Season After Season: The Corona Blog

Tools for Fall Garden and Yard Cleanup

Posted by Chris Sabbarese on Wed, Nov, 20, 2019 @ 18:11 PM

While temperatures have begun to cool here in Corona, CA many parts of the county are already seeing their first frost and snow in some northern states. Before winter sets in, it's a good time to rake up leaves from the lawn and spread as leaf mulch in planter beds, clear out spent vegetable plants, add them to the compost bin for enriched soil in the spring, remove tree limbs that are damaged or could be potential hazards during winter storms, clean, and sharpen tools to be ready for late-winter pruning, and plant bulb flowers. Considering it's daylight savings and that mother natures enjoys throwing us a curve ball with extreme weather now and then, the following essential tools will help get the job done quickly. Read on to find out which tools we recommend and share your essentials for fall cleanup.

Wheelbarrow and HipTrug

Depending on the size of your planting beds on your property and a wheelbarrow can be a huge timesaver. A 6 or 10 cubic foot, wheelbarrow is perfect for hauling spent plants to the compost bin. 

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The new Burgon & Ball Hip-Trug clips on easily and is an ingenious way to collect any remaining fruits and veggies you come across, keeping your hands free to pull out spent plants and keep moving.

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Ensilage Fork

Spreading a thick lay of mulch in the the garden and planting beds is one best things you can do this time of year. A wide ensilage fork with narrow-spaced tines, will help transfer the debris from the mulch pile to the wheelbarrow, fast and efficiently. You can move large amounts of material at once saving you time instead of burning daylight during the shortened fall days. A fork can also be used to turn your compost so that come spring, you will have rich compost ready for garden beds.

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Extended Handle Garden Tools

Clean up spent vegetable plants, weeds and spread mulch with easy in your raised planter beds. These extended tools are the perfect length to reach plants in the center of the planter and smooth out the soil. For temperate climates, consider planting cover crops when you're done which help prevents soil erosion, controls spread of weeds, while enriching and improving the soil for spring planting. If you're an area that freezes, lay down a thick layer of leaves or cardboard to help control weeds and protect the soil.

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Extra Large Rake

Tree leaves are nature's gift to your garden and landscape. While some homeowners look at them as a chore to collect, bag and put out the curb, however like mulch, leaves do wonders for your planters. Both as and thick layer of leaf mulch, and providing a home for natural wildlife that need shelter in the winter months. Take the chore out of this fall task with a wide rake such as the BigLOAD. You will get the job done twice as fast.

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Hand Saw

This without a doubt, if you're a property owner with trees, a saw is an absolute must have tool. While fall is not the ideal time for pruning, however it's a great time once the leaves have fallen to see any damaged, dead or diseased tree limbs. Left on the tree, these limbs could become potential hazards during winter storms. Especially if they are near any structures that could result in extensive property damage.

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Tool Sharpener

A tool sharpener might very well be, a property owner's best friend in the garden. During this time of year, colder climate gardeners would rather be working outside, but it's a great opportunity to do some tool maintenance and cleaning indoors. Clean off remaining dirt and debris form the cutting and digging tools. Then grab your handy tool sharpener to give them a quick sharpening. The small carbide file takes a few seconds so tools ready to go to work when it's time for late winter pruning.

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Garden Trowel and Kneelos

Once you've gotten your yard in shape and ready for winter, fall is an excellent time to get some spring bulbs planted. A trowel, with a built in depth gauge helps ensure you're planting them at the right depth. The sharpened tip helps drive the tool into the the soil while the ComforGEL grip helps absorb the shock to hands. Its comfortable grip helps prevent aching hands and blisters the day after.

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Just as important, don't forget a pair of comfortable Kneelo knee pads or kneelers to protect your knees while you're digging in the soil.

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Hear the Interview on the Green Industry Leaders Network Podcast

Whether you are a homeowner or a landscape contractor, Cynthia Bee shares some great insights on the JVWC program called Localscapes, on this episode. It's a great discussion that can change how you look at your landscape design. You can listen to the our complete interview and helpful information, 24/7 on the Green Industry Leaders Network podcast.

 

Topics: gardening, Landscaping, fall

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