Essential Tasks for Your Fall Yard Cleanup
Essential Tasks for Your Fall Yard Cleanup
How to Prepare Your Yard for Winter
Remove plant debris, particularly from the vegetable garden, as certain pests and diseases can survive the winter on this material. If you’ve had plants that succumbed to disease this year, it’s important to be mindful of their disposal, it’s best to place them in your trash rather than compost them.
Any plants unaffected by disease or pests can be included in your home compost area, your local leaf collection service, or delivered to a yard waste composting site.
What can be left behind
Leave your ornamental plants standing for the winter to provide food, cover, and protection for all of the insects and animals that co-exist with your garden.
Fallen leaves are beneficial in your landscape for several reasons. They decompose, supplying nutrients to trees, shrubs, and grass, and they provide crucial shelter for overwintering pollinators. The best practice is to leave the leaves where they fall during the winter and only clear them away in the spring. If you have concerns about the impact of leaves on your lawn, a practical alternative is to rake them off the grass and transfer them to the more untamed areas of your yard, such as around trees and in garden beds. This will create a mulch layer, and as the leaves decompose, they will enhance your soil with organic matter. This method also helps to keep the insect habitat intact, as you are simply moving the leaves rather than discarding them.
Mulch
Once you finish the task of removing spent plants, it’s essential to apply a generous layer of mulch. This will safeguard the soil throughout the winter and maintain a neat appearance in your garden until you can tend to it again in the spring.
Trim Dead Branches
Should you notice any branches that are diseased or dead during the season, Fall is a perfect time to deal with them. If it is a small task, you could potentially do it yourself. We highly recommend reaching out to a Certified Arborist like Johnson Ops Tree Care for any tree-related work on your property. Valuing your trees means it’s always beneficial to have a professional assist in their care.
Contact us at Johnson Ops Tree Care at 608 526-6297 for a comprehensive assessment of your landscape.
