Six Simple Steps for Spring Yard Cleanup
Once the temperatures start to remain steadily above freezing, it’s time to start your annual spring yard cleanup. Checking these items off your spring cleanup checklist will ensure that your lawn and landscape are ready for new growth. Plus, once your spring yard cleanup is complete, you can sit back and enjoy the season.
Here are some of our recommended items to tackle during your spring lawn and landscape clean up.
-Prune dead and damaged branches from trees and shrubs.
Spring is a great time for pruning. After the cold winter months, some of your trees and shrubs may have dead or damaged branches that need to be cleared away to allow for new growth. If your yard has flowering shrubs, keep in mind that you should prune either before or after the shrub flowers, depending on the type. While spring-flowering shrubs should be pruned after their flowers fade, summer-flowering shrubs should be pruned in very early spring before there is any new growth.
-Remove sticks and leaves from your lawn.
Over the winter months, trees in and around your yard may have dropped their last leaves and shed a few of their branches. While you don’t need to clean up every single leaf or branch, you’ll want to remove all branches and large sticks, as well as piles or layers of leaves that can prevent sunlight from reaching your grass. Thin layers of leaves can be mowed into the lawn during its first cut of the season, and add organic matter and nutrients back into the soil.
-Prep bare lawn areas for seeding.
Spring is a great time to prep your lawn for reseeding. In Michigan, grass generally starts to grow in April. Before then, you can prepare areas of your dead or damaged lawn for seeding by removing the old grass with a metal rake and working in a ½ inch layer of compost. The compost will help keep the new seed moist while it is growing. Once the weather warms up, sprinkle grass seed on the bare areas of your lawn and cover them with straw or other material (such as grass clippings) to hold the seeds in place.
-Clean up winter debris around plants.
Leaves and dead foliage can smother new growth and lead to plant disease and decay. Early spring is a great time to rake leaves and other debris out from around your plants, and pull up dead annuals. If your area is no longer at risk of a late frost, you can also remove old mulch. This will make it easier to put in new plants, and remulch when you are refinished. If your bulbs are starting to flower, you may also want to add in a fertilizer to maximize growth and bloom time.
-Start planting.
Check the planting dates on any of your spring plant purchases to make sure you are not putting them out too early. If your plants are hardy enough to make it through the cold nights of early spring, you can put them into the ground.
-Clean up walkways and patios.
Early spring is a great time to clean up patios and walkways that have been neglected over the cold winter months. As the weather warms up, brush any gravel or stones back onto walkways, and pressure wash your patio to remove dirt, mildew, or other stains. If your patio furniture was left out over the winter or has become dirty from storage, clean it up now so that you have the chance to enjoy it as you start to spend more time outdoors.
At Blooms Landcare, we provide a wide range of lawn and landscape clean up services at an affordable price in Chelsea, Ann Arbor and surrounding areas. Whether you need your yard cleared of leaves or you need large-scale winter debris removal, our team of spring clean up experts will take every detail into account, ensuring that your job is done the right way.
Our team at Blooms Landcare delivers thorough, high-quality results every time. Call today to schedule a free consultation and let our team deliver the landscape of your dreams.
Cities we currently service: Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Pittsfield Township, Saline, Superior Township, Ypsilanti
Blooms Landcare specializes in landscaping, lawn service, and snow removal in Chelsea, Ann Arbor, and the surrounding area. If you’re looking for a landscaping company that takes pride in the projects it takes on, contact Blooms Landcare today for a free custom quote.
