Right before winter, plants begin to shut down on their food production. Because there isn’t much sun in winter, they shed their leaves to cut down on the energy needed to keep them alive.
During fall, your yard will be littered with branches and yellow leaves from deciduous plants. Foregoing fall yard clean-up with the thought that snow will soon cover all the dead leaves is likely to cross most people’s minds – but ignoring cleaning up is a bad idea, as you’ll soon learn by reading this article. Apart from preparing your yard for a beautiful spring, cleaning after fall comes with these three benefits:
- Lawn Aeration
Part of professional fall yard clean-up is aeration and this involves perforating the soil to allow water, air, and nutrient penetration to the grassroots. If you want a healthy lawn, aeration is a critical process in the fall yard clean-up. Once lawn clean-up contractors clear the leaves and fallen plant debris, the next step is usually aeration. Perforating the soil is simply alleviating soil compaction which, if not done, would prevent proper air circulation and absorption of nutrients. Apart from allowing air and nutrients to penetrate, aeration helps the roots grow more deeply, resulting in a lush looking lawn.
- Eliminating Diseases
Excess leaves in the yard block sunlight from reaching the grass and this reduces water evaporation. Eventually, the growth of fungi, molds, and diseases becomes inevitable. This affects the lawn’s health and vigor. Fungal diseases, for instance, will cause patches or discoloured rings on the lawn. Left unchecked, fungal pathogens limit the water getting into the turf’s roots and starve the lawn causing it to yellow and die. Getting rid of fungi is always very problematic. The best way of dealing with fungus disease is by taking preventative measures like using pesticides and cleaning up after fall.
- Trimming/Pruning
The process of pruning involves trimming any tall weeds and bushes to a manageable height. Because the fall season is coupled up with leaf drop, this is the perfect time to trim trees and plants since there’s easy access to the tree’s branches. Getting rid of damaged branches or weak ones clears away those parts that are likely to break off during winter. This way, you remain protected from random branches falling off the tree. It’s also good to prune during the fall since this is when plants are getting ready to hibernate in winter thus the shock of cutting is less traumatic. Pruning, in essence, helps your plants and trees remain healthy during winter. Additionally, pruning also deters pest growth on the plants, promoting healthy growth.
Apart from eliminating pests and diseases and aerating the lawn, cleaning the yard during fall improves your curb appeal. But yard clean-up is not by any means an easy process. Fall clean-ups are an in-depth job that Cleanr Mow offers in order to ensure your home is ready for winter. Doing it yourself can be both time-consuming and physically demanding. We are just a call away to save you the hassle!
