Fall is here, which means the leaves are falling from the trees and it’s time to clean up your yard. Whether you’re a first-time landscaper or an experienced pro, we’ve got some tips and tricks for getting your yard ready for winter. Let’s get started!

Pull out those pesky weeds

When you’re tackling weeds, the first step is to identify them. While the common weeds you’ll find in your yard may look similar to one another, they can have quite different characteristics. For example, a dandelion will grow from a taproot as opposed to a fibrous root system; that is why it’s easier to pull out of your lawn than other weeds.

Pulling weeds is an effective way to get rid of them—and it’s also easy on your back! Just grab the plant with both hands and yank it out of the ground. If there are many weeds growing in one area (like at the end of your driveway), try using some string or twine along with your hands so that you don’t have to bend down as much while pulling up each weed. If there are too many plants for this method alone, then consider using chemical weed killers instead; these products kill off unwanted vegetation without having any negative impact on surrounding plants or lawns because they only target specific types of plants rather than all green matter at once like traditional herbicides do

Touch up your flower beds with mulch and edging

Mulch can be a great way to add visual interest and texture to your landscaping. It will help keep weeds away, so you don’t have to worry about pulling them out of the ground. Mulch also helps hold moisture in the soil, which helps plants grow well.

When choosing mulch, you have two main options: organic or inorganic. Organic mulches are typically made from plants or bark that decompose slowly over time and provide nutrients for your garden as they break down into the soil (they also look nicer). Inorganic mulches like stone tend not to decompose much at all (you may even want to consider having it removed every few years), but they do help prevent weeds by blocking sunlight from reaching them directly when placed over top of existing grasses or flowers. Regardless of whether you choose organic or inorganic, remember that good quality mulch should be 3-4 inches thick; this is important because too much could cause drainage issues with your flower beds if there isn’t enough room between the surface level and where water sits after rainstorms or watering sessions each day!

Trim up your perennials, ornamental grasses, and dead branches

In fall, you’ll want to trim up your perennials and ornamental grasses. There are a few ways to do this:

  • You can use clippers or loppers to clip off dead leaves from the tops of plants.
  • You can rake up fallen leaves with a leaf rake as well. If there’s any plant debris left after raking, you can use a shovel to remove it.

You should also clean out any dead flowers that have fallen onto your garden bed by scooping them up with a shovel and tossing them away in a compost pile if they’re healthy enough.If your perennial isn’t looking good anymore, it may be time for new ones!

Install fall blooming plants

Fall is an excellent time to plant fall blooming plants. These are plants that have their peak bloom in the fall and remain attractive through the winter months. Some examples include:

  • New England aster (Aster novae-angliae)
  • Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
  • Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
  • Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)
  • Heliopsis (Heliopsis helianthoides)
  • Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia fulgida)

Fall-blooming plants are a great way to get a jump start on your garden. They are often in bloom before spring bulbs, which means that they can provide color and interest while you wait for the rest of your landscape to come alive.

Aerate your lawn to restore soil health

Aeration is an important part of lawn care and maintenance. Aeration involves removing small plugs of soil from your lawn, which helps to improve soil drainage and aeration. This is especially important for areas with clay or compacted soils that tend to retain water and become muddy in wet weather conditions. You can also aerate while you’re preparing your lawn for winter by raking up leaves before they have a chance to decompose into the ground.

The best time to aerate your lawn is when it’s dry out—this allows you access right down into the root zone without damaging any grass roots or plants growing beneath them! In addition to this, fall is ideal because there are fewer bugs around so you won’t need chemicals sprayed on your yard like pesticides or insecticides. And if it rains? No problem! When water hits bare soil after being exposed during a heavy rainstorm (or even from irrigation) it absorbs much more easily than when covered up with thick layers of grass blades. This means less runoff problems later on down stream along creeks/rivers where people live nearby…

Winterize your ponds and pools

If you have a pond or pool, winterizing it is important. Whether you own a commercial property with a large outdoor swimming pool or your family has just purchased their dream home with an in-ground pool, winterizing is essential to ensure that the spring will be spent enjoying the water rather than repairing it. Here are some tips for winterizing ponds and pools:

  • Remove all remaining debris from the bottom of your pond before filling it with water to prevent any damage from occurring once temperatures drop below freezing.
  • Cover all exposed areas of your pond (e.g., filter units) with protective covers so that they do not break due to frostbite during cold weather periods. You can also drain these parts if possible—make sure that no small animals get trapped inside before doing so!
  • Make sure all filters are clean and free from leaves or other debris when storing them for the winter months; otherwise they might not work properly when removed again next year!

If you don’t want to spend money on repairs every time something breaks down over time then it might make sense instead just buy one big piece which could last forever even though its cost may seem high initially compared against buying several smaller ones which would break down sooner than later due those same reasons above mentioned under item 4 above plus those listed below under item 5:

Call a local landscaping professional to handle your fall cleanup

If you’re thinking about tackling the fall cleanup yourself, we recommend speaking with a local landscape professional. The pros will save you time, money and energy. They can help you plan for next year by recommending plants that are hardy in your area and give flowers throughout the season. Additionally, they know how to make the most of your space so that it looks beautiful all year long!

Conclusion

Fall is a great time of year to get outside and enjoy the cooler weather. It’s also an ideal time to prepare your landscape for winter by removing dead branches, weeds, and other debris that could cause damage to your property during snowstorms. If you follow these steps and call in professional help with any larger projects, your garden will look better than ever!