Backyard Clean-Up to Make Your Outdoor Living Area Spring-Ready

Winter storms usually leave a messy path of broken branches and sticks. Gather up the larger debris first. This will allow for much easier raking. Pick up any fallen branches or twigs, clean leftover pet messes, and rake leaves when the ground is completely dry. Empty any potted plants that didn't make it through the winter or that you might have forgotten to pull out in the fall. If you haven't already, remove any holiday decorations that may still be lurking around.

Rake out your garden beds and lawn. Either compost the debris or dispose of your leaves according to your town’s guidelines. Once your lawn is clear of leaves your grass will thank you. It will green up in no time and your buried perennials will begin to thrive. Not sure when it's time to get to work? Start raking fallen leaves and digging up dead plants as soon as the soil has thawed, and the last frost has passed. 

Your lawn is the first place you should start. Once the last of the snow is gone, survey your yard for any for any trouble spots. If heavy traffic and pet messes have ruined your grass, sprinkle soil over the area with a combination of grass seed and fertilizer. Keep dirt moist until the seeds sprout into grass. Unless you live in a warm climate, your grass is looking tired and more tan than green. Fertilizer is a great idea to give your lawn the nutrients it needs for strong roots and a lush green appearance. 

Flowers need room to grow, so it's important that you clear garden beds of fallen leaves, dead foliage, and unruly weeds before spring is in full swing. Dig up perennials, including daylilies and hostas, and divide them into three-stem groupings. Use them to fill in any sparse spots in the garden bed. Starting in early spring, plant trees, shrubs, and hardy perennial flowers like bleeding heart and geraniums, for example. Wait until the last frost of the season to plant annuals and tender perennials such as begonias and impatiens. 

Last summer was probably very kind to your trees, shrubs and perennials so now is the time for a "haircut." Give your plants a solid foundation to build upon by clipping away any dead, dying, or diseased branches. While you're at it, cut back any branches that are encroaching on walkways or high-traffic areas. Not only will this make your backyard more inviting, but it'll also allow more sunlight and air to reach the center of trees and shrubs. Do this before raking if you have a lot of trimming and are going to make a mess with clippings.

Mulching serves many purposes. When you apply mulch to your planting beds and around trees and shrubs, you’re not only controlling weeds, retaining moisture and preventing erosion, you’re giving your home a beautiful, finished look. It is best to remove most of the old or excess mulch first in these areas before applying new. Spread your mulch 2-4" thick but go sparingly around tree and shrub bases. Too much mulch in these areas can actually cause rot and prevent water from penetrating.

Before you really take advantage of your outdoor space, make sure that it's ready to entertain. After clearing the patio and path, sweep away any debris and hose it down until clean. For a natural way to get rid of stubborn mud and grime, create a mixture of 1 cup baking soda with 2 cups distilled white vinegar. Spread it over the patio with a mop and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then use a nylon-bristled scrub brush to scrub it clean and rinse with clean water.

After you’ve cleaned up and surveyed your yard, you’ll remember all those ideas you had last summer to improve your outdoor oasis. Now is the time to actually get organized and get it done! PINE BROOK LANDSCAPING is ready to help you design and plan your landscaping and hardscaping projects. We have proudly been serving Philadelphia, Bucks & Montgomery Counties since 1988 and are a full-service general landscaping, hardscaping and lawn care company for all of your outdoor home improvements.