It can be hard to imagine your yard emerging bright and green in the springtime when it is currently covered in cold blankets of January snow. But as any good homeowner knows, your lawn is always changing with the seasons; and it's your job to ensure that your lawn gets the best care possible for every season.
January is the ideal time to start thinking about things that you will need to have done in the early spring. The following are the essential smart spring yard cleanup rules you should follow in order to keep your lawn looking its best after the winter season.
Step One: Prune or clear away damaged branches
The first step you should take for smart early spring cleanup is to prune or clear away damaged and dead branches. It’s not uncommon for tree or shrub branches to be damaged, sometimes to the point of death, during cold winter months.
If you’re pruning any shrubs or trees, make sure that they are pruned with sharpened pruning shears. Do not prune any shrubs that bloom in the spring at this early stage: you must wait until the buds have flowered.
Step Two: Manage your perennials by pruning or replanting
Perennials should be pruned back to about 4 or 5 inches at most, while any ornamental grasses on your lawn (if they have maintained growth) need to be trimmed down to about 3 inches at most.
This will allow new growth as the spring continues. If you have them, dig up any perennials to thin out your flower beds and then divide them to areas with less crowding.
Step Three: Clean up around plants as much as possible
If snow has melted, then it’s time for any existing debris around plants to be removed. This may include leaves which were forgotten in the fall, foliage which died during the winter, spent annual plants, and anything else that can be considered yard waste. If you put down mulch before winter set in, then it needs to be removed and replaced after you’ve finished all of the new spring planting.
Depending on the month, you may wish to spread fertilizer in your plant or garden area; make sure to wait until after the threat of frost has passed, which should be around mid-May.
Step Four: Create compose piles
All of the yard waste and debris you’ve been collecting in the previous steps can be turned into compost. If you don’t already have a compost corral or pile, you can create a barrier with some wire or wood. Compost can include leaves, plant cuttings, foliage, old mulch, and even branches.
Step Five: Inspect and repair non-organic yard elements
The non-organic elements of your lawn and yard also need to be considered after the winter season is over. Garden paths may develop cracks, patio stones may become displaced; wooden fences may need repainting or repairing; and so on. Take a thorough look around your yard, note what needs to be repaired, and get to work.
Of course, the above steps will take a considerable amount of time, energy and knowledge if you’re doing it on your own; to make things easier, hire a lawn service that specializes in spring lawn care. Yes, that’s where we come in.
Remember, your lawn needs to be managed properly all year round: don’t skimp on spring care!
