Home Improvement

The leaves that fall off the trees each fall are often treated as waste. They are raked and removed.  There are other options. I like to make a pile of leaves to add to my compost during the winter. I use my lawnmower to grind some of the leaves into the grass and green weeds that make up my lawn.

Some of the leaves can be left where they fall to be used as cover for hibernating insects. They will also be used in the spring for bird nests. They can be used to cover perennials to protect them over the winter.

Yes, you can take leaves to Ramsey County yard waste collection sites. The leaves will be composted, and the compost will be available next spring.

If you do nothing with the leaves that fall this season, that is alright too. They do not harm humans or wildlife.

This year is going too fast, and yet in some ways it has been a long year. October started yesterday, and now we must consider what comes after a hot October. We may need to heat our homes soon.

It won’t be long now before we will need to fire up the furnace or boiler. Most years, we end up turning on the heat before the middle of October.  The house seems to stay warm during the day, but the days are shorter and the nights are colder.

If you have a forced air furnace, now is a great time to buy furnace filters. I usually buy enough to last through the winter.

Now is a good time to schedule a furnace or boiler inspection and tune-up. If the dang thing stops working on Christmas Eve or during a major cold spell, getting it repaired is going to be expensive.

Usually, a tune-up isn’t expensive.

Crysanthemums come in a few varieties and colors.  They will continue to bloom until they freeze. They can be brought into the house or planted in the garden for blooms next year. You will find them at the nursery, home improvement store, hardware store, and some grocery stores.  Go get some.

No Mow May is a thing. Not mowing your lawn during May will allow the weeds to flower and provide more food for pollinators.  Eventually, the lawn has to be mowed, and the pollinator food will be cut down. Is it really better to let the grass and weeds grow?

I like to let the lawn grow to about three inches and then mow it down. It is easier to mow when it is shorter, and it looks better too. I tried not mowing in May. I found that it is the only month when the lawn grows and needs mowing.

I really if we wanted to provide habitat for pollinators, we would get rid of the grass and plant wild flowers and native grasses.

I’ll be mowing the lawn in the next couple of days. In fact, I would like to get it done before the weekend so that we can enjoy the yard and picnic table.

If your home is on the market, keep the lawn mowed.