 2 inches per 30 days, then no watering is needed.

6. Tree Fertilization—Fall fertilization of trees and shrubs increases the productivity of the soil by increasing nutrient availability and encouraging root growth. Trees and shrubs with a healthy root system are far more likely to survive the winter with fewer dead branches.

7. Winterize your irrigation—Irrigation systems need winterization protection as the weather turns cold. Blowing out sprinkler systems in the fall, prior to the colder months when low temperatures cause water to freeze, can save thousands of dollars in damage and stress to homeowners. Make sure your irrigation system is properly cleared of water, turned off and protected from freezing temperatures.
Okay, now the fun stuff, space planning and color! Here are five ideas that you can try while the weather is just about perfect to be outdoors….

1. Build and hardscape—Due to cooler temps, it’s much more pleasant to be hauling rocks and heavy things now than in the middle of summer. This is a great time to add features such as walkways, lighting, patios or water features to your landscape. Also, if you already have great features installed, now is the best time to make sure they are all functioning properly before the Colorado winter comes knocking. Especially if you have wooden features such as a wooden deck or patio, now is the time to fill any cracks or spaces so that when the ice expands the spaces, it won’t damage them. Also consider some xeriscaping- a water-conserving, low-maintenance feature that works well for Colorado homeowners. One boring maintenance tip: be sure all basement window wells are properly graded so that excess water/melted snow is diverted or routed away from the house- spring can see some pretty major basement leaks if this is not taken care of in the dry months. This could also include the use of gutter extensions and French drain systems.

2. Build a compost bin—Composting is a great way to naturally fertilize your garden for next year, so it’s best to start as soon as possible. Though your leaves and plants won’t start falling until next month, now is the time to go ahead and build a compost bin to collect these organic materials for when they become available. There are many different ways to collect compost including trimming off dead branches, raking leaves, and collecting fallout from your other plants. Also consider evaluating your annuals and perennials; those that have exhausted themselves can be added to your compost.

 

3. Plant new shrubs—Fall is the best time to start clearing areas and planting shrubs because the cooler temperatures allow the roots to be established so they can endure the winter. You should do this before the temperatures drop too low, however. Shrubs native to Colorado are especially beneficial for your landscape because they are low maintenance and are usually hearty enough to endure the freezing temperatures. Shrubs are low maintenance and attract butterflies, bees and birds.

4. Spice up your planters and pots with fall annuals—Yes, they do exist! Try these varieties: Mums, Flowering kale and cabbages—often these come in the coolest purple varieties, Strawflower, Blackeyed Susans, Ornamental Pepper Plants, Pansies, and for beds, fall blooming perennials such as Agastache, Aster (which can be found growing wildly purple in New Mexico right now), Echinacea, Sedum, Oenothera and Heuchera add striking foliage and colors to the fall season.

 

5. And a final word—on edible plants—You can plant your cold crops such as Spinach, Greens, Lettuce, Broccoli and Kale which you will harvest before the first freeze. Garlic bulbs should be planted in the fall for harvest the following summer. Just break off the cloves and plant 3-4 inches deep—they will create heads of their own by next summer.