Fall Cleanup - Prepping for a Green Spring

Written by: Kyle Huerd
It’s that time of the year again…Fall Clean-up.  That’s right, fall cleanup and not the typical spring cleaning that we are all a custom to.  Why wait all winter long with leaves, trash, or the ever-dreaded dog feces when you can clean things up and save you a wide range of heavy lifting next spring.

Most people don’t know that to create a healthy lawn for the summer, it all begins in the fall, prior to the big freeze.  If you don’t pick up the fallen leaves or the dog feces that has been dropped over the summer, you could be strangulating your lawn and the grass will not be able to truly get the nutrients to come back in the springtime green, thick, and healthy.

By raking leaves thoroughly in the fall, you reduce the risk of a fungal disease of grass which is referred to as “snow mold.”  You will also clean up the grass and pull out the dead grass that has been in place all summer which provides the surrounding area to get more nutrients and fill back in when the spring thaw takes place.  This is the simplest of forms when it comes to aerating a lawn.  You have seen or used companies that come out and do this to a higher degree in the fall time.  Why not naturally aerate your lawn while saving you the hard work in the spring?

For perennial beds, you will want to remove any dead leaves and stalks from this year’s perennials.  Since I personally didn’t do this portion in 2016, but my wife likes to use a common house hold scissors to cut specific stalks and get into tight locations.

When it comes to pet feces, simply cleaning it up in the “now” is always better than later.  I’m speaking from experience.  Not only will your yard be cleaner and healthier, but pet feces can carry a wide range of diseases and illnesses even if your pet does not have them.  A simple cleanup can make sure you don’t have an unwanted material stuck to your shoe when the temperature rises in the springtime!