Page 8 - El Tejano October 2017

El Tejano Magazine
®
Do This Fall Yard Work And Reap Springtime Benefi ts

(NAPSI)—Lots of people think their family yards need chain saws or pole pruners to cut back trees, shrubs
less attention in the fall but autumn is no time to ignore and plants. Make sure branches are safely trimmed
your lawn and landscape. back from overhead lines and not in danger of falling
on a structure in rough weather. You may need to tie or
“What you do now will determine the quality of your brace limbs of upright evergreens or plants to prevent
family yard next spring and summer,” explained Kris them from breaking in high winds or snow. Call a pro-
Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equip- fessional arborist for big trees or hard-to-reach spots.
ment Institute (OPEI), the international trade associ-
ation representing more than 100 power equipment, Repair bald spots. Fall is a great time to patch bald or
engine and utility vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. thin spots in a lawn. Th e easiest way to do this is with
an all-in-one lawn repair mixture (found at most gar-
“Every gardener knows to den shops and home centers).
plant bulbs in the fall but au- Use a garden rake or dethatch-
tumn is also the time to mow, er to scratch loose the soil on
aerate, mulch, trim and patch the spot.
your lawn,” said Kiser. He
off ers fi ve tips to help you get Kiser also added that it’s
your yard into top shape this important to follow safety
fall and ready for more relax- procedures whenever using
ing and fun outdoor activities outdoor power equipment.
next year. Read your owner’s manual. It
will describe the individual re-
Keep mowing. Grass still quirements for your particular
needs regular care to stay Make sure your yard and equipment machine and provide direc-
healthy. Grass that’s too high are properly prepared for the seasons to tions on which fuels may be
may attract lawn-damaging come. appropriate for your product.
fi eld mice. Shorter grass is Fuels containing more than 10
more resistant to diseases and percent ethanol should not be
traps fewer falling leaves. Cutting the grass low lets used unless directed in the owner’s manual.
more sun reach the crown of the grass, so less leaf will
turn brown in the winter. However, cutting off too He said, “You’ll also want to service and winterize your
much at one time can be damaging, so never trim more lawn mower, string trimmer, leaf blower and other out-
than a third of the grass blades off in a single cutting. door power equipment.” And remember, most gas-fu-
Put mower blades on the lowest settings for the last two eled outdoor power equipment is warranted and de-
cuts of the season. signed to run on E10 (10 percent ethanol) fuel or less.
Th ere are fuel options available today that should not
Aerate your lawn. Compressed soil hurts grass health. be used in your outdoor power equipment. Remember
Aerating punches holes into the soil and lets oxygen, to “look before you pump” and make sure to drain the
water and nutrients into a lawn. Use a walk-behind fuel tank before storing equipment for the winter. Safely
aerator or get an attachment to pull behind a riding dispose of any fuel that is more than 30 days old.
mower.
“Winterization is important for outdoor power equip-
Mulch your leaves. Many mowers can mulch leaves ment. When everything is growing again in the spring
with an attachment. Since mulching with a mower and you see how all your hard fall lawn work has paid
can mix grass clippings with leaf particles, these nitro- off , the last thing you want to deal with is a malfunc-
gen-rich grass particles and carbon-rich leaf particles tioning mower,” said Kiser.
will compost more quickly. Together, they return nutri-
ents to the soil. For information on safe fueling, go to www.LookBefo-
reYouPump.com. For tips on outdoor power equipment
Trim and shore up trees and bushes. Use trimmers, safety, go to www.opei.org.
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