Your Complete Backyard Fall Maintenance Guide

As the leaves change color and cooler temperatures settle in, ensuring your backyard and pool area are well-maintained is more important than ever. Properly preparing your backyard for fall is a crucial task that helps beautify your pool aesthetic, while protecting your swimming pool and its surroundings.

This guide will walk you through a list of commonly overlooked fall maintenance tasks, with practical tips to enhance the look of your outdoor space and protect your vinyl pool.

The Most Overlooked Backyard Maintenance Tasks That Can Protect Your Pool

Each of the following are areas in your backyard that may get overlooked in the hustle of closing your pool. These tasks are important to keep in mind because many of them can affect your pool or pool safety cover if left unattended during the off-season. Take a look!

Landscaping and Leaf Management

• Rake Leaves: Regular clearing of leaves from your yard prevents them from getting into your pool or on your pool cover. A clean yard means less work for you when it’s time to enjoy your pool in spring!
• Pruning Trees and Shrubs: Prune trees and shrubs throughout the year to keep branches from hanging over your pool area. This minimizes the chance of falling debris landing directly on your pool cover.
• Composting: Leaves and garden clippings should not be thrown away but put into a compost pile. This will help prevent waste and give you a solid soil base for the following spring planting season.
• Mulching: Fresh application of mulch to your garden beds insulates the roots of the plants and also reduces weed growth.
• Fertilizing: Fertilize your lawn with a fall fertilizer to help fortify grass and plants to better withstand freezing temperatures.
• Winter Planting: Plant some hardy winter plants that will thrive in the cold weather and add color to your backyard.

Caring for Outdoor Furniture & Decor

• Storing Furniture: The best practice is to store outdoor furniture in a dry, sheltered place like a shed or garage to protect it from the harsh winter elements.
• Covering Furniture: If storage space is limited, invest in quality, weather-resistant covers that shield your furniture from moisture and cold.
• Precautions Against Damages: For furniture or decor that’s too big to store, secure or anchor them properly to ensure strong winds can’t move them and cause unnecessary damage to your pool equipment or safety pool cover. 
• Seasonal Decorations: Take down lightweight outdoor or ornate decorations that may not survive any stormy winter weather. Loose decorations can become hazards in strong winds.
• Storing Pool Accessories: Clean all pool toys, floats, and other equipment and put them away to avoid weathering or litter in your pool area.

General Backyard Clean-Up

• Tool Organization: Properly store any garden tools and maintenance equipment away from bad weather to eliminate rust and hazards.
• Gutter and Drain Cleaning: Ensure that gutters and drainage systems are clear of any debris. This helps prevent water buildup that may create an overflow that could further damage your pool area.
• Hardscape Inspection: Inspect patios, walks, and decks for any cracks or damage. Making repairs before winter can prevent issues from worsening in harsh weather.

These simple care tips can provide excellent protection and enhancement to your backyard and pool area during the fall and winter seasons. By addressing each of the items on the checklist, you can have added peace of mind knowing you’ve minimized potential problems in your backyard and ultimately made positive steps to maintain the condition of your pool.

Staying proactive in your maintenance routine will help you get the most out of your backyard, so you can enjoy a beautiful, functional outdoor space throughout the year.

For more backyard tips and inspiration, check out our Pinterest board!