How to Spring Clean Your Yard Up

Yes, finally the snow has melted, the grass is starting to grow and the birds are chirping. This can only mean one thing and that is Spring has finally arrived. However, if you are like me you are looking at your yard and screaming for help because it has really taken a toll from the Winter months. I have a list of steps and some tips on how to get your yard spruced up for Spring time.

Step One:
Down Spouts:

The first thing you will need to do, if you have them is to clean out your down spouts. They are so easy to forget but also make the most mess if you do not remember to clean them out. Leaves, limbs and other debris can gather up into the down spouts and cause your roof to have leakage problems. Cleaning these first will also allow you to throw the debris into the yard and clean it up later!

Step Two:
Weeds:

Weeds are a thing that just will bother us until we decide to really nip them in the bud. Make sure you clean up all the weeds in the flower beds, along your driveway, next to your house and so on. Also, take down those vines that are also overgrowing on the side of your house and patio. The main reason we need to get rid of this over growth is because the more over growth we have the more we are prone to have bugs and such growing in them and habitating into our houses. You can take the trash and pulled weeds from the flower beds and add them to the pile of debris from the down spouts. A good tip to help keep the weeds away is to spray a weed killer spray on the area right after you pull them up. If you do not know what kind to pick up, just ask the specialist at Home Depot which kind they would recommend. Every state has a different varieties of land so the kind of spray will depend on where you live. Also here is another great tip. If you do not feel like shelling out a lot of money for weed killer, then mix a half and half spray of water and Clorox and use this mixture. The Clorox kills the roots to the core.

Step Three:
Trimming or Edging:

If you have a concrete anywhere in your yard then you will need to edge and trim the growth up over the concrete. You want to buy a trimmer or edger and cut along the line of the concrete onto the grass. Make sure the line you cut stays straight. This will give your concrete (driveway, patio and etc.) a professional look and also help the stop of overgrowth onto the driveway.

Step Four:
Raking:

Before you begin to mow you will need to make sure your yard is free and clear of any sort of large branches, rocks, limbs and other things that may have collected up during the winter months. You do not want your lawnmower to mess up once you run it over a large rock.

Step Five:
Mowing:

It is time to mow your yard for the first time this Spring but do not feel so anxious at cutting it so low. You do not want to kill the grass that is growing. Take a look at your lawnmower setting from the last cut of last year. Allow your lawnmower to cut it the next level higher to insure the new grass growth does not die out. If you cut your grass to low on the first time for Spring and there is no rain any time soon then your yard will die out and will take a while to get the grass to grow back.

Step Six:
Using Your Blower:

The easiest way to clean up the mess you have just created is to use a blower to blow the surface grass and dirt up. You will clean up later in a better manner but you want to make sure you get up any big clumps blown away first.

Step Seven:
Washing:

Every Spring I like to wash my house to get all the pollen and dirt build up off the siding from the years past. I begin with mixing half Clorox and half water into a bucket with warm water and using a scrub brush and brushes the mixture onto the house. Wash it off with water after wards. The best time to wash your home is a rainy day. Make sure it is just rain and not lightening pr thundering. The extra rain will help you use less water.

Step Eight:
Windows:

Use Windex on your windows and newspaper to clean the water spots and dirt off the window. Newspaper will cut down on the streaking as well.

Step Nine:
Bug Protection:

The final thing you need to do in preparing your yard for the Spring is to make sure you protect your house from the lovely bugs that will be coming back out in the warmer weather. You can either call an exterminator to come to your home and spray a mixture of regicide. This can get very expensive. Usually anywhere from $20 a month plus. Or, you can do what I have been doing for years and that is purchasing a bottle of regicide at my local Wal-Mart, and spraying it around the base of my house once every three months. I usually buy Eliminator or the cheapest bug spray (by the gallon) to use on my house.

If you need any more tips or have any questions ask your local specialist, but if you stay with this list your yard will be looking professional in no time.