Fall Chore Checklist

Fall brings colder weather and a checklist of chores to complete before winter. But where do you start? Here are three must-do tasks this fall in order to keep your property looking great next spring.

• Lawn Care: Fall is a great time to check your lawn to improve the health of your grass. Aeration and dethatching can provide moisture and the room for roots to grow. If you have a small yard, you can rent small aerators and dethatchers from most home improvement stores. STHL also offers the Yard Boss, a multi-tool with aerator, dethatcher and other attachment heads to tackle yard chores. If you have a large property, you can get an attachment for your tractor that, trust us, will save you a lot of time.
  
  Fall is also the time to seed and fertilize damaged yards, especially any bare spots. John Deere offers broadcast spreaders in sizes ranging from push models to tractor-mounted spreaders.
  
  More Lawn Care Maintenance Tips
  
  
• Trees and Bushes: Trimming trees is both preventative and protective. Shaping plants and removing any dead limbs can stop damage from falling limbs as well as remove risks for disease. Taking lower limbs off your trees allows the canopy to grow upward providing more shade and less ducking to mow and trim around the tree. If you plan to do it yourself, a sharp blade or chain is important in ease of cutting and safety. For any dangerous or precariously positioned limbs, such as those over houses, we suggest calling in a professional.

•  Equipment Maintenance: Servicing your equipment before putting into storage will help to improve its lifespan. At a minimum, you should clean the machine well and add fuel stabilizer to prevent damage in the off-season. John Deere makes maintenance easier with their convenient Home Maintenance Kits. If DIY’s not for you, our certified technicians can help. Schedule your service appointment.
  
  It is also important to do a pre-season check or service before using your fall and winter equipment like chainsaws and snow blowers. Start and check your machine before the first use of the year to prevent any headaches.

Heritage Tractor offers tools to maintain your property and prepare it for winter. STIHL features tools such as the Yard Boss for aeration, chain saws for cutting tree limbs, blowers for leaves, and more. Find equipment from John Deere and Frontier for your chore list with options like seed spreaders and tractor-mounted snow blowers.