house covered in ivy near a bridge

Autumn is almost here! Unfortunately, our climate is anything but the usual clean, crisp air we have come to expect as the entire West Coast deals with smoke from nearby fires. 

Eventually, things will get better and we can get back to decorating our homes with pumpkins, mums, and Halloween decor. During this time, it’s essential to prep your home and garden. Our Green Acres Landscape Maintenance Manager, Juan Asencion, actually wrote about a similar topic (falling leaves) in the Salem Business Journal. Read it here: 

In addition to falling leaves, there are many maintenance requirements you need to prepare for. When the weather changes, you don’t want to be dealing with heating issues or a water-logged roof. With that in mind, here are a few things to think about as the season changes:

Apply herbicides (weed killer):

Fall has the perfect weather conditions for attacking weeds. Applying herbicides allows the weed killer to seep into the plant structures below the ground, causing the whole plant to die. Numerous weeds emerge in late summer and fall, which will regrow in the spring. The goal is to interrupt their life cycle, which is the ideal way to control them. If you wait until the spring, they become more prominent and difficult to control. 

Check your gutters

As mentioned in Juan’s article, your gutters can cause severe problems if they don’t get a little TLC. Leaves will weigh down the gutters, jam them, and limit or cut-off water flow. Unfortunately, stagnant water in gutters will often seep into the house. If your gutters are too far gone, you can replace them pretty affordably online or by hiring a professional. 

Also, while you (or a professional) are checking your gutters, take a good look at the roof. Keep an eye out for missing or damaged shingles or any debris that has piled up. 

Don’t forget about the chimney either. If you have a wood fireplace and use it frequently, get it serviced. A faulty fireplace is a significant safety hazard.

Deal with drafts

Here’s something you might not think about. Drafts are a huge waste of energy. Do you find that your home is often colder than it should be when you have the heater on? That warmth could be seeping out through cracks or creases in your home. 

Fortunately, this is a relatively easy fix. By weatherstripping (sealing doors and windows), you can effectively insulate your home and keep all that energy from escaping.

Service your sprinklers and irrigation systems

Don’t forget about your irrigation system (if you have one). They are not immune to seasonal wear and tear, so be sure to have a professional check for necessary repairs.  We encourage irrigation turn-offs in the fall and service/repairs/adjustments in the spring. This is an excellent time to discuss your watering schedule, so you can be sure you are providing the right amount of water for your yard as the season transitions from summer to fall.

This post was first published on https://greenacreslandscapeinc.com/.