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When it comes to gardening, timing is everything. If you live in the northern part of the U.S., October is the perfect time to prepare your yard for winter and next year to come. (But your window is closing, because you need to act before the frost.) For the rest of the continental U.S., you’ve got a little more time, but there’s no time like the present to get prepared and allow yourself to do things right. And so, without ado, here’s InsideHook’s list of fall gardening essentials to make your work more effective and enjoyable.
One quick overarching note: because there are so many differences in climate and yard conditions, we’d suggest checking with your local garden center or community gardening group for specific recommendations.
This is a classic, just like dad and grandpa used to use. It’s important in the fall to remove leaves and other debris from the top of grass so that sun, air, and nutrients can circulate well, and a wide, steel tine rake is perfect for the job. It’s also great for clearing out beds in preparation for mulching. The metal tines are durable and there’s some spring to the action that’s great for thatching. A variable smaller-width version is helpful for hard-to-reach areas.
Oftentimes, by the time fall rolls around there are barren and hard-packed spots in your yard. This powerful tool allows you to till these regions into more workable soil for accepting seed and fertilizer. It’s also great for turning up your beds by rotating and grinding up the top layer of soil. The tiller also makes it easier to plant fall bulbs like tulips or daffodils.
For small or medium-size yards, this stomp-down aerator tool makes quick work during the fall. (If you have a large yard, you’re going to want to rent an aerator.) Aerating creates a way for water and nutrients to make their way more easily to the roots of your grass. Like the cultivator above, this also provides a nice overall body workout.
Many weeds are persistent enough to hang around well into the fall. Use this lever-activated stand-up weed puller to grab and extract pesky invasive plants one more time before the frost comes. Bonus: it spares you back from leaning over or getting on your knees to do this work. If you prefer getting closer to your weedy subjects, this is a tried and true small hand tool.
Savvy gardeners know that fertilizing in the fall is a wise move. (As noted above, consult with a local garden center to determine the right fertilizer composition.) Amending the yard now, when done properly, sets you up for a great spring yard. This broadcast spreader is a great choice for laying down granular materials – fertilizer and grass seed for the yard and also salt in the winter. (Just be sure you wash it out between different types of uses.) A larger version is available for big yards, or a small handheld version for tiny areas.
It’s easy to think it’s time to stop watering when autumn comes around since things are starting to get brown and dry up. But it’s still important to get adequate moisture in your yard in this season. According to Lawn Doctor CEO Scott Frith, your lawn should be getting at least an inch of water a week until the freeze rolls around. You can tell how you’re doing with a simple rain gauge like this one, which features a magnifying scale and several different ways to mount it.
As noted in the above entry, fall watering remains an important contributor to spring success. This telescoping rotary sprinkler features an impressive watering diameter and even water distribution through its spinning top. By adjusting the sprinkler’s placement, height, and water pressure it’s flexible enough to water big swathes of lawn and beds alike.
Pruning is one of the trickier aspects of gardening, and generally speaking it’s best not to do too much in the fall since you can damage plants, trees, and shrubs. That said, there are some plants that should be trimmed in fall (again check with local experts), and you can trim back dead or diseased plants and discard the trimmings. There’s a lot of great pruner options out there, but consider treating yourself to a gem like this one from Ironwood. They feel substantial in the hand with smooth operation, replaceable blades, and they sport a long warranty.
Just as in the spring or summer, hand protection is paramount – whether it’s from thorns or prickly weeds or abrasive tree limbs. The polyurethane dipped covering on these gloves from Milwaukee Tools offers poke protection while still being breathable and lightweight. These inexpensive gloves are comfortable, grippy, brightly colored by ANSI cut level (and easier to find in a leaf pile), and touchscreen-compatible.
There have been few more welcome battery-powered, cordless advances than those around landscaping tools. Do away with smoky, smelly, loud tools and avoid the hazardous extension cords that plagued dad’s (or grandpa’s) electric mowers, trimmers, and tools. These modern marvels make quick work of cleaning up driveways and walks, not to mention leaf-infested beds and yards. This one’s lightweight and features a variable speed motor and “cruise control” to easily place it on your preferred setting. Performs up to 125 MPH with the concentrator nozzle.
Once you’ve blown away the dirt, dust, and leaves it’s the ideal time to power wash decks, outdoor furniture, paving stones, and the house siding in preparation for the winter. This is one power tool where the cord is not a hindrance. Plug it in, take the base unit to your job area, and clean away. When you’re done, you might be having so much fun you’ll wash your cars a few more times while you’re at it.
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