We Bought a House
The five things you gotta’ clean up now before summer!
By Christopher Miller
It is Monday afternoon. The temperatures are climbing, birds are chirping, allergies are coming back, and I am very sore.
Not sore in the maddening sense of the word, more so like in the aches and pains sense of “sore.”
In parts of our yard it appears that there were many high-wind events throughout the winter and early spring months. We had more branches down than I can remember there being last year.
The spring renewal ushers in the time for the great clean up. Below are five helpful tips to help you out with your own spring clean up based on my sore and achy muscles today.
Gutters/Downspouts
Over the winter months you might have had a few wind storms that swept leftover leaves on roofs and into gutters. If you’re luckier than me then you probably have a leaf guard which acts like a filter that helps to keep leaves out of gutters and downspouts. But if you’re like me then a ladder and unwanted heights may be in your future. It’s amazing how one pass with a power washer, leaf blower, or your own hands will make a world of difference when those freak spring and summer rain storms happen!
Trees/Treelines
Going back to those freak wind storms we had over the winter, we had a lot of branches down in our yards! The addition of a tow-behind dump cart helped us gather branches and twigs that would have taken dozens of trips with a wheelbarrow alone. It’s better that you find the twigs and branches first than letting the mower blades. Much cheaper, too.
Flowerbeds
We have beautiful flowers! We cannot take full credit for the gardens because they were mostly the work of the previous homeowners, but everything from hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils are in full-blown-bloom right now! With that said, we have come across many leaves that blew into the yards that got stuck in old bushes and branches. Though the flowers still came up and grew between the leaves, it is important to clean them up so the fresh flowers can drink adequate rainwater and bathe in the natural sunlight. And don’t be afraid to pick your flowers and bring them inside. They really brighten up a space and add excellent color!
Fruit/Vegetable Gardens
Much like the topic before, it is important to thoroughly rake out any leaves that landed in the gardens during the winter months and get down to the bare, naked, earth. Shortly we will be tilling in some fresh mushroom soil to get our vegetable garden ready for spring planting. Though the leaves will eventually decay and become soil, the process doesn’t work that fast.
Cars and Garages
Road salt! You know what I mean. I spent all winter driving through it to avoid sliding on snow and ice covered roads. Give the underside of your car a good hose-down and sweep out the garage. Though the salt washes away from melting snow and rain, it could be wreaking havoc on the metal underneath our automobiles. It’s car washing season again!
