Outdoor Clean Up Tips for Fall The weather is turning cooler and you may be spending more time indoors, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect the outdoor areas of your property. Spending some time working outdoors will make it easier for you in the spring when you want to go back outside. Clean up the yard. As leaves and acorns begin to fall, it’s important to go around your yard cleaning them up in a timely fashion. A buildup of leaves can smother your grass if it isn’t cleaning up. Acorns, for those people with oak trees, are especially important to pick up quickly. If left, they will crack and begin to root in your yard. What would be an easy chore of raking them up will turn into you pulling at each one individually. Trust me, I have experience in this. If you have branches that have fallen in your yard, pick them up. If they are dead and dried out, you can put them in your fire wood pile, but if they are wet, consider throwing them out. You don’t want mold to grow around the wood. Prune your trees and bushes. As a disclaimer here, it is always best to research the plants that you have on your property to see what time of the year is truly best for pruning them. In general, pruning in the fall will help them survive the cold winter months and spark spring growth. Pruning is important for plant health, as is protecting some of them from the winter elements entirely. Take the time to learn if you need to wrap your plants (in burlap or other breathable fabric) before winter hits. Pull weeds. This is one of my least favorite yard maintenance tasks, but it is a vital one. Pulling weeds throughout the year is always important, but some weeds will drop their seeds in the fall, allowing new weeds to root into the ground before spring. Pulling any weeds that are on your property in the fall is the best way to keep them away. 
Clean off your outdoor living space. Just like you rid your yard of leaves that fall, you should also sweep off your decks, porches patios, driveways and walkways. Leaves and debris hold water and dirt on the surface. If your exterior surfaces aren’t properly protected, that moisture and dirt can embed itself into the pores of the product, not only making your space look bad, but it can also cause damage. Take water for example, when your deck or patio is holding water and then it freezes, it will expand. The expansion can cause cracking and splintering. It’s good practice to clean off your spaces periodically throughout the fall and winter months. If you have any questions on cleaning outdoor surfaces, please contact your local Renew Crew office. September 13, 2013 · Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces, Deck Sealing, Exterior Cleaning, Outdoor Living Tips, and outdoor maintenane