Why you need to Clean your Gutters

Here in St. Louis, the weather can change constantly.  Lately, we've been having some pretty bad storms which means debris is building up in your gutters.  Cleaning your gutters is important for many reasons.  When your gutter are clogged with storm debris, like leaves and twigs, it can stop the flow of water and cause the water to over flow out of the gutter, potentially causing you a major headache later.  Some consequences of this could include basement water damage or even structural damage.

Good clean gutters help to protect the outer shell of your house which includes the roof and foundation. Helping to keep moisture away from these areas keep the inside areas dry if moisture doesn`t have a chance to build up or get in. I mention the roof as once temperatures get colder with winter coming soon, ice damming can occur trapping snow and ice up on the roof line. With the heat escaping through the attic, this can cause the build up to melt and eventually get through the roof line into the house. With a lot of leaves falling these days it may be time to get up on the ladder and check the gutters.  There are a number of reputable contractors to do the job for you if so desired. Be sure to check them out first as to make sure the work is properly done.

Time to prepare your garden for winter after the first frost.

Fall is upon us with the changing temperatures and entering the month of October. Some may start to think about the garden as the growing season comes to an end. Doing a couple of things now can help when winter sets in. The first frost may be a ways away but being prepared is always a good thing.

Start by cleaning what leaves have fallen so far with the start of fall color season beginning. Trees are dropping leaves with the dry conditions that area around along with the cooler night temperatures. Add some organic matter to the garden to help add some revive the soil for next spring, such as compost or cow manure. Once the first frost set sets in, some perennial ground covers can be cut to ground level such as hostas or day lilies. Cutting these plants back keeps disease and pests from hiding in the garden all winter. Give the plants a deep watering to help the soil preserve moisture through the winter. Plant spring bulbs at this time to give the garden some new color in the spring. Apply a winter fertilizer to the lawn to help a deep root system develop, avoid adding any nitrogen unless it is a cool season grass such as Fescue or Bluegrass. A few things can help things survive if we have a harsh winter as some are predicting in different areas of the country.

Fixing a Soggy or Flooded Lawn

With all the rain in St Louis lately, some homeowners may have issues with soggy or flooded lawns.

Not only is a soggy, muddy yard unsightly but it can also cause some problems.  Soggy puddles, also known as “ponding”, may affect the quality of your soil hurting your lawn, attract pests, and other potential issues.

There are a variety of solutions to fix a yard that has been saturated with water.  More drastic problems require solutions that may involve digging in your yard.  Before digging in your yard local utility companies need to be called to locate any wires or underground pipes.  If they exist, ask them to come out and mark them to avoid damage.

The first step to fixing a soggy lawn problem, is to remove the sod from the area you will be working to fix.  Use a shovel to carefully remove the sod and be sure to keep it so that you can replace it when your work is completed.  

Dig an area, avoiding any marked wires or pipes your utility company may have located, of about six inches wide by 24 inches deep.  A power trencher (which can be rented at most equipment rental stores) will make the job easier.  Dig the trench all around the soggy area, and at the end of it dig a location where the excess water can flow out.  Fill this area with a gravel bed, or if permitted in your location you may be able to relocate the water to the street.

Once your area is dug out, place a layer of landscape fabric in the trench making sure to cover the bottom and side areas; leave enough fabric to fold over when gravel is filled in. Fill the trench with washed clean gravel to a depth of two inches.  Do not pack gravel.  Place a 4 inch diameter pipe on top of the gravel, running the length of the trench.  Perforated pipes should be used in soggy areas, and regular pipe for the rest.  Place pipe that only has holes on one side, the holes pointing downward.   Be sure to angle the pipe to drop at least an inch every eight feet, to ensure a proper drainage slope.  More gravel can be added to help correct any angle problems.  

Cover your trench with 1-inch gravel until it is filled almost to the top, leaving room for sod to be placed over the gravel, being careful not to block the discharge end of the pipe.  Fold landscape fabric over gravel filled trench making sure to cover area completely.  Hide the fabric by tucking in over complete area.  Final step is to carefully replace original sod to area dug out and stamping it into place.  Do not put sod over the area of pipe where water will discharge.