Clean Up and Update Your Backyard

 

With busy schedule most families keep today, it’s easy to let your backyard get that “wild out of Control” look. You don’t seem to notice how bad it looks until you are pulling in the drive or take a look at it from the neighbors yard and wonder who lives there!

Here’s how to clean up your backyard and get it back under control.

Clean up the weeds, leaves and shrubs

Grab your garden tools and a wheelbarrow and start first by cleaning up the fallen leaves. You can also pull out the weeds growing along fences and the sides of your house at the same time. If you have a compost pile add the fresh material into the pile.

Next trim your shrubs with a garden trimmer. For a nice trim its best to step back and take a good look at the shrub. Remove any damaged or diseased branches. After that you can trim the top and sides. It depends on what type of shrub I have on where I dispose of the cuttings. Shrubs with leaves go in the compost pile for the garden areas. Evergreen shrubs are put in a pile to be used for mulching material around shrubs and trees.

Mow the lawn and trim the edges

After the leaves, weeds and shrubs are tidied up, its time to mow the yard and doing any neglected backyard trimming. Mow your lawn on a low height setting to trim down the grass. This will let you get a good look at the lawn area. Get your weed whacker out of storage and edge any fences, sidewalks, drives and shrubs and trees.

This is when I look at the difficult trimming areas and decide if I will be creating mulch layering in these areas.

Clean up the clutter.

Start eliminating the clutter by placing any tools and belongings back into the garage or a storage shed. If you need more storage space, organize your existing space or buy building or small storage shed for your backyard.

If you have an item in your backyard that has sat in one place waiting to be fixed or used one day, wither fix it or move it on. Someone else will appreciate that old doghouse that has not been used in years or the canoe hidden in grass.  And yes, it’s hard to part with those “I’ll do it next week” projects.

Landscape your backyard.

If you feel you backyard needs made over just take a few minutes and sit down and take a look. What would add comfort or ease to the backyard? Is there a certain plant or tree you have always wanted. Do you need more room to entertain or would you like to make the yard easier to maintain?

Install paving stones to make a path or a few new trees and shrubs will give a new look to the yard quickly. Put a bench in your backyard for reading relaxing or to enjoy the garden area.

By adding new landscaping and creating areas in your backyard you will add interest to the yard.  You will also find yourself spending more time enjoying and taking care of backyard projects that will keep the yard clean and tidy.