Spring clean up for yards in the upper Midwest typically begins in March. During a spring clean up, Spear’s Landscape professional services include applying Preen® in all mulch beds, top-dressing mulch, and trimming ornamental grasses. You can do the same if you have the time and inclination but remember that hiring it done will get you out to the driving range just that much faster.

Early spring is also a great time to prune leafy trees (except for oak – those should wait until mid-summer) because they are still bare from winter and you can easily see what needs to be done.

If you decide to do it yourself, here’s what you should look for and assess before starting to lop away:
1. Lateral or side branches that have grown higher than the main trunk of the tree
2. Broken branches or other branches that have grown inward toward the center of the crown
3. Those willowy shoots, called water sprouts, that grow straight up from the branches or the trunk

1. Don’t make your cuts flush with the trunk. They can damage the tree’s natural ability to heal rapidly because the cut will be bigger than it needs to be. Rather, cut about 1-2 inches from the trunk, just beyond the branch collar, the large ridge at the base of the branch. Keeping the collar intact will help the tree to heal.
2. For limbs and branches less than 1 ½ inches in diameter, a lopper should do the trick but remember to put the hook of the lopper on top and the blade below. This is recommended because the softer wood is on the bottom of the branch or limb, so the cut will be cleaner and smoother if done this way.
If a branch is actually a limb (more than 1 ½ inches in diameter), use a pruning saw.

Remember to be safe – wear safety glasses and gloves, be sure your tools are sharp, and only trim what you can reach from the ground. If you want to prune at higher elevations, call in a professional – Spear’s Landscape can handle it for you. Of course, they will also trim the low trees, too. Remember, when it comes to trimming trees, often professional know-how trumps raw enthusiasm (and hiring it done means you won’t be sore the next day!).

Leaves and lilacs typically pop in May and the grass needs regular mowing starting in early June. The annuals are in the ground and containers by Memorial Day, and the perennials are starting to look pretty good by then, too. Watering is key to keeping them that way as a hotter sun can really zap the moisture out of everything, especially grass.

Irrigation systems are wonderful for keeping your lawn green and growing, and about the third week of June is a good time to turn up the volume – water volume, that is. This will ensure optimal coverage so your lawn reaps the full benefit (and you don’t waste water – no one likes a water bill that is bigger than absolutely necessary and it just isn’t cool to be the one on the block whose irrigation system regularly waters the concrete driveway). Spear’s Landscape can handle this task for you and also come back mid-August to turn the system down again.

Labor Day has come and gone, the kids are back in school and winter will be here before you know it At the end of September, it’s time to start your yard’s fall clean-up. This includes cutting back all perennials (except grasses), and trimming trees and shrubs. It’s also time to cover all perennials with substantial layers of additional mulch to protect them from cold and snow. You’ll also want to protect your evergreens from winter kill and wilting by applying Wilt Proof ®.

Unless you just love doing all of these different fall yard tasks, consider contacting Spear’s Landscape and have their professionals handle the cutting, trimming, covering, protecting, taking out and winterizing for you. After all, it is college football season. What sounds like more fun? – sitting in a recliner with snacks and a beverage watching your favorite team trounce the opposition or mucking about in the yard knowing there will be no gratification for all of your efforts for seven or eight months. Doesn’t hiring Spear’s Landscape for all or part of your fall clean up just make sense?

The only tree you’ll need to trim now is the one you haul up from the basement or buy off of a lot in December. Enjoy the break from the yard and remember that the bulb catalogs will soon appear in your mailbox so you can start dreaming of spring.