Spring is here, and if you have a yard and have not taken the time to get outside and enjoy the warming temperatures and fresh air, now is a great time to do so, and clean up your yard with spring maintenance. Here are some recommendations to clean up your landscaping this spring.

Clean Out Your Bedding and Yard Landscaping

There is usually a lot of dead vegetation from last year's growth, and other debris that has blown in over the winter into your yard. And for this reason, spring and its warming temperatures are the perfect opportunity to get outside and clear out the debris. 

You can use a lawn rake to clear out piles of leaves or twigs that have collected in corners of your yard. Be on the lookout for signs of rodents and their nests when you clear out debris, and use safety precautions to protect yourself from disease. Signs include the odor of urine, small black droppings the size of rice, and greasy dark marks along the walls or fence. Wear gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from any airborne dust from nests to protect yourself, and bag up the debris to dispose of it into the trash. Other vegetation and dead growth are safe to compost in your yard.

Use clippers or long-handled loppers to trim back branches of trees that are touching the outside of your home or the roof. Then, remove any dead branches from your trees, which will be brittle and void of any spring growth buds. Dead branches will be a grey color in comparison to the rest of the tree's branches.

Look at Your Lawn's Soil Condition

Although it may not be visible in your yard, the condition of your lawn's soil is something you need to inspect with a close-up look. Over time, your lawn's soil becomes compacted from foot traffic, and it becomes hard and makes it difficult for your lawn to thrive. Lawn needs a soil that allows oxygen and nutrients to seep down through it, and when the soil is too hard, this is not going to happen. 

For this reason, you should look into lawn aeration in the spring. This will remove plugs of soil to allow for soil absorption of nutrients, oxygen, and water down into the roots of your lawn. You can arrange for a local landscape or lawn specialist to complete the aeration, or you can rent an aerator from a local equipment rental. 

When you check out the condition of your lawn's soil, also take some time to look at the thatch layer of your lawn. The thatch is the layer of organic material from the dead grass that collects upon the soil. If this layer gets too thick, it can similarly prevent nutrients from reaching your lawn roots. However, you can use a lawn rake to lift up much of this thatch so you can discard it or use it as mulch. You can also attach a thatch blade on your mower to help complete this important maintenance for your lawn.

For more information about landscape maintenance, contact a local landscaping company.