❇️ Introduction
Regardless of the season, you need to clean your garden. Whether it’s blooming spring or earthy fall, even in snowy winters, taking care of your garden is necessary. We are aware of how hectic engaging in seasonal clean-ups can be, so we have prepared a guide for you. This blog will explore ten practical tips to keep your yard clean.
❇️ Tips From Gardening Experts to Keep Your Yard Clean
Here are the top ten tips from gardening experts about keeping your yard clean.
⭕ Devise A Strategy
Like every significant event, planning needs to go in for seasonal garden clean-ups too. It is recommended that you walk through your lawn and examine all the things that need help. Remember to write them down somewhere, so you don’t forget or jumble them up. Before undertaking a yard clean-up, you must ensure that you have the tools to do the job accurately. Lawn mower and trimmer, soil and leaf rakes, soil knives, and snow shovels – it’s just the gist of it. Once you have the appropriate tools, you can work on the right skills. One small mistake can compromise your garden’s beauty. Hence, you will want to pay extra care and attention to it unless you hire professional gardeners or landscapers to accommodate you. With the experience and expertise, an authentic gardening company can offer, you need not worry about the nitty-gritty! However, if you plan to undertake the job yourself, make sure you do your homework on successfully transforming your lawn.
⭕ Initial Clean-Up
The first stage of a yard clean-up involves collecting the fallen leaves, cladodes, and twigs. Collectively they are called “Plant Litter.” Starting by picking up bigger fallen branches and debris is a smart approach. It lets you see the effects quicker and motivates you to restore the lawn to its prime. Once you are done, you may move on to tackling smaller things like fallen leaves and overgrown weeds. You may use a leaf rake to rid the grass of the tree litter.
Moreover, decide how you will dispose of the duff you clean from your yard. If you have a commercial leaf vacuum, you do not need to worry about this. However, if you don’t have one, you can opt for other ways of disposal. Using a tarp to collect the leaf litter is common, making it easier to drag it outside the lawn. You can also gather the dead leaves in a waste disposal bag and deposit them in a suitable place. While raking your garden, if you come across dead weeds, do not hesitate to pull them out and dispose of them with the rest of the debris.
⭕ Mow, Edge, And Fertilize
It is one of the most vital steps; try not to skip it. Once you have cleaned the litter from your yard, it is time to start mowing. Bring out your lawn mower, and before you use it on the grass, inspect the condition of its blade. It should not be rusted or broken to ensure an even lawn mowing. Moreover, mow your lawn only when it is dry. Otherwise, moisture from the grass weighs it down, making a straight cut difficult. Next, edging your garden is vital to make it look tidy and well-kept. You can use a half-moon edging tool to redefine the edges of your lawn. After this, you may trim the grass the mower could not reach using a long-handled edging shear. The final part of this stage is fertilizing your lawn. For a quick boost, you may use inorganic fertilizers that are water soluble, so the plant roots can easily absorb them. If you are in no hurry, you may opt for organic fertilizers that break down slowly and give the lawn a continuous supply of nutrients. You can dedicate time to researching appropriate fertilizers or contact a gardening servicer to guide you skillfully.
⭕ Spread Mulch In Your Lawn
Mulch is made up of dead leaves, compost, and bark. Conventionally, it is applied or spread over the soil. It is done to conserve soil moisture, retain nutrients, and promote soil fertility and health. You can also use it to contribute to the increased aesthetics of the area. When you add a fresh layer of mulch, your yard will seem revitalized and revived. To appropriately spread mulch in your garden, you will need a wheelbarrow, shovel, and landscaping rake. You can carry the mulch in the wheelbarrow and use a shovel to dump it in the area you need it to be. After this, you may incorporate the help of a landscaping rake or your hands to lay out the mulch evenly. Keep in mind that the layer needs around 2 to 4 inches. Mulch not only helps retain water but also prevents weed growth!
⭕ Trim the Bushes And Shrubs
Trees and bushes are planted to add to the scenic beauty of your garden; however, once they overgrow, they do more harm than good. Amidst your lawn, unkempt shrubs and trees stand out like eyesores. So, it is vital to trim them occasionally. It depends on you when you prefer to give your lawn a trim. Sometimes, people go on a trimming spree before spring to better see the dead and dried spots. Some may crop the overgrown shrubs in their garden once spring begins. To tidy up the trees, you will need clearing gardening tools, hedge clippers, and shrub rakes. Typically, hedge clippers are used to deal with shorter, smaller branches. As for the larger, thicker ones, clearing tools come of aid. The use of shrub rakes can easily tackle hard-to-reach areas. Trimming each shrub, bush, and tree in your lawn may take a long time, but it will be worth it!
⭕ Reseed The Bare Patches
Bare patches in a lawn are inevitable, so the key to eliminating them is understanding what caused them. The grass in your garden may appear patchy if there’s high foot traffic, grub infestation, poor soil conditions, pet urine, chemical spills, etc. It is essential to solve these issues so that the replanted grass has no bald spots. Before you reseed, you need to scuff up the bare area using a steel rake: it will help loosen the soil up. After this, scatter some compost on the patch, and then you may sprinkle grass seeds on the ground. Keeping the soil moist is an inevitable requirement for new grass to take root. Grass clipping or straw matting must be used to hold the seeds. If you apply pre-emergent herbicides, you could also fertilize the lawn early. Let it sit for a couple of weeks, and then you will see the grass sprouting out and covering the dead, barren patches.
