Yard Cleanup and Maintenance

If you’ve fallen a little behind on your spring yard cleanup, there’s no better time than now to get started. Spring winds and rain bring fallen leaves, branches, and other yard clutter. This season’s rains also bring a growth spurt to trees and turfgrasses. Part of spring yard cleanup and maintenance is also brush removal. Get your trees in shape with proper pruning and trimming techniques then haul away the clutter along with composting debris.

Don’t know where to start?

Follow this checklist to help you begin the process of yard cleanup and brush removal:

• Clear debris from your lawn, garden, and flower beds. 
• Prune and trim trees and shrubs. 
• Aerate turfgrasses to get oxygen flowing to the roots. 
• Be mindful of pesky insects that have made homes of your lawn. Enlist the help of a professional yard cleanup service to eliminate them. 
• Assess damaged areas of your lawn and reseed to bring new growth. 
• Edge along the borders of your lawn and along gardens and flower beds. 
• Ensure your mower is properly maintained, including blades are sharp for a precise cut.

Growing and Mowing 

When considering spring yard cleanup and maintenance, it’s important to set a schedule for mowing the grass. Once your lawn is properly aerated and seeded, a nice thick carpet of grass should soon begin to grow. The University of Georgia Extension recommends following a lawn calendar for proper lawn maintenance. Follow the link to check out calendars for Bermuda, Centipede, Kentucky Bluegrass, St. Augustine, Tall Fescue, and Zoysia – the most popular grasses to grow in Georgia’s climate. 

Follow these tips during the grass growing seasons:

• Mowing Height – Set your mower to the correct mowing height for your grass and make sure blades are sharp for an even cut.
• Watch the Weather – Keep an eye on the weather and water turfgrasses when rainfall indexes are low. 
• Time Fertilizer Applications – Before applying fertilizer, test the soil and keep track of soil temperature up to four inches below the surface. When temperatures are 65 degrees consistently and rising, it’s time to apply fertilizer according to label directions.  
• Weed Control – An important part of spring yard cleanup and maintenance is controlling weeds so your grass can reach optimum health.

Planting, Cutting, and Mulching

Getting the grass in shape is probably the biggest and most important part of spring yard cleanup, so once that is accomplished, it’s time to focus on beautification. 

Planting flowers and shrubs will add to curb appeal and beauty in all your outdoor living spaces, where you’ll be enjoying time with family and friends this season.  

If you have some plants that need cutting back, keep in mind that you can transplant those cuttings to other garden areas around your home. Perennials such as hydrangeas, daylilies, phlox, and salvia will need to be cut back to keep them from taking over your garden.

Once you have plants in place, the last step to your spring cleanup and maintenance process is placing mulch in your gardens. Mulching helps filter water and keep the soil moist around plants. Peat moss and pine needles are top choices because they do not attract pests like some wood-based mulches can. Straw/hay is a top choice for vegetable gardens, but wood chips are the most economical choice, however, keep in mind they can attract termites. 

Simply Green Can Help!

If all this is a bit overwhelming, and you need help completing work around your property, yard cleanup services are available to make the job easier. Contact Simply Green for a consultation and recommendations.