October 23rd, 2006


Warm, fall days are great for raking leaves. There is something about it that makes me feel young again. It brings back memories of running and jumping through the piles of leaves I had worked so hard to rake. Now, I still enjoy raking leaves, but I know the importance of it and why it is necessary. First and foremost, the best reason to rake up leaves is to remove any diseased leaves from trees, where fungal diseases were a problem. Fungal spores can overwinter on the leaves and if you remove them, you are helping the tree to start out with a clean slate in the spring. Secondly, raking also helps to clean up the lawn and allows Winterizer to go to the soil level to be taken in by the grass roots. Lastly, I encourage you to do some raking with your kids, grandkids, and neighbors just to put a smile on your face and enjoy the beautiful outdoors!

When you are finished raking, winterize your lawn so you can reap the benefits in the spring. Winterizer is Step 4 of our Fertilome 4-Step Lawn Program and will make your lawn lush and green early next year. If you have not applied your Winterizer, stop in for your bag of fertilizer and information on our 4-Step Lawn Program.

Happy Gardening!

Wendy Jasper
Horticultural Advisor