SOS Helpful Hints: Spring Yard Clean Up

Spring is the perfect time to clean up your lawn and prepare it for a season of outdoor enjoyment. A healthy, vibrant lawn doesn’t just happen — It starts with following a simple “Rule of Thumb” and taking the right steps early on.

Clean-Up & Snow Management: Remove any fallen branches and twigs. Clearing debris allows your lawn to breathe and prevents damage to emerging grass.

Spread snow piles evenly throughout your lawn. This important step helps the snow melt faster and more uniformly. It also decreases the risk of developing snow mold by preventing excess moisture from lingering in concentrated areas.

Mower Preparation: Mowing may not be necessary for most homeowners just yet. However, it’s always best to be prepared. Now is the perfect time to bring out your lawn mower and make sure it’s in good working condition for the upcoming summer season.

For most homeowners, it’s recommended to sharpen mower blades at least twice a year. Sharp blades create clean cuts, which help keep your lawn healthy and strong.

Dull mower blades, on the other hand, tear the grass instead of cutting it cleanly. These jagged edges make it harder for the grass to defend itself against pests and disease, leading to a weaker, less attractive lawn.

“If you didn’t remove the dirty oil or replace the spark plugs during the fall, now’s the time to swap out the used oil for new oil and replace old spark plugs. Also, lightly lubricate the wheel bearing, height adjuster, and any other moving parts according to the manual’s instructions. Make sure to have the lawn mower blades sharpened by a professional, so they’ll cut the grass evenly.” (www.goodhousekeeping.com)

Pruning: This is an excellent time to prune shrubbery and trim back overgrown tree branches. Excess growth can create too much shade, preventing adequate sunlight from reaching your lawn.

Proper pruning improves air circulation and allows more sunlight to penetrate, promoting stronger, healthier grass growth. Keeping trees and shrubs well-maintained not only benefits your lawn but also enhances the overall appearance of your landscape.

Light Raking Tips: Keep in mind that raking over wet grass can tear it from the roots, leaving you with even more bare patches. These bare and thinning areas create the perfect opportunity for weeds and crabgrass to take hold and spread.

For best results, raking should be done when the lawn is dry. However, we understand that sometimes waiting isn’t practical. If you must rake early in the season while the ground is still damp, be sure to rake lightly and gently to avoid damaging the grass.

Taking a careful approach now will help protect your lawn and encourage thicker, healthier growth throughout the season. 🌱