Maintenance helps protect your home and yard from pests, mold and weather

By Deb Holland, Journal Staff Writer | Thursday, November 02, 2006

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It doesn’t matter where you live; seasonal changes in temperature and moisture levels

require special maintenance tasks inside and outside your house and in the yard and garden.

Bill Keck, Pennington County Extension horticulture educator, said one of the most neglected tasks in the fall is watering trees and shrubs until the ground freezes.

After the weather cools, we often forget that our plants still need water, Keck said. Late-season watering is especially critical because roots will be unable to take in moisture when the soil is frozen.

“Make sure trees and shrubs get an inch of water per week before the ground freezes, and in this area, that is not going happen until the first of December,” Keck said.

After you are done watering, take off the hoses, drain them and store them in a garage or shed.

“Don’t leave them exposed to the sun; they will dry out and crack,” he said.

After the wind earlier this week, you may have lost many of the leaves in your yard, but were the recipient of a neighbor’s leaves. If a thick layer of leaves accumulates on the lawn, it can reduce air circulation and leave grass more vulnerable to snow mold. Compost your leaves or, better yet, fill bags with leaves and save them to use as winter mulch. Use the compost for the flower garden or vegetable garden.

If you have pine trees in your yard, you should rake.

“Pine needles will suffocate the grass. They need to be raked up,” Keck said.

If the layer of leaves on your lawn is thin enough that you can still see grass blades through it, you don’t need to rake: simply chop the leaves by running the lawn mower over them.

If you plan to give the lawn one last trim, cut your grass the same height as you did during the summer, or one notch lower, but be careful not to scalp it, Keck said. That exposes the crown of the plant and without some protection, the grass plant can be damaged by winter weather.

Avoid the temptation to prune trees or bushes because pruning stimulates growth. If a tree limb is a hazard, by all means, cut it away, but for all other decorative pruning, wait until spring, Keck said.

“The trees are not dormant yet,” he said. “We don’t want it to awaken the tree by pruning. You can do it 365 days a year if it’s in the way, but if you are trying to shape it for structure, hang off and wait till spring.”

The same pruning principles hold true for roses.

Protect hybrid tea and other tender roses by putting some dirt and compost around the base of the roses then, in late November, cover with mulch and a cone.

Check around the outside of the house. Clean gutters, put away patio furniture and caulk any holes around the base of the home.

“Avoid having wood piles against the house. That is where insects and rodents want to live,” he said.

Keck said mice can come through a quarter of an inch hole.

“If they can get their head through, they can get their whole body in,” he said.

Outside the house

- Plant some bulbs. Add more spring color to your yard by planting bulbs. Tulips, daffodils, alliums, crocus and others are planted in mid-late fall. Improve the soil with compost and bone meal, or other phosphorus source, to encourage flowering.

- As lawn and garden equipment and other power tools are put away for the season, look for cords that are worn out or damaged. Repairs should be made before the equipment is used next season in order to avoid possible electrical shocks. Clean and store garden tools, rakes and shovels. Use a paper towel to rub a thin coating of motor oil on blades to prevent rusting.

- Drain sprinkler systems. In colder areas, now is the time to be thinking about having your sprinkler and irrigation systems blown out. You can rent a compressor and do this yourself, or contact a landscape or irrigation-system installer and them handle this for you. This is also the time to shut off outdoor faucets and install freeze-proof faucet covers as needed.

- Pack up the patio. Check and clean patio furniture and put them away for the winter. Clean and cover removable furniture cushions to protect them from dust and dirt, but be sure the cushions are dry before storing in order to prevent mildew growth.

- Put away outdoor pots. Dump out the soil and scrub containers clean. Store containers upside down in the basement or on a shelf in the garage.

- Clean gutters. After most of the leaves have fallen, clean the gutters and downspouts. Check for leaks and low spots and make repairs. At the same time, you can be putting up your Christmas lights, Keck said.

- Wash windows. (Mix a solution of 2 tablespoons of household ammonia or white vinegar with 1 quart of warm water). Change the storms or lower the combination sashes.

Inside the house

-Check the fireplace. It’s about time to get those logs burning, so get the fireplace ready. Clean the fireplace chimney or wood stove flue using brushes approved for the size and type of flue you have, or have a professional do the cleaning. Clean out the firebox, making sure you place the ashes in a fireproof container with a tight lid for proper disposal. If you have an airtight wood stove or fireplace insert, check the door-seal gasket, and clean the glass on the door.

- Change your furnace filters. Replace your old furnace filter with a new one. While you’re at it, check the furnace for worn belts, lubrication needs or other servicing that might be required. Refer to your owner’s manual for specific suggestions, and follow any manufacturer safety instructions for shutting the power and fuel to the furnace before servicing.

- Clean your ducts. Now is also a great time to clean your furnace ducts. If it has been a while since that has been done, hire a professional duct-cleaning service to handle this chore. Remove register covers, and vacuum out the boots with a shop vacuum.

- Add a humidifier. Plagued with dry skin, cracking furniture or maybe even an occasional nose bleed? Winters are dryer than summers, and closing ourselves up indoors with furnaces and especially wood-burning appliances going full blast will dry you and your house out in a hurry. You might want to think about adding a central humidifier to your forced-air heating system, or simply setting up one or two portable units in key areas of the house such as the living room or bedroom.

- Check weather-stripping. Air leaks around doors and windows can rob your home of expensive heated air and create uncomfortable drafts that keep you feeling chilly. Check the weather-stripping around doors and windows, and replace any that are worn. Now is also a good time to close a few more air leaks by checking the condition of caulking around exterior door and window frames.

Source: The Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune