To prepare your lawn for cooler temperatures and help it thrive next year, rake large quantities of fallen leaves to keep them from choking grass off from the sun, Better Homes & Gardens says. Seed or sod any bare spots. Aerate high-traffic areas to loosen compacted soil and pull weeds, which can get established as other plants start to die off for the winter. Raise the mower blade to encourage root growth. Finally, this is the best time of year to feed common cool-weather turf grasses, experts say, which can result in earlier earlier greening and an improved appearance in the spring. #FallGardeningTips
Tag: fall
The Benefits of Mulching in the Fall
#Mulching is often a job that #gardeners perform in the #spring to maintain their beds’ moisture, keep weeds at bay and retard erosion. But many landscaping professionals also advise mulching in the #fall for the same purposes, HGTV says. Adding #mulch in the fall insulates the soil to provide a warm environment for earthworms and microbes that improve soil, and it insulates plant roots, which can protect seedlings that are still getting established. Plus, mulching in the fall may save you time during the busy spring planting season — and the weather likely won’t be as hot and sticky when you do it. #FallGardeningTips
Prep Your Garden for Spring in the Fall
With the start of #fall last weekend, many #home #gardeners across the country are starting to see their vegetable harvests slow and their flowers start to fade. That means it’s a good time to clean up and prep the #garden for the next growing season. First, remove any plants that show signs of weakness or disease, says EarthEasy, and any invasive weeds. Then, allow the healthy plants to die and decay naturally to enrich your soil. You may also choose to plant a cover crop such as rye, clover or barley and till those plants under in the spring to return valuable nutrients to the soil for all of your plantings. #FallGardeningTips
Why Fall Is America’s Favorite Season
Fall begins on Saturday, Sept. 23, and four out of 10 U.S. residents couldn’t be happier. That’s right: According to a 2022 Morning Consult survey of more than 2,000 Americans, 41% named fall as their favorite season.
Spring and summer tied for second place, with 24% each, and winter (perhaps not surprisingly) garnered only 11%. Women, Midwesterners and Southerners, and Gen X were the biggest fans of fall; interestingly, Gen Z is the only demographic to like winter second-best.
What contributes to fall’s popularity? Sociologically speaking, the season is associated with many temporal landmarks, sociologist Kathryn Lively told HuffPost. Temporal landmarks are significant dates such as birthdays, holidays and other events that structure perceptions of time.
Fall birthdays are commonplace in the U.S., and events such as the start of school, Halloween, Thanksgiving and even homecoming provide people with fond memories that carry through to the annual change of seasons.
Survey respondents listed any number of justifications for their fall fandom. Almost two-thirds of those who named it as their favorite season (63%) said they enjoy seeing the leaves change color; more than half (58%) highlighted the Thanksgiving holiday.
Fall’s crisper weather (56%), fall foods (50%) and fall clothing (44%) also made the list, followed by Halloween (41%) and football (37%). In a poke at pumpkin spice lattés, only 32% named fall-inspired beverages.
But it’s more likely that positive emotions and memories drive people’s feelings for fall. More than two-thirds of those surveyed said they feel “happy,” “content,” “excited,” “optimistic” and “nostalgic” in autumn. It’s a time for people to turn to comforts like sweaters and a hearty meal.
As you get your fall #clothing out this year, take stock of what you really need and wear, and #donate any extras to ClothingDonations.org. You’ll be sharing those good fall feelings with #veterans nationwide.
Start Planning Your Fall Projects Now
Another long weekend is on the books, and even though most of the country can look forward to another month or two of temperate weather, fall will be here soon. That’s why everyone should start planning — or doing — their fall projects now.
While spring and summer tend to be the busiest times of year for home improvement and renovation, fall offers relatively mild and consistent weather for DIY projects. In other words, it’s less likely you’ll be withering under the oppressive heat or dodging heavy rainstorms.
If you need to hire some help, you’re in luck: Business starts to slow down for most contractors in the fall, so you will probably have an easier time finding a qualified professional and the materials you need for a project. You may even get a price break!
Work from the outside in, Thumbtack’s Dave Steckel told The Spruce, winterizing your home and garden for the first freeze, then turning attention to interior projects. “The idea is to get ready for winter in the fall, because we never know when the weather will change,” he said.
Depending on your situation, painting, tuckpointing, roofing, gutter cleaning and HVAC maintenance may be on the list of exterior to-dos. All are essential to protecting the home and its occupants against the elements, so get them on the calendar now.
Once you have these handled, turn your attention to the interior of the home. Common projects include interior painting, floor and tile installation, lighting installation, bathroom remodeling, and home #cleaning and #organizing.
The Organizing Blog recommends a thorough #decluttering of any spaces you’ll be fixing up. Not only will it make completing your fall projects easier, reducing #clutter can beautify the space long after those projects are complete. #Donate any extra #stuff that you don’t need to ClothingDonations.org.
You’ll be spending more time indoors when fall and winter roll around; make your space more livable and efficient before the temperatures start to drop.