5 Things You Need to Do ASAP for Fall Curb Appeal, According to Thumbtack

If you’re wondering how to prep your outdoor spaces this fall and be the best looking yard on the block by the spring, it’s time to take notes—Thumbtack just revealed their annual report of recommendations for the best fall upgrades to for better curb appeal, as well as the top ten cities with the best curb appeal.

Overseed and Aerate Your Lawn

Thumbtack’s first tip to having great curb appeal is to keep your plants and lawn nourished and hydrated. Overseeding will help with giving your beloved plants a ton of nutrients so they can prosper and thrive come springtime.

Ahead of the bitter cold, it’s entirely necessary to stay on top of aerating your lawn (making holes in your lawn to loosen soil) to let oxygen, water and more nutrients into your plants root systems.

Prune Shrubs, Trees, and Perennials

Thumbtack’s second tip is to prune, prune, and prune some more. Making sure your trees and shrubs are trimmed helps their overall health as well as their appearance. Cutting back your plants and other perennials will also ensure no disease or pest infestations spread and will result in being ready to thrive and flourish next spring.

Fertilize and Weed Your Lawn

Of course, you can’t have a beautiful and thriving lawn without the help of weeding and fertilizer. In their blog post, Aldo Ceja, Thumbtack home expert writes, “Weeds need to be dealt with on an ongoing basis, usually every 2-6 months. Typically, you can use a ‘weed and feed’ fertilizer which will improve your lawn while also helping get rid of weeds in the process.”

Shut Off and Winterize Your Sprinkler System

No one wants to have their pipes bursting in the winter time, so it’s essential to winterize your sprinkler systems before the cold air blows your way. Make sure to store your sprinkler nozzles and hoses where they won’t freeze and shut off the flow of that water system before temperatures drop.

Pick Up Leaves and Clean Gutters

Ever wonder why you see rows of leaf piles lining the sidewalks of your streets in the fall? It’s important to rake up dead and dried up leaves. during this time to make sure your lawn isn’t too wet.

Leaves can also clog up gutters, and your gutters need to be cleaned out at least twice a year to avoid excess water damage, pests, mold growth, and more.

It’s important to note that while homeowners can do some of these projects on their own, some need to be dealt with by a professional.

“Some projects like leaf cleanup and fertilizing can be DIYed, but others like gutter cleaning and tree trimming should be left to the pros to avoid costly, and dangerous mistakes,” Ceja writes.

“Bundling home projects like aerating, fertilizing, weeding, and overseeding with a lawn care professional can also help you save money as you plan ahead.”

Top 10 Cities With the Best Curb Appeal

Thumbtack’s report also ranked the top 10 cities in the US with the best curb appeal.

In first place comes Atlanta, Georgia, with the best curb appeal. The southern states absolutely dominated this list with Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Dallas, Texas, following shortly behind.

The nation’s capital placed in fifth, with Denver, Colorado, Tampa and Orlando, Florida, Seattle, Washington, and Raleigh, North Carolina, trailing closely behind.