13 November 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Although the colors on the trees are changing and the leaves falling, the outdoor temperatures are still nice, which means it’s still an ideal time to work on your yard.
“Just take advantage of the weather we have now,” Skinner Garden Store Nursery Manger Brian Buhler said. “It’s still nice, if you think you need to put a few things in the ground go right ahead, it’s a great time to do it.”
But it will get cold before we know it.
“It’s a good time to fertilize your lawn,” Buhler said. “K-State recommends a couple times during the fall, it’s time to put a second one on now. It’s called a winterizer and it’s beneficial to the root systems in your lawn.”
Your yard is also home to a lot of insects. Leaves can be a good shelter for them during the winter months. But if you don’t like the look of leaves in your yard, or your HOA doesn’t allow it, now is a good time to take advantage of the weather and rake them up.
“Compostable trash bags, yes,” Topeka resident Helen Kelly said when raking her yard. “And then we also drive over them with the lawnmowers so it doesn’t take up as many trash bags.”
If you don’t want a hefty bill in the future, now is the time to winterize your outdoor plumbing before these nice temperatures turn into a frozen tundra.
“Your sprinkler system should be shutting down here pretty quick,” Buhler said. “I know it’s warm, and the lawns are still looking good, and we’re still kind of wanting to do some irrigation on the lawns to keep them nice and green for as long as we can. As far as your hoses, I’m still watering things in my lawn so I still have them out, but it’s important to disconnect them when they get really cold.”
If you don’t put your leaves in trash bags, Buhler said it’s also beneficial to put them around your shrubs, use as mulch or even for your lawn if you chop them up with your mower.