Yardwork chores are never that much fun, but if you want a beautiful yard, they are necessary. Now that summer is more than half over and you can sometimes get just a hint of fall in the air, it’s time to tackle several important tasks in both your front and back yards. Grab your gardening gloves and yard tools and get ready to knock out these yardwork chores so you can continue enjoying your lovely outdoor space as long as possible this summer.
1. Trim Your Plants
When summer starts many of your plants flower and branch out. Now is the time to cut back that growth. Any blooms or vines that have dwindled and are limp, wilted or brown can go. Use your gardening scissors and gently remove the finished portions of your plants. Not only will this encourage new growth next spring, but it helps keep your yard looking alive and fresh until winter comes and everything goes dormant. If that’s not one of the yardwork chores that really pays off, I don’t know what is.
2. Plant Late Summer Blooms
In many areas of the world, late blooming plants and flowers will last through much of the fall. Mums are a great example. Plant those now and you can bring new color and life to your yard while also having some beautiful things to enjoy once the heat of summer is over and the weather starts to cool down.
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3. Mark Your Dormant Plants
Once plants go dormant, it can be hard to remember where they are when spring rolls around again. The agriculture experts at the University of Nebraska suggest marking them with brightly colored golf tees so you know where they are next year. You can use painted rocks or other decorative items just as easily. Sketch a simple map on paper so you know which plants correspond to which markers.
4. Clean up Leaves
We’re still many weeks from all of the leaves falling off the trees, but you might notice some of them dropping now. It’s a good idea to clean them up instead of letting them pile up because it helps keeps rot and pests away from your plants, garden and flowers. Use a small rake and toss the leaves in your compost pile or the trash. Keeping up with the chore prevents it from taking hours at a time.
5. Harvest the Garden
If your garden is anything like mine right now, you can barely keep up with the production of veggies. Make sure you harvest every couple of days, which keeps those plants producing vegetables as long as possible. If you have more than you can eat, give them away or can them to eat later.
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6. Kill Weeds
There are many ways of doing this, including using commercial products or simply pulling them all the time. Make sure you are keeping up with the weeds in late summer before they seed so that you don’t have an overrun yard next year. Avoid tossing weeds in the compost because they could seed there and ruin your garden next summer. The best thing to do is collect the weeds and toss them in the trash can.
7. Continue Watering
As the weather cools down, you might not need to water as much but for now, make sure you are giving your plants a drink regularly. This is especially true of container plants, which tend to dry out quickly when the temperature rises. Keep watering until the season is over.
Do you have a yard you want to enjoy as long as possible? I struggle to keep my yard up, especially when it’s really hot outside, but it’s so worth all the time and effort it takes because I love my front and back yards. What are your late summer yardwork tips?
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