Taking A Clean Sweep Through Your Landscape

It’s essential to bear in mind that your property may be vastly different from others, so sometimes, that means your lawn maintenance routine might differ as well. However, just because that maintenance differs doesn’t mean some things don’t stay the same. For example, one outside “chore” that is pretty constant across the board is cleanups of your yard. 

It may seem like a tedious sort of job, but it’s one of the most necessary this time of year in particular. If you don’t make sure it gets taken care of as part of that routine, you could be looking at some potentially substantial problems in the future!

What fall cleanups entail

Now, of course, a smaller, less intricate landscape won’t require quite as much elbow grease to get it looking spick and span. One of the main times to complete these lawn cleanups is in the fall (the other being in the spring). Of course, it is essential to keep your lawn clean during the other seasons, but these two in particular usually require the most attention. 

The most significant part of fall cleans-ups that often take the most time is clearing away any debris that’s started cluttering up your lawn. Usually, leaves are the biggest perpetrators, but weeds and twigs and blown dirt or mulch can also cause you problems. They’ll need to be raked up, gathered, and taken away, so they’re off the lawn altogether. 

Trimming jobs of your trees or bigger plants can also cause a mess – but it must get done as part of the cleanup, so there’s no falling debris in the wintertime. However, the trimmings have to get taken care of afterward, so there’s no added clutter for your yard. 

If you have them, cleaning up vegetable gardens is another part of your cleanup routine that should be considered. After you’ve harvested what you can, the old vegetable plants need to be getting pulled, so there’s room for healthy regrowth. Those beds also need to have various debris cleared away. 

Beyond that, the other things to take care of our cleaning up the grass with a good mow, cutting back your perennials, and clearing them away, so they’re also ready for regrowth in the spring. 

How they aid in bug prevention 

It’s not fun when your lawn becomes home sweet home to creepy crawlies that have made their way onto your property. If you’re not careful, they will infect your lawn, and some of them will make their way up to and into your house! Fall cleanups are a great way to help prevent this from happening. 

Unfortunately, debris on your lawn, particularly leaves/leaf piles, is a breeding ground for many fall-time bugs. They can protect those various insects, as well as a place to breed and live during this time of year. 

Therefore, if you clean up your lawn the way it should be (and regularly), they won’t have nearly as many places to hide and will have a more challenging time surviving the colder temperatures that begin to settle in. 

How cleanups keep your grass and soil healthy

When it comes to the power of fall cleanups, it’s almost like a ripple effect – leaves draw in the bugs, and those bugs can draw in damage and possibly disease to your grass or soil. Some bugs and other pests can tear up grass or make nests that can damage it throughout the fall. They can also eat the grass and its roots or burrow beneath the surface, damaging the root system itself, so the blades aren’t soaking up all the nutrients they need. 

Proper cleanups can avoid serious lawn diseases such as leaves, and other debris can bring in mildew, which will eventually cause issues such as brown spot disease across your grass. Diseases like these will guarantee you’ll have to spend more money down the line trying to treat it and fix the problem. 

Not to mention your lawn will look nothing close to the lush, green carpet you have been working so hard to accomplish – it completely ruins the aesthetic! 

Some other tasks that you may have forgotten about

While yes, the most significant part of seasonal cleanups is cleaning up the surface of your lawn itself and clearing away that debris, other parts of your landscape can be “cleaned up” that you may not have thought of. 

For instance, it’s crucial to make sure you’re having your gutters cleaned, too, as a homeowner – as the colder weather starts to move in, that will inevitably cause you problems later on. You want to make sure your gutters can drain properly when inclement weather hits! 

Any tools you as the homeowner use should be cleaned well and stored safely and correctly, too, so they don’t succumb to damage such as cracks or rust. Making sure your irrigation systems, such as sprinkler heads, are cleaned off and clear from any debris will give you peace of mind that they function correctly at all times. 

At this point, you’ll want to make sure to dry everything out so they don’t have any moisture/gunk that has built up. This way, come next spring, they’re ready to go! 

Another everyday chore that will help to make your landscape look neat and well taken care of is having any hard surfaces power washed thoroughly. These surfaces can include your deck, walkways, patios, retaining walls, and driveway. 

Power washing can help get rid of dirt and grime while also helping to rid those areas of mildew build-up. However, it’s imperative to make sure you avoid having mildew anywhere near or on your home; it can cause lousy allergy reactions at the least and can make you and your family sick at its worst! 

Enlisting the help of your local professionals

The bottom line is, as homeowners, you don’t just want your lawn to be strong and healthy – you want it to look fantastic too! You’re not alone in that mindset, but sometimes even lawn maintenance jobs such as fall cleanups can be a big task for many folks to take on. Some people simply don’t have the time to take a day to get it all done, or others may not be able to power through the physical labor required for these activities. 

That’s why you should make the phone call and put your trust in the people at Rish’s Complete Lawn Care! They can get the job done well and get it done efficiently, so all you’re left with is a beautiful, clean lawn to admire!