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(ARA) - Before you know it, temperatures will drop, leaves will fall, and the first flakes of the season will land on your barren back yard landscape. The coming change of season serves as the perfect excuse for home and landowners across the country to get outside and accomplish those end of season projects.
Among the chores that are likely to be on your list: raking up leaves, fixing fence posts, planting bulbs, turning over the vegetable garden, trimming trees and bushes and disposing of yard waste or even cutting firewood. Some people will require more time than others to tackle this list. If you have a small yard, you can load up the wheelbarrow with all the supplies you need to get the job done -- cutting shears, shovel, rake, etc. -- and complete the work in an afternoon. If you have an acre or two of land, or more, it may take the use of a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) to cut your yard work down to size.
“UTV’s are considered the ‘work/play-horse’ of the ATV industry because they can do so much,” says Kale Wainer of Arctic Cat. “While ATVs are used primarily for recreation and light utility chores, UTV’s can tackle large work chores without abandoning the fun found in a traditional ATV.”
This time of year, their primary purpose is to transport people and equipment quickly and easily around yards, ranches or farms. Some models are more useful than others. One that’s getting a lot of attention this fall is Arctic Cat’s new Prowler XT 650. It has the appearance of an ATV but operates more like a light truck while transporting two passengers side by side.
The vehicle has front and rear suspensions that make travel over rough terrain a breeze and automatic transmission with low, high, neutral and reverse gears. Other standard features include giving users the ability to easily toggle between 2-and-4-wheel drive and an 8 gallon fuel tank that makes extended use possible. The vehicle has a towing capacity of 1,250 pounds, a rear dump box that can hold up to 600 pounds worth of tools and brush and a storage area up front that can handle 25 additional pounds or double as an ice chest.
“The best thing about this vehicle is that it offers versatility while at the same time giving users a comfortable, fun UTV experience,” says Wainer. The cab features dual bucket seats, beverage holders and a glove box. The vehicle can either retain its open air canopy or be retrofitted with a hardtop cab enclosure with automotive-style doors for the winter elements. To learn more about Arctic Cat’s Prowler XT 650, log on to www.arcticcat.com/atvs/ and click on “MULTIRIDER.”
Once you pick out a utility vehicle, you can turn your attention to the work you need to complete before winter sets in. Here’s a checklist of tasks you’ll want to prioritize in the yard:
If you live in a cool climate
* Spread winter mulch over trees and shrubs.
* Fertilize young trees and shrubs that have been in the ground for at least a year. No need to fertilize established trees and shrubs if they are mulched.
* Plant new spring blooming bulbs and perennials.
* Dig up tender bulbs, wrap them in moist material and store in a cool, dark space.
If you live in a warm climate
* Clean up perennial beds and borders.
* Weed all areas that are not mulched.
* Cut down dead flowers, dig up and remove diseased plants.
* Prune injured branches from trees and shrubs.
* Water citrus and avocado trees to prevent fruit from splitting.
Fall is also a great time to fertilize the lawn one more time, aerate it, and pick up any twigs, leaves and other debris still left on the ground. You’ll be glad you took the time to do it when spring arrives and you have the best looking yard on the block. Courtesy of ARA Content