Fall is finally upon us and that means colder weather is just around the corner. For most homeowners in the Denver area, this can put a damper on enjoying their outdoor living areas. The mild fall weather promises to extend your outdoor enjoyment for at least a few weeks longer than past seasons. However, there are a few things you can do to further extend your enjoyment of your outdoor living space. Your Denver sprinkler service shares a few simple fall landscaping projects that will let you use your patio or outdoor living area well into autumn.

Install a Fire Pit

Fire pits are the perfect way to add warmth and ambiance to any patio or outdoor living area. When considering building a fire pit, the first thing you’ll want to decide on is whether or not you want a permanent addition to the space. Fire pits can be built up to mimic the rest of your landscaping and exterior design and look wonderful with touches of natural stone. However, if you’re looking for something simpler, a moveable fire pit or fire bowl is a wonderful option. Make sure you choose a fuel source that fits your needs as well. Remember, propane fire pits are wonderful and durable, but they won’t give you the same ambiance as a traditional wood-burning option.

Warm Up the Seating Area

If a fire pit is not the right option for your home, make a few simple improvements to your seating area. Add cushions to stone benches and metal chairs to insulate you from the cold. Keep throw blankets on hand to give guests the option to warm up with a wrap, and consider installing space heaters meant for the outdoors. These units can be powered by electricity or incorporated into your natural gas supply making it easy to keep the patio space warm without you having to worry about an open flame. For homeowners with small children, space heaters are an ideal option. 

Cover Your Grill

Grilling season doesn’t have to end with the first snowfall. Extend your patio covering to your grill area to keep the snow at bay and ensure that the grill is ready to use at all times. To make the space even more comfortable and inviting, consider upgrading to a full outdoor kitchen. The heat of the grill will provide enough warmth while you’re cooking and the convenience of having everything you need at your fingertips will encourage you to keep using the space for many more months to come. 

Upgrade Your Outdoor Lighting

Fall weather means colder temperatures, but it also means shorter days. Fewer hours of sunlight can be enough to send your family and guests indoors where there’s plenty of light to see by. Instead, upgrade your outdoor lighting to illuminate the patio and yard comfortably. Add fixtures around your main seating area and install LED bulbs throughout the yard to add brightness to your landscaping. As an added plus, this might even help increase your home’s property value should you decide to sell in the future. 

Switch to Container Gardens

Though fall is the perfect time to schedule a sprinkler system blowout, it doesn’t mean you need to forgo gardening until spring. Instead of planting veggies and herbs in your garden beds, create a container garden. Plant multiple herbs in a single pot to create an eye-catching display that’s also guaranteed to be useful for all of your autumn inspired dinners. For larger crops like kale, lettuce, spinach, and broccoli, give each one a large pot of their own. They can sit outside in the sun on mild days and be brought inside the house when the temperatures drop. 

Enclose Your Patio

Enclosed patios naturally hold more heat than open seating areas, helping extend your use well into the winter. To accomplish this task, you can hire a contractor to install a permanent enclosure or opt for a removable canvas and plastic covering. These coverings allow you to create temporary walls around a covered patio and are mounted to the frame of the patio itself. The canvas is water resistant and the plastic windows let light in while blocking the seating area from those cold autumn winds. For maximum warmth and comfort, combine a patio enclosure with an outdoor heater and you’ll be able to use the space even when there’s snow on the ground.

Install a Hot Tub

Hot tubs may not be a true landscaping project, but they can make your outdoor living space more useable once the temperatures drop. After all, who wants to sit in an outdoor spa in full summer? These units can be free-standing or incorporated into your hardscape design to provide a more seamless look to your yard. Remember, the hot tub doesn’t have to be huge. You just need a small amount of space to install the unit and a large enough spa to accommodate the people that would use it most. 

Keep Your Furniture Outside

Once the weather starts to get colder, it may be tempting to put your outdoor furniture in storage. However, doing so only means you won’t be able to use the furnishings on those warm autumn afternoons. Instead of putting your furniture in storage for the season, leave it outside. Cover each piece with a furniture cover or remove the cushions and store them in the garage where they’ll stay dry. This way, you’ll be able to use your furniture whenever the desire strikes without having to haul those heavy pieces out of storage multiple times during the fall. 

No matter how much or little you use your yard, make sure your sprinklers are ready for the colder weather this fall. Schedule a sprinkler blowout with Water Solutions and keep your home’s irrigation system and pipes in good shape even during those troublesome hard freezes. Our experienced technicians will take the time to make sure your system is ready for winter and in good repair so your yard will be good to go come spring. Call (720) 435-1495 to schedule an appointment today.