KATHY'S HOME & GARDEN TIPS - FALL REMINDERS
Summer is over and our
thoughts turn to fall and winter. Below
is a checklist to get you started on your way to preparing for Fall.
Seed the lawn. Cooler weather is optimum for grass seed. Remember to keep it moist until germination.
The rest of the lawn doesn't need as much water.
Deep water
all trees and shrubs before the ground freezes. This is the water they will
depend on for the winter. Trickle the water from the hose on them for at least
a few hours.
If you clear out
your garden it's a good time to augment the soil. Do a soil test to
find out what your soil needs most.
This is the time
when many critters put on the feedbag
in preparation for a long cold winter. Don't be surprised if you smell skunk in
your backyard early in the morning. Even
in the middle of Chicago
these animals are plentiful and love to eat in our smorgasbord alleys. If you
have a dog, be careful letting them out in the morning.
To keep
them away throw old fashioned mothballs around the perimeter of your lot. It's an old trick but it really works. Other
animals are around, possum are nasty creatures and fierce when cornered. Mice
will find any way to get into a house for the winter.
Go all around the exterior of the house and
check for any small openings. You can caulk these if they're small or patch
them with quick setting concrete. Stick a wad of steel wool in the hole first.
Check seals
around windows and doors for leaks. Caulk these also.
Any peeling paint on the exterior should be
taken care of, at the very least primed if you can't handle the whole job.
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH
& DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
