Fall is when a lot of Seminole neighbors start getting ready for snowbird season. Maybe you're the one heading back down after a summer up north, or maybe you've got family coming to stay through the winter. Either way, it's nice when the yard looks ready the day everybody pulls into the driveway, not a week later.
I'm Isaac, and I run Ready 2 Mow. A yard that sat for a few months, or just got a quick mow now and then, usually needs a little catching up. Here's the checklist I'd go through before the house fills up again.
Walk the yard first
Before you grab any tools, take a slow lap around the whole property. Look for:
- Grass that has grown tall or gone shaggy along the fence and the sides of the house
- Palm fronds, branches and leaves that have piled up after storms
- Shrubs pushing against windows, walls or the A/C unit
- Weeds popping up in flower beds and along the edges of the driveway
- Sprinkler heads that are tipped over, buried or hitting the sidewalk
Writing it down helps a lot. It turns "the yard is a mess" into a short list you can knock out one thing at a time.
Bring tall grass down slowly
If the lawn got tall while nobody was home, don't scalp it all at once. Cutting off too much in one mow can stress St. Augustine and leave it looking brown and patchy for a while. A better plan is to take it down in steps. Mow at a higher setting first, then come back a few days later and lower it a notch until you're back at your normal height.
Bag the clippings on that first catch-up mow if they're thick. Big clumps sitting on top of the grass can block sunlight and leave yellow spots.
Clean up the debris
Fall in Pinellas means fronds, oak leaves and whatever the last few storms knocked loose. Clear all of that off the lawn before mowing so it doesn't get chopped up and blown everywhere. Check under shrubs and in the corners by the fence, too, because that's where leaves and trash like to hide.
Don't forget the hard surfaces. Sweeping or blowing off the driveway, sidewalk, patio and lanai entry makes the whole place look cared for right away, even before you've done anything else.
Trim shrubs back from the house
Shrubs grow fast in Florida, and a few months without trimming can leave them covering windows or crowding walkways. Trim them back so they're off the walls, windows and A/C unit, and so guests can walk to the front door without brushing against branches. Keep it a light, tidy trim. You can always do a heavier shaping later if you want to.
Hand pull weeds in the beds
Flower beds are usually the first thing to look rough when nobody's around. Pulling weeds by hand after a rain, when the soil is soft, makes it much easier to get the roots out. A fresh layer of mulch afterward makes the beds look finished and helps hold moisture in.
Edge everything
Edging is the step that makes a yard look "done." A clean line along the driveway, sidewalk and beds makes even an average lawn look sharp. If the edges have grown over a lot, it might take a couple of passes to find the line again.
Check the sprinklers
Run each sprinkler zone and watch it for a minute. Fix heads that are tilted, stuck or watering the street instead of the grass. As it cools off, most lawns need less water than they did in summer, so it's a good time to check your timer settings and follow your local watering rules.
Keep it up all season
Once the yard is caught up, the easy part is keeping it there. Regular mowing at the right height, a quick edge and a blow-off of the walkways will keep things looking good all winter, whether you're home the whole time or just for a few months.
Want help getting ready?
If you'd rather spend your time unpacking than raking, I can help. Ready 2 Mow is owner-operated and insured, quotes are free, I haul away the yard debris, and I accept all payment types. I work in Seminole, Bay Pines, Largo, Kenneth City, west St. Pete and the beach towns from the Redingtons to Indian Rocks Beach.
Call or text me at (727) 304-7803, or request a free quote and I'll get back to you.