⭕ Ensure Proper Drainage and Lawn Aeration
If you spot a water puddle or a swamp-like patch in your lawn, chances are that it is the beginning of a drainage issue. If it goes untreated, the area will get water-logged and cause damage to the grass and plantations growing. You might even see the grass die if the stagnant water is not drained! So, it is vital to take quick measures the instant you see any potential water drainage problem. To manage waterlog, you can reduce your plant watering schedule or grow more plants to use the excess water. However, ensure the plant you select can tolerate water-logged conditions for this to work. Blue Vervain, Iris, and Crinum can typically survive in excessive moisture.
Furthermore, lawn aeration can help solve the drainage issue as well. It is the process of making holes in the soil, which allows air to pass through the ground. It also lets the water seep into the earth instead of puddling on the soil. You may use a manual core aerator, spike aerator, or a lawn fork to do the job.
⭕ Clean and Repair Sculptures in Your Lawn
People tend to skip the masonry and stonework maintenance of their lawns, resulting in a dull outlook that leads to compromised aesthetics. In addition, lichen, moss, and algae buildup are common on patios and garden walkways as they are exposed to moisture. Often, dirt accumulates on the surface, too, caused by muddy water and debris. So, you must regularly clean the sculptures and structures in your yards. You may manually scrape the stubborn dirt using a dry sponge or soft-bristled brush. However, ensure that you scrub it appropriately, as being harsh can lead to the loss of shine and cause your patio or deck to appear washed out.
Furthermore, inspect if you have an outdoor kitchen, hardscape patio, or a fence to see if they need work. Loose screws and cracks in the planks are undesirable for both aesthetic and safety purposes. The tools used to fix these issues depend on the type of structure you are working on, and it is best if you leave that to a professional. You may contact a gardening and landscaping service provider to use their knowledge and experience and repair the problems with your yard’s hard landscapes.
⭕ Prepare For Winter
Just as you lather yourself with blankets and jackets in winter, your lawn needs to be winterized. Plants can have different tolerances for the weather. For example, your Siberian Cypress can thrive in the cold, while at the same time, Dahlias will not survive. So, to winterize your garden, you first need to educate yourself about the species of plants you have and how to care for them. Next, you need to provide cover from snow and frost for smaller plants and shrubs to bloom generally in spring. Finally, you may winterize your yard by covering the base of the plant with mulch. The plant will retain moisture and vital nutrients by spreading mulch and acquiring the necessary warmth. On top of it, you can cover the plants with sheets, blankets, and burlap to promote better insulation. Though, for shrubs, you should not tie the sheet to the trunk and let it loose instead.
Moreover, because of freezing temperatures in winter, you may have to pay attention to bettering the drainage and winterizing the irrigation system. Depending on feasibility, it is a sound idea to bring your plants indoors.
⭕ Reach Out To Experts
When it comes to gardening and landscaping, there are a lot of variables. Sometimes, the idea you have in your mind might not be as convenient as you think it will be! That is why having the expert advice of an authorized gardening company can come in handy and save you from making troublesome decisions. With the knowledge a trained gardener possesses, you can successfully bring your idea of your lawn to life. In addition, professionals have years of experience up their sleeves which helps them visualize and execute all designs.
Additionally, a skilled gardening service provider will educate you about your plants’ needs – the watering times and amount, fertilizing and mulch spreading schedules, and more. They will be able to detect any issues with your lawn before they turn complicated. It will make it easier to cure the problems and guarantee the maximum health of your plants.
Moreover, landscaping companies can help you build suitable hard-landscape structures for your lawn. Finally, you can count on them to suggest only the best options. All in all, recruiting a renowned company for gardening will mean you will not even have to undertake the tiresome seasonal deep-cleanings!
❇️ How MPR Landscapes Can Help You?
MPR Landscapes is a family-owned business providing services in the Greater Toronto Area. We ensure excellent residential and commercial landscape management, seasonal and routine clean-up sessions, snow removal services, and whatnot. In addition, we have carefully crafted a team of skilled horticulturists, maintenance crew, and estimators who will help you transform your yard for the better.
Moreover, our prices are reasonable and affordable, even though we use only top-notch equipment and techniques. You can count on us to undertake our tasks responsibly, with integrity, and with dedication. We believe in polishing the customers’ preferences with an expert outlook to curate impeccable results. While we ensure efficient services, we also ensure that our methods are environmentally-friendly. Once you place your trust in us, we guarantee to protect your property’s values and rejuvenate its aesthetics.
❇️ Conclusion
If you have a lawn on your property, you know how much maintenance it demands. Cleaning your garden can be quite troublesome in such a busy world where you barely have time for yourself and your loved ones. Detailed research will equip you with knowledge about the tasks; however, you will still need to gain the skills. So, contact MPR Landscapes today so we can safely attend to your garden’s needs.
