Ah, Spring. It was Alfred Lord Tennyson that said, “In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” For the rest of us, it’s Spring Cleaning.
Spring is a time of renewal when we come out of our hibernation, eager to shake off the chains of winter and begin anew. When we think of spring cleaning, we usually think of scrubbing the inside of the house from top to bottom but the yard and home exterior should get a bit of attention as well. A little work now will pay off later.
Remove debris. Even if you did a thorough job in the fall cleaning your yard, winter storms inevitably bring down branches and blow leaves and other debris into your yard. Raking it up not only gets rid of the mess, but helps to stimulate your lawn’s growth.
Prune trees and shrubs. Early spring is a great time to prune most plants and shrubs, before their new growth begins.
Plan your garden. Draw a map of the location of your garden and what you plan to plant and prepare the soil for planting so when you get your seeds, you’re ready to plant.
Give your lawn a healthy start. If your lawn is thin, spread grass seed to thicken it. Make sure to keep it moist for successful germination. It is also the best time to “weed ‘n feed” your lawn by applying fertilizer and weed preventer, although, if you’re planting any grass you’ll need to skip the weed preventer.
Pest control. Use perimeter spray along your home’s foundation for ants before they become active in the spring and decide that your house would be a nice place to live.
Clean your siding. If you don’t have a power washer, rent one and spray your siding. You may not think your home’s exterior is dirty, but you’ll be amazed at the difference that a good power washing can make!
Check your irrigation system. Test your irrigation system and repair any leaks.
Apply new mulch. While raking your yard, rake up old mulch and replace it with fresh.
Clean your “hardscape”. Your hardscape is any natural feature in your landscape that is not living. Paths, walkways, statues and retaining walls should be swept and any stains scrubbed away.
Clean your gutters. Proper gutter maintenance is just as important in the spring as it is in the fall before winter arrives. Those winter winds bring lots of debris that can clutter your gutters and if not cleared, will only cause build-up later in the season. Even mild winters bring damaging ice, and it’s essential to check your gutters for any harm that was done before those April showers come.
GutterPros offers quick gutter cleaning as well as close inspection for any potential problems. We also offer gutter covers that will help keep your gutters debris-free. Call us at (314) 656-7195 to find out more!