Tame the Fall Leaves in Your Yard
It's that time of year when the gorgeous leaves of the season that we admired for the past few weeks are scattered all over the place. They don't seem so pretty when they are covering every inch of your yard. Your home at the Lake of the Ozarks looks much nicer when all of that leaf clutter is cleaned up. Here are a few tips for taking care of this task.Mow them over
If there is a thin layer of leaves over the grass in your yard, use the lawnmower on them. The leaves used nutrients that came out of the soil while they were growing, and using them as mulch for your yard returns some of these nutrients back to where they came from. Most mowers today come with a bag to attach and collect the leaves. Spread this beneath shrubs and in flower beds to benefit the soil in these spots too.Rake them up
Raking the leaves takes a little more work, but may be necessary once the leaves begin piling up. There are a few things that you can do to make raking a little easier. The bigger the rake, the more leaves you will be able to gather in one swipe. If possible, raking downhill will help to keep them in one spot. If you rake uphill, gravity may keep pulling your piles apart. Raking leaves onto a large tarp makes removal a lot easier. Once the tarp is as full as you can get it, pick up the corners and drag the entire bunch to the spot where you are piling the leaves. A leaf blower makes this job a lot simpler, but much louder. Think about your neighbors if you choose to go this route.
Burn the piles
If you choose to burn the leaves in your yard, you must call your local fire department to find out if conditions are favorable for it. You may also need to check with your property owner's association if you have one. Here are a few requirements for the Lake of the Ozarks area from www.lofpd.com:- The wind must be below 10 miles per hour.
- Humidity must be above 30%.
- The temperature must be below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The fire must be attended at all times. The person must have a hose and rake with them to attend to the fire.
- You can only burn yard waste. This includes leaves, branches, and untreated wood. No plastics or other hydrocarbons can be burned.
- The fire must be out by dark.
- You must call for a burn permit on the day you wish to burn. You cannot call to request a permit the day before you plan to burn.
- When Red Flag conditions are announced by NOAA, or the Missouri State Fire Marshal's office issues a statewide burn ban, these will supercede requirements 1, 2, and 3 above.
- Subjects are responsible for their controlled burn.
- Fires must be at least 25 feet away from any structure.
Hopefully these tips will help you to keep your yard clear of leaves and full of lovely curb appeal. This is especially important if you are trying to sell a house at the Lake of the Ozarks. It will be a lot easier to take care of this now. Next spring after the winter snow melts, the leaves will be wet, clumpy, and messy. However you choose to take care of your yard cleanup, make sure that you do it safely.
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