7 Simple Yard Cleanup Tips

Most people love looking at the leaves, carving pumpkins and watching football during the fall months. While those are all excellent ways to spend your time, you should also be making plans for your yard cleanup before the harsh weather sets in. Here are some tips that can help in preparing for winter and the challenges it may pose to your property.

Mow the Lawn One Last Time

In the days leading up to the first major frost or freeze, you should cut your grass to about an inch in height. This should be part of the yard clean up process because it keeps your yard looking nice all year. It may also help the grass stand a better chance of surviving until the spring while allowing you to put off mowing your lawn until later in the following year. ????

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Rake Up all the Leaves

In small enough quantities, leaves can provide nutrients to the soil that your grass, shrubs or vegetables grow in. However, you should never let then accumulate in the gutters, on the roof or on your driveway. This is because they can clog drains or become a slip-and-fall hazard when left unattended. Therefore, getting rid of them should be part of your yard cleanup checklist.

Put Down Winter Grass Seed

Winter grass seed can play a large role in preparing for winter and beyond. Primarily, it can help to protect your grass from dying or suffering damage during the cold months. Those nutrients will also help the grass grow tall and green as soon as the weather starts to get nicer again. Another benefit to winterizing your lawn is that it may help to prevent crabgrass or other weeds from taking hold.

Get Rid of Weeds

For the most part, weeds don’t actually die in the winter. While they may go dormant for a period, they will quickly start to grow once the weather turns in March or April. When weeding your lawn or garden, make sure to get the weed by the root to ensure that it can’t grow back again.

Bring in the Plants

If necessary, it may be a good idea to bring in any plants that don’t do well in cold weather. While some will simply go dormant and start growing again next year, others could simply die if left in the elements. Ideally, you will look for a space either in your garage or in your home that can be kept at a consistent temperature and moisture throughout the year.

Cover Up Your AC Unit

Covering up your AC unit is more about making sure that leaves, sticks or excess moisture get into it while it isn’t in use. Putting a piece cardboard over the top of the condenser is generally enough to do the job as the unit itself is built to withstand the cold weather. To give yourself extra piece of mind, have the air conditioner inspected during the winter to make sure that it will start up again when the weather gets warm again.

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Cutting a hedge with a hedge trimmer motor.

Trim Your Trees

If you notice any sick or dead tree limbs, you should get rid of them before the winter begins. This is because they could fall under the weight of snow and ice, and it could result in a large limb crashing through your roof. In the event that most of your tree is dead or dying, have it removed as the entire thing could possibly collapse. Professional tree cutters may be of assistance if you can’t or don’t want to do so yourself.