With winter right around the corner, it’s time to clean up during fall’s final weeks. While the changing of leaves is beautiful, those vibrant leaves are likely scattered across your lawn, in your gutters, flowerbeds, or the street drains. Do what you can to get your lawn tidy before winter sets in, and your home and yard will thank you come spring.
Follow this checklist so your HOA sets a good example and encourages homeowners to follow as well:
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Rake or Mulch
Whatever you do, don’t leave a blanket of leaves on your grass during the winter. Leaves blanketing your yard can create a mess as they weigh down grass, allow bacterium to grow by trapping moisture, breed perfect homes for insects, and can even provide shelter for vermin. Also, make sure to remove leaves from your street gutter. As it rains or snows, those leaves will prevent your street from draining properly, and that can mean big trouble if some nasty weather comes rolling in!
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Clean your Rain Gutters
Since winter months bring rain and snow, you need to make sure your roof and gutters are free of debris – especially leaves that restrict proper drainage. The last thing you need is a broken gutter or a leaky roof due to poor drainage.
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Mow and Trim
November is a great time for a final mow and shrub trimming. This gets your yard ready for spring. Be sure to trim your lawn short. This allows the weaker winter sun to reach the crown of the grass, which will help keep things healthy and ready for the next growing season.
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Treat for Weeds and Fertilize
As fall winds down, kill any pesky weeds you see still growing, or any that may pop up at all. Even when nothing else seems to be growing, weeds can siphon away water and nutrients that good plants need to survive the winter. Once you’ve removed weeds, fertilize your lawn and any big plants that may need it. Proper food will help your yard thrive in early spring and prevent expensive damage during the winter months.
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Aerate and Water
Over the summer, your lawn usually gets packed down. If you don’t aerate regularly, your lawn will struggle to grow and fill in nicely come spring. It is especially important in areas that are really packed down. Give your yard a good watering regularly until winter sets in. If you’re getting regular rain, no need to water by hand!
Related: Home Businesses in Your Association
No need to let the leaves just pile up as they fall, take the time to clean up, feed, and prepare your yard for winter so that you’ll have less work to do come spring. Today’s burden is tomorrow’s chore! If everyone works together to clean up, your community will truly shine! Feel free to share this list with your community, or maybe even consider bringing neighbors together one fall morning for a community rake up event. Getting the work done together really builds a sense of community, and your board will be doing everything it can to prepare the community for winter.
For more HOA management tips be sure to visit our blog, or if you’re in need of assistance, contact us today for a free HOA management quote for your community.
