Fall Property Checklist for Condo Boards and Property Managers

September

• Aerate and overseed thin lawns while the soil is warm and nights are cool
• Walk the site and photograph problem spots: puddles, worn turf, overgrown hedges, damaged interlock
• Get quotes for next year's grounds maintenance and this winter's snow removal

October

• Sign the snow contract before routes fill up
• Book fall cleanup visits: most leaves drop from mid-October to mid-November
• Check trees for dead or hanging branches that snow and ice could bring down over walkways and cars
• Give hedges only a light tidy; hard cutting now leaves new growth that frost will kill

November

• Final leaf removal and last mow, so leaves do not smother the lawn under snow
• Clean gutters and downspouts after the leaves are down, and make sure downspouts discharge away from the building
• Clear catch basins and drains of leaves so meltwater does not pond and freeze on walkways
• Put snow stakes along curbs, edges, hydrants and landscape beds before the ground freezes
• Protect salt-sensitive shrubs next to walkways and roads with burlap
• Shut down and drain irrigation systems before the first hard frost

For the budget meeting

Bring the photos from your site walk, a list of what went wrong this year, and itemized quotes that show what is included and how often: number of cuts, cleanups, hedge trims and snow visits. Comparing scope, not just totals, is what keeps a board from choosing the cheapest quote and regretting it.

How Goats Landscaping can help

We handle fall cleanups, leaf removal, gutters, tree and hedge work, drainage fixes and snow removal for condos, townhouse complexes and commercial properties across Markham and the GTA, and we quote next year's grounds and this winter's snow together.