Festivals, pumpkin patches, costumes, decorations, and trick-or-treaters! There are so many fun reasons to love fall, but the joy that comes from the spooky and creepy fun of Halloween has got to be greatest…well, for kids at least.
Halloween is a much-beloved holiday, but perhaps not so loved by our yards. Our yards will become bombarded by scary decorations and the trampling feet of trick-or-treaters during this holiday season.
We love spooky Halloween decorations as much as the next person. However, when it comes to holiday decorating on your lawn, you may want to proceed with the same caution you use while entering a haunted house this Halloween.
The fall season directly precedes winter dormancy for grass. Fall is the time for delicate lawn care as a means of boosting your yard’s health so it can swiftly return to brilliant green in the spring. Needless to say, any damage to your yard this fall could curse your yard for a spell (pardon our Halloween puns!).
We have a few fun and festive tricks for you this season, so Halloween can be a treat for your yard this year.
Avoid putting decorations in your grass
Nothing garners quite the same amount of festive attention as a giant Halloween yard inflatable – but, sadly, no other yard décor has more potential to harm your grass. Large blow-up decorations cover a lot of yard space and put a lot of weight on your grass.
Therefore, the entire covered area is susceptible to significant damage. Our lawns require sunlight, water, and nutrients to thrive. Large inflatable decorations block your grass from all the ingredients it needs for survival. Without adequate sunlight and water, the areas covered by blow-ups can quickly turn into unsightly brown patches.
Unfortunately, inflatable decorations aren’t the only fall décor that put your yard at risk. Decorations like pumpkins, straw, and wood all attract pests, which can move into your yard and home, wreaking havoc. Another problem with major yard Halloween décor is that it draws attention to your yard. Passersby and trick-or-treaters may be tempted to walk on your yard for Halloween pictures and games, trampling your grass.
Now, don’t feel like you can’t still get into the holiday spirit! Some great alternatives to yard décor are available. Let your Halloween flag fly by decorating your trees and houses to the nines! You can even spook out your driveway with decorations and blow-ups.
If you must have décor in your yard, place your décor in your mulch beds.
If you also feel you can’t live without the inflatables in your lawn, then take a few measures to help your grass out. To reduce potential damage from large blow-up decorations, inflating them sparingly will put less pressure on your lawn. Also, try waiting until the week or two before Halloween to start displaying them. The less time they spend on your grass, the better.
Line your property
Trick-or-treaters are some of the most adorable visitors that we ever get at our homes. However, as much as we love seeing them at our door, they can be somewhat harmful to our grass. When kids are off on their Halloween adventures, it can be difficult for them to remember the rules of avoiding walking on lawns. As they cut across your lawn or play on it, their stomping feet can destroy your delicate grass.
One option to avoid kids trampling your yard all night is to decorate your property line by creating a friendly-looking barrier.
The trail of decorations will block people from your well-manicured grass and guide trick-or-treaters straight to your door.
Many décor options can accomplish this barrier goal, but make sure the line is substantial enough that people won’t try to step over/through it. Perhaps use string lights attached to posts or a long line of “caution” tape. Any variety of haunting decorations along your property line will block people from your yard and keep the foot traffic on the sidewalk.
Make a clear, designated path
Another great tactic to keep trick-or-treaters off your lawn is to completely distract them from your yard. One way to achieve that is to make a sort of attraction-type feel out of your walkways. If you plan on handing out candy from your front door, make a big show out of the sidewalk leading up to it.
The idea is that if all eyes are drawn to the decorative walkway leading to your door, then no one should have any interest in walking in your yard. In fact, if your fun walkway is flashy enough, kids will even feel like they’d be missing out if they cut across the lawn instead of experiencing the holiday-themed path.
Just be cautious to not go too overboard. If the path is overly cluttered, it will be harder for the kids to come and go. In that case, they may end having to walk on the lawn, which, obviously, defeats the purpose.
You can feel free to decorate your festive walkway however you please, but we highly recommend the use of lighting. Using lighted décor or string lights increases safety and helps the path feel more like a desirable experience. If the sidewalk leading to your door is lit up in fun orange festive lights, the children will know they’re in for a treat and stop playing tricks on your lawn.
Draw the focus to your driveway
One of the most fun ways to keep people off your lawn this Halloween is to set up your candy party in the driveway. Distract passersby from your yard entirely by avoiding decorating it all together, and create a fun, eerie scene in the driveway. Wherever the candy is, is where the kids will go.
By having all of your decorations, candy, lights, and fun in the driveway, you can avoid people ever going near your lawn.
There are a million ways to have fun with Halloween decorations and lighting in your driveway, but one great option is to have a firepit. Not only will having a firepit set up be a great way for you to hang out and enjoy passing out candy, but the kids will also love to see the spooky flames.
Lawn care so good, it’s scary! – with Gecko Green
With Gecko Green’s comprehensive year-round lawn care program, you’ll be able to relax this fall season – and every season! Our local, family-owned company cares about your yard and our community.
Our highly trained professionals have been keeping the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area’s lawns healthy and beautiful for over 30 years. Call us today for a free quote!
