A man’s home might be his castle, but a yard is his playground. With fall approaching, it’s important to take care of your backyard and set into motion all the changes that make it a great place for a summer BBQ to a perfect fall hangout. Whether you want to watch football with your friends or have a beer and good conversation around a fire, your lawn is not just a place where you grow grass — it can be an integral part of the social center of your home and something you can be proud of.
Outdoor Fireplace
A chill in the air can’t keep you from relaxing in the backyard. A heating source in your backyard doesn’t just make it more comfortable, it can class up the joint as well. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit can be anything from campfire warmth to a beautiful decorative piece at the center of your yard. It provides comfort, light, and can look as elegant or simple as you like. The variety of decorative and functional choices means there’s something out there for every yard.
Lawn Care
As the weather changes, so do your yard’s needs:
- Fall is a good time to fertilize and mulch your gardens, but don’t stop watering until your first freeze.
- When you do put away the hose for the winter, make sure to drain it properly so it doesn’t take unnecessary damage. That goes double for your sprinkler system. If you live in a climate where freezing and snow happens every winter, blowing the water out of your sprinkler system can save you burst pipes and a lot of headache.
- Wrap any delicate shrubs.
- Weeding and raking is a pain, but there are methods that make it a little more manageable, like raking with the wind, and only rake dry leaves.
- Clean your tools you’ll put away until spring and tune up your winter gear, like snow blowers.
Sustainability
Fall is a good time to start looking towards a more sustainable yard. Between redesigning your layout so that you can use less water to reach more and switching your backyard’s lights to solar power, there are tons of ways you can change up your lawn to reduce your utility bills and put money back into your pocket. That’s more money for beer and ball games. Consider xeriscaping — waterless landscaping with rocks, gravel, and succulents. Set up a compost bin or a rain runoff barrel.
Party Central
Fall means one thing: football. Football is a great reason to get your friends or your fantasy league together and have a good time. The days of the man cave are over; turn your backyard into a party oasis. A party space can be a bar, a TV and a heat source — or it can be a full-blown party barn in your backyard. A place to toss around a ball, or your own Cheers? Your backyard party spot can be whatever suits your purpose. If you live somewhere where it gets cold and snows, a party barn might be more suitable. It’s a place you can decorate to suit your style and purpose. It can be a tribute to your favorite teams or a place where you and your fellow fantasy football league players can drink and draft.