AUTUMNAL DUTIES

Clean up your yard this fall with ease
Tips to protect your outdoor space

News Canada

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Homeowners invest hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars in converting their backyards into an extended outdoor living space.

Yet when the autumn chill blows in, many abandon their man-made oasis only to be faced with an overwhelming cleanup in the spring.

It's easy to make light work out of a fall cleanup with the right tools, say gardening enthusiasts.

The Ryobi ONE+ 18-volt battery system, which features over 50 products such as a cordless hedge trimmer and cordless blower, will save time when pruning and prepping your yard for the winter.

The advanced lithium interchangeable batteries give you superior runtime and rapid recharging, eliminating the frustration of running out of power mid-cleanup.

A leaf blower, for example, is an ideal investment for larger properties and their backpack blower makes light work of a gruelling task.

It can easily clear lawns and flower beds of loose leaves and debris -- letting you simply blow leaves to your property line for municipal pickup.

To protect your outdoor space from harsh, destructive winter elements, take a look at these tips from Ryobi:

• Trim plants and shrubs for optimal spring blooms and to avoid spring "bald spots";

• Remove leaves and dead plant material from annual and perennial garden beds;

• Protect perennials from frost heaving by mulching after the ground freezes;

• Cover shrubs that are sensitive to low winter temperatures with burlap;

• Build a simple (or elaborate) compost bin for fall leaves, add fresh grass clippings and cover until spring;

• Remove dead branches from rose and fruit trees;

• Check eavestroughs, siding, railing and pathways for loose screws, shaky handrails and loose pathways and make repairs to eliminate possible slipping hazards and prolonged property damage.

With the proper tools, lawn care doesn't have to be a nightmare.

Winterizing your outdoor space can save you hundreds of dollars next spring.

By protecting plant beds from disease, outdoor furnishing from rot and such structures as air conditioning units and eavestroughs from flooding or ice damming, you're far less likely to be faced with unsightly spring repairs.