It is that time of year when we welcome the first cool breaths of the north wind, the shortening of the photoperiod, warm cast iron vats of venison chili, and the addition of pumpkin spice to everything that we eat, smell or wear. The squirrels are secretly storing away their winter food cache, winter migrants are making their way through, and the leaves are slowly changing. Fall is here, so we are here to help you prepare your lawns and lands for the cooler months ahead in this two-part series.
At the Cibolo Center for Conservation, our goal is to stay one step ahead of the seasons, and with five fragile ecosystems to maintain, that is no easy feat. The activities listed below are tricks of the trade and lessons learned from our over 34 years of caring for this community’s land, water, and wildlife.
Lawn: Periodic mowing at a high setting will knock the wool off the yard and eliminate the pesky leaf accumulations. Leaf and grass mulch is excellent for your local flora and microfauna. DO IT. Rake or Leaf blower? Artistic raking is a thing of beauty and is needed upon the landscape but tread lightly. Steer clear of incessant raking, clearing, and disturbance of a tree’s root flare. Maintain the root flare with organization, mulch, and love. A rake is a powerful tool; too much of it can damage the root flare and cause a bare wasteland under the canopy. In some instances, leaf blowers are not as rough on the soil around the property. I enjoy the plastic leaf rake, which is very forgiving on the backswing.
