Clean up Your Fall Lawn without a Yawn

The cool wind drifts across your lawn as leaves start to transform into a beautiful array of colors, signaling fall is here and it will soon be time to clear all those leaves from your yard. At Lowe’s, you can find all the tools you need to clean up your yard and get a head start on planting for next spring while protecting your lawn and garden.

The first step is getting organized. Decide what your goals are for your yard this fall and how you want to prepare it for the winter and spring seasons. Starting with cleanup and fertilizing is one of the best ways to tackle your lawn.

Fall Cleanup

Containing leaves can be the trickiest part of the cleanup process but the most important because it prevents your grass from suffocating. From hand-held garden tools to outdoor power equipment, Lowe’s has all the options for corralling all those runaway leaves. The Troy Bilt 4 Cycle Handheld Gas Blower (Item #354148) and the Troy Bilt 4 Cycle Backpack Gas Blower (Item #352813) make the process quicker and easier, allowing you to work with precision.

A great rake also can ensure no leaves spill over into your street or your neighbor’s yard. The Kobalt Steel Tine Rake (Item #37892) features a comfortable, cushioned grip and a rolled spring that flexes while raking and provides added strength, or try the innovative True Temper Clog Free Rake (Item #304459); it’s perfect for raking up a pile of heavy leaves or debris without clogging.

Lawn Trimming

Trimming the dead ends from shrubs and bushes can help guarantee the life of your plants. It’s important to prune plants in the fall so they grow better in the spring. The Corona 6” Bypass Pruner (Item #86084) is a durable cutting tool ideal for quick snips to remove dead tips. This versatile pruner can be used by anyone with small or large hands because of the adjustable handle and a left- or right-hand safety lock.

Shears, such as the Corona 10” Bypass Hedge Shears (Item #69843), help quickly trim larger bushes with ease. Its long-lasting blades keep this tool sharp for years to come, and its handles extend up to 20 inches, making no bush or shrub too large to maintain yourself.

Tree, leaf, hedge and shrub cleanup can be especially tiresome chore when the seasons change. Using the Troy-Bilt 2” Upright Chipper Shredder (Item #119600) can help rid your yard of twigs, sticks and branches, while rewarding yourself with valuable wood chips. It can clean up leaves, lawn clippings and garden waste as well, which can provide nutrient-rich garden mulch or compost in return.

Turn your compost material at least once a week with a garden to speed its decay. Chopping and shredding materials to make them smaller before adding to the pile helps compost break down faster. Be sure to discard material that is damaged or diseased.

Fall Seeding

Selecting the right seed is crucial to growing a thick lawn this spring. Be the house with the greenest patch on the block by following these tips for grass seeding:

• When seeding, it’s important to begin by mowing your lawn and raking up dead grass and other debris.
• Use a spreader to evenly spread grass seed that is recommended for your type of lawn.
• On the same day you seed, apply a starter fertilizer to give the seedlings the nutrients they need to develop. Keeping the seed moist for the first two to four weeks will keep the grass uniformly one inch tall.

Fall Fertilizing

As the cold weather rolls in, your grass can slowly turn yellow and die. Fertilizing ensures your lawn will come back green and fresh once the weather warms up to a sunny spring. There’s still plenty of time before winter hits to reinvigorate a neglected lawn.

These tips will make the process of choosing the correct fertilizer easy and give you a healthier lawn this spring:

• As the weather cools and grass receives more rainfall, reduce the cutting height on your mower to 2 to 2-1/2 inches.
• Fertilize, reseed and repair bare spots before winter arrives. Water your lawn once a week to saturate fertilizer and stimulate root growth.
• Select the appropriate fertilizer based on grass type, yard size and the pH level of the soil.
• A pH range between 6.0 and 7.0 is the best for growing quality grass. Soil test kits are available at Lowe's garden centers. These kits provide a quick analysis of your soil's pH.

ABOUT LOWE'S:

With fiscal year 2010 sales of $48.8 billion, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE^® 50 company that serves approximately 15 million customers a week at more than 1,725 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.