Nothing can quite compare to the gorgeous colors of fall foliage.

But those gorgeous reds and oranges look a lot less appealing when they are clogging up your pool. Of course they can be skimmed off, but it’s so much easier if they aren’t there in the first place. Using a pool cover is the most obvious solution, but here are a few handy tips:

• Use a leaf net and secure it with a few bungee cords or twine. You can even use weights like planters or decorative rocks. The nice part about a leaf net is that it can be installed by one person, and makes scooping up all the debris a snap.
• Trimming trees in the surrounding area every few years will be a huge help. Trimming will also help prevent an unexpected limb breaking.
• Landscaping with pool-friendly plants will also help. Consider small to medium trees that don’t bear fruit or flowers, or topical plants that don’t lose leaves or have invasive root systems that won’t interfere with the structure of your pool.
• Set up a leaf block. This can be temporary — like boxes — or more permanent like retaining walls or a surrounding hedge. This will keep the leaves up against the barrier and out of the pool.

We hope you have a fantastic autumn full of mild weather so it’s warm enough to use your pool long into the season!