Yard cleanup can seem daunting, especially when you’re unsure where or how to start. By taking it one smaller project at a time — picking up trash, mowing and trimming the grass, treating pests, trimming trees, weeding, mulching, reseeding, and cleaning hard surfaces — you’ll turn your unkept, overgrown landscape into a backyard oasis.
Clean up debris
The first step in cleaning up your yard is collecting and disposing of everything that shouldn’t be lying around and adds to an unkempt appearance. Grab some heavy-duty lawn trash bags, a rake, a pair of pruning shears, and some work gloves — it’s time to get to work!
To keep on track, it’s best to do this job systematically.
- To start, gather up all of the downed branches, limbs, and sticks. Depending on local services, you may need to cut them into smaller pieces so they’ll fit in a trash bag. You can also tie them in a bundle and place them on the curb if your local municipality offers free pickup.
- Haul off broken lawn furniture or children’s toys, taking them to the local dump or landfill.
- Once the oversized items are gone, work section by section around the yard, picking up all of the trash.
- Use a rake to gather fallen leaves and other small plant debris into piles. Place these materials in a trash bag, a green waste bin, or your compost pile.
Note: Check your local regulations for waste disposal. Some areas have specific guidelines for disposing of yard debris.
Mow grass
With a clean(er) slate in front of you, the next step is to mow the overgrown lawn. Depending on how tall the grass is, you may need to do this in steps.
When the motivation hits to get the yard whipped in shape, you want to get it done as quickly as possible, but you should only remove one-third of the grass blade when you mow. It helps reduce your lawn’s stress and allows it to recover more quickly after mowing.
For the best results when mowing:
- Adjust your mower blades to the appropriate height for your grass type. Generally, keep the grass around 2.5 to 3 inches tall.
- Keep your mower blades sharp to ensure a clean cut. Dull blades can tear the grass, making it more susceptible to disease and pests.
- Wait for the grass to dry before mowing. Wet grass can clump and clog your mower, resulting in uneven cutting and potential damage to the lawn.
- Change the mowing direction each time you mow. Alternating patterns help prevent soil compaction and encourage the grass to grow upright.
- Don’t mow your grass just after fertilizing, during the hottest part of the day, or just before sunset.
Edge around the lawn
After cutting the grass, use your strim trimmer or sharp edger to create clean, defined lines along walkways, driveways, fences, and garden beds. To get crisp, professional results, turn the edger or trimmer vertically and carefully follow the edge of the hard surfaces or landscape borders.
You can also install edging to create a distinct boundary or border between your lawn and other surfaces. There are many creative ideas for edging, from bricks or pavers to metal or concrete.
If you’re looking for a good string trimmer, check out our reviews:
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Treat diseases and insects
Once you have finished mowing and trimming, it’s an excellent time to look closer at your lawn and see if it’s struggling with diseases like fairy ring, brown patch, and dollar spot or pests like grubs, chinch bugs, and armyworms.
If you notice any problems, whether diseases or insects, it’s essential that you treat the infestation quickly to avoid worsening damage and implement preventative measures to keep the issue from returning. Treatment options will depend on the specific disease or insect infestation.
Need help identifying problems? Check out these articles:
- “Common Summer Lawn Pests”
- “Common Fall Lawn Pests and How to Get Rid of Them”
- “Most Common Kentucky Bluegrass Diseases”
- “Most Common Diseases in Fine Fescue Grass”
- “Most Common Diseases Affecting Zoysiagrass”
- “Most Common Diseases in St. Augustinegrass”
- “5 Common Bermudagrass Diseases”
- “On Watch: Winter Lawn Diseases”
Trim trees and shrubs
Since your lawn looks great, let’s focus on trimming overgrown trees and shrubs and opening up the yard so you can see it.
If it’s been a long time since your plants have had a haircut, you’ll need to decide if they need pruning or trimming — while they sound the same, they are slightly different.
- Pruning is a deliberate practice that enhances plant health and structure.
- Trimming is primarily cosmetic and focuses strongly on maintaining the appearance or size of the plant.
An important part of trimming or pruning is making sure you’re using the correct pruning tools. Start by removing any dead or diseased wood, then thin out overcrowded areas and cut it to the height and shape you want. As you’re working, periodically step back to look at your work. It’s hard to get a good idea of how everything looks when you’re up close.
Pro tip: Always cut branches at a 45-degree angle that slopes downward from the trunk (or stem) so water doesn’t sit on the wound and trigger rot or disease.
For those who would rather leave this job to the experts:
- Tree trimming services cost between $255 and $655, with a national average cost of $420.
- Hedge trimming costs around $429, but most homeowners pay between $200 and $600.
- Bush trimming costs around $275, but most homeowners pay between $110 and $440.
Get rid of weeds
Whether they’re popping up in your lawn or taking over your flowerbeds, getting rid of nuisance weeds will help make your landscape look nicer and help your grass grow healthier. Weeds compete with desirable plants for essential resources such as water, nutrients, and sunlight and can weaken them, making them more susceptible to insects, pests, and environmental stressors.
Exactly how you do this is up to you. I think pulling broadleaf weeds by hand is the most effective way get rid of them. It kills weeds without harming other nearby plants or the surrounding lawn and delivers instant results. The key to pulling weeds manually is to make sure you remove the entire stem from the ground so they can’t regrow.
Sometime though, manual removal doesn’t cut it and you need to turn to other options. Beyond pulling them by hand, there are other ways to kill weeds ranging from using chemical herbicides to smothering them or using natural options like boiling water or vinegar.
Pro tip: If you’re turning to the help of post-emergent herbicides, it’s critical you determine if you have broadleaf or grassy weeds in your lawn so you can pick the best herbicide for the job.
Mulch flowerbeds and around trees
Cover the bare soil in your flowerbeds and around your trees with 2 to 4 inches of organic or inorganic mulch. Mulching the exposed ground makes your landscaping look finished and polished — similar to accessorizing your favorite outfit — but it also offers many benefits. Mulched beds are better insulated from the weather, hold onto more soil moisture, and tend to have fewer problems with weeds.
Many different types of mulch are available, each with its own pros and cons and varying costs. On average, mulch projects cost $130 to $330 or about $85 per cubic yard.
When it comes to choosing organic versus inorganic mulch, Bert Cregg of the Michigan State University Extension says, “From a plant-health perspective, organic mulches are preferred since they contribute organic matter to the soil and provide the most benefits.”
Fix bare spots
Looking at some bare spots in your lawn? Maybe the weeds got thick in one place, or you were dealing with a disease problem. If you’re doing a yard cleanup, it’s an excellent time to throw down grass seed so your grass looks better and can fight off future problems.
Note: On average, seeding a lawn costs between $0.09 and $0.19 per square foot.
Before you buy seed, remember that not all bare spots need repairing. “If the spot is smaller than the size of your fist, there is no need to do anything as the area will likely fill in from surrounding grass in a few weeks,” says the Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension.
Overseeding to repair smaller bare spots is pretty straightforward: clear the debris, loosen the top two to three inches with a hand rake, evenly spread grass seed, rake the seed in gently, cover with a thin layer of topsoil or mulch, and keep the area well-watered until the seeds germinate.
Air and soil temperatures are important to consider when trying to get new grass seed to germinate, as temperature highly influences germination. This isn’t to say you can’t fix spots at any time during the growing season, but the best time to repair your lawn depends on your grass type.
- The best time to repair cool-season lawns is late summer or early fall. Temperatures are starting to cool down, and there is often more rain, which improves germination. The new grass will also have enough time to develop robust roots and store energy before the soil freezes and it goes dormant for winter.
- The best time to repair warm-season lawns is late spring to early summer, just before the grass grows vigorously because of the heat.
Depending on the type of grass you’re growing, it can take anywhere from five to 30 days to germinate. While the grass is still young, try to keep foot traffic to a minimum and wait until the roots are anchored well to mow it.
Clean hard surfaces
To wrap up your yard makeover, clean up your hard surfaces. Use a broom or leaf blower to clear dirt and debris from driveways, sidewalks, and patios. After that, hose down patios, decks, and other hard surfaces to remove grime. Use a power washer if needed for stubborn stains.
FAQs about yard cleanup
Does cleaning up your yard improve your home’s value?
Yes, a clean yard can significantly improve your home’s value. A well-maintained, nicely landscaped yard enhances the curb appeal of your property, making a solid first impression on potential buyers. Features such as healthy lawns, attractive garden beds, well-pruned trees and shrubs, and outdoor living spaces like patios or decks can make your home look more appealing.
Additionally, a beautiful yard suggests to buyers that the property has been well cared for, potentially reducing their perceived maintenance costs and increasing their willingness to pay a premium.
What are the benefits of cleaning up your yard?
Lawn cleaning not only makes your landscaping look beautiful and gives you somewhere to spend time outside of the house, but it also helps prevent damage to your home and problems with pests.
Removing tree branches, vines, and shrubs that touch the house keeps windows from breaking and the paint or siding from getting scratched. Trimming dead branches and picking up leaves also prevents these things from landing on your roof or in your gutters, preventing gutter and roof leaks and minimizing the need for gutter cleaning.
Cleaning up your yard also helps prevent disease, insect, and rodent problems because you’re eliminating the conditions they love and the overgrown places they can live.
How much does professional yard cleaning cost?
The average cost for a yard cleanup is $318, but homeowners can expect to pay between $174 and $436. The average costs for a yard cleanup may include leaf mulching, flower bed and garden cleanup, trash or furniture removal, and leaf removal services. The bigger the yard, the more you are likely to pay, and the same goes for the extent of work performed.
Need help with your yard cleanup?
Cleaning your lawn should be a top priority when caring for your home, and we make the process simple when you follow the steps above!
If you’re short on time or just need an extra hand with the projects, turn to Lawn Love. We’ll connect you with local lawn care professionals who can take over mowing, tree trimming, weed control, treating disease and pest problems, and even fixing those pesky bare patches.
Before you know it, that overgrown lawn will be beautiful!
Main Photo Credit: Miller_Eszter | Adobe Stock Free | License
