Spring Cleaning in the Yard

Spring is a great time to do some cleaning around the yard. For some yards, this just might be a little picking up. Other yards may be in need of a major cleanup.

So what needs to be done?

Take a walk around the yard, looking for dead spots in grass. Keep an eye out for debris that needs to be picked up and/or raked.

Get out the rake and the lawn bags. Rake up any of that debris and put it in the bags for disposal. The leftovers of winter may be left over in the form of broken branches and downed tree limbs. You'll want to remove as much as possible. Most towns will designate a special day for heavy trash pickup. Take advantage.

Don't stop at the bigger items. Rake up excess leaves and twigs. You don't necessarily send those leaves to the trash heap. Last year's leaves can be great for compost.

Cut and trim overgrown brushes and shrubs with pruning shears.

Reseed the lawn in areas where grass appears dry. Also reseed "bald spots" on your lawn. Reseeding bald areas will reduce the chance of them becoming muddy, dirty areas later on. An application of fertilizer in the spring will also help.

Don't forget to water the lawn. The winter air may some areas of the lawn in dire need of moisture. This is a great time to get the lawn sprinkler system up and running. Water helps the lawn grown and it also necessary for the reseeding process.