5 Easy Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Yard

The winter cold is finally subsiding and the snow is beginning to melt. Just as March often signals the start of spring cleaning indoors, it also reminds us of another space that needs attention after a long winter season—our yard.
It is important to devote some of your spring-cleaning time and energy to your outdoor landscape. Here are five tips for tackling the outdoor spring cleanup:

 

1. Take out the trash. Your yard was a landing ground for sticks and broken branches that fell during strong winter winds. Melting snow will also reveal unwanted debris such as dead leaves and grass, pinecones, and even pieces of garbage. If left untouched, these materials can cause deterioration of the lawn by blocking sunlight. Wear yard gloves to safely collect and bag items for disposal or composting.

 

2. Prune trees and shrubs. In the winter months, it might be easy to overlook overgrown branches and shrubbery. However, pruning is an essential element of outdoor spring cleanup. Not only will you give your landscaping a quick facelift but you will also promote the overall health of your plants for the spring. While pruning tree and shrub branches, be sure to remove any branches that extend over walkways and could pose a safety hazard. Make note of larger branches that will require removal by a tree service.

 

3. Tend to flowerbeds. As you remove unwanted debris from the rest of the yard, clean out flowerbeds. Dig up and remove dead plants and cut back stems of perennials, plants that grow year after year. Pull out any decaying leaves, sticks, and mulch. Doing this clean-up now will give you a blank slate to start designing your flowerbeds and allow you to begin planting after the last frost.

 

4. Give surfaces some much-needed TLC. Exterior surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and decks can spend several months a year completely snow-covered in Northeast Ohio. Use a pressure washer to remove dirt and grime, as well as stains left by oil or decaying leaves. You will be surprised how new these surfaces will look after a heavy cleaning! This is also a good time to pull weeds and remove other debris from cracks in sidewalks or stone pathways.

 

5. Revamp your landscape. After spring cleaning, make sure you get the most out of your outdoor areas during the warmer months. Revitalize your existing space with an upgraded walkway or new patio furniture, or consider adding an entirely new element to your space. From a fully customized outdoor kitchen to a stone fire pit, there are many options for a new outdoor feature that your entire family can enjoy.

Enjoy a wonderful spring in your cleaned and refreshed outdoor space.