DIY HOME CARE
HANDY GIRL
Get ready for fall with spruce-up tips and savvy organizing steps you can tackle before colder weather arrives. WORDS KELLY ROBERSON ILLUSTRATIONS ANKE REGA
HEY, FELLOW DIYERS! Every Handy Girl I know is keen to pick up a shovel, saw, and more to keep her home and garden in tip-top shape. Follow these ideas to sharpen your fix-it skills and lessen your homeownership worries.
HELP PLANTINGS SURVIVE WINTER Trees, shrubs, and plants go through a lot, no matter where you live. If planted in the right Zone, they can cope with swings in temperature and moisture. (Find your area’s hardiness Zone at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.) You can help them endure the worst that winter throws their way, including animals looking for a midwinter snack to get through the lean times. Here are a few tips: HARDWARE CLOTH: This wire mesh can deter burrowing rodents from nibbling on trunks when buried to a depth of about a foot around trees and shrubs. Discourage rabbits by wrapping it around plantings to a height of about 2 feet. You can also use hardware cloth to protect young trees and evergreens from sunscald, which can happen when temps rise on a sunny winter day. (Plastic tree guards and burlap also do the trick.)
FENCING: Install it as you would hardware cloth to deter small animals. If you struggle with deer munching in your yard, select 8-foot-high solid fencing. MULCH: A thick layer of mulch protects perennials from winter’s touch and helps trees and shrubs retain moisture over the dry months.
