When the summer sun covers our outdoor spaces with warmth and light, it provides a perfect opportunity for you to concentrate on landscaping maintenance and cleanup. A well-kept landscape increases the appeal of your Milwaukee home while keeping your outdoor living spaces and plants healthy. Summer is also a great time to clean up and prepare the ground for lush growth and bright blooms while stopping any potential problems from negligence.
This article will give you a list of things to do in this landscape cleanup. These tips will help you do the important things that make your outdoor areas look their best during the warmer months.
Why Summer Landscaping Cleanup is Important
Enhancing Curb Appeal
The value of your property is much increased by well-kept landscaping. First impressions count, hence the appearance of your house will be much improved by a neat garden with rich green grass, vibrant flowers and well-maintaining trimmed plants. Achieving this depends much on summer landscape cleanup since it guarantees that your outdoor area looks its best during the months most used and visible.
Promoting Plant Health
The health of your plants depends critically on the landscape cleanup you do this summer. Eliminating dead or diseased plant material stops dangerous diseases from spreading and provides conditions fit for growth to occur. This proactive strategy promotes strong growth and plenty of flowering in your summer plants, therefore producing a more colorful and lively landscape.
Preventing Pest Infestations
By eliminating waste and standing water that can act as breeding grounds, a clean landscape helps manage pests. Frequent landscape cleanup lowers the possibility of pest infestations, which improves the overall enjoyment you get out of your yard. It also reduces the need for chemical treatments, thereby