Your backyard’s greatest enemy, Jack Frost, is on his way to your town. Jack Frost kills plants, fades colors, and rots untreated cushions. So prepare! If you haven’t prepped your backyard furniture yet, make sure to do so before the next big snow storm heading your way.

Cover or Store Your Lawn Furniture

The best thing you can do for your lawn furniture is to store it in a safe dry spot, like a storage unit. You probably won’t be lounging out in the 10 degree weather anyway, so why not keep everything in good working order for spring? At the very least, keep your chairs and couches covered in heavy tarp to keep out the snow.

Close Down Your Pool During Winter

Closing a pool can get a bit tricky. First of all, balance your pool’s water chemistry before closing up shop for the season. Generally, you’ll want your pH levels between 7.2 and 7.6, the alkalinity between 80 to 120 ppm, and your calcium hardness at around 180 to 220 ppm. Next you’ll want to shock the water with a strong treatment of chlorine to kill bacteria. Finish up by adding algaecide to prevent algae growth and add a cover over the pool. By doing the work now, you’ll be ready to cannon ball back into the water once warmer weather arrives.

Bring in Your Plants

Sorry, but most plants can’t handle extreme cold temperatures. Bring in any indoor friendly plants and save clippings of plants easily killed by the chill. Empty out your flower pots and store them until the end of winter.

Clean and Cover Your Grill

You don’t  want your grill to rust, so be sure to thoroughly clean your grates of any bacteria and food particles. You’ll also want to clean out the burners and outside of the grill. Invest in a heavy cover if you plan on keeping it outside, though your grill will last longer if you store it in storage for the winter.

The snow is a-coming, so prepare now so you’ll have a happy backyard come spring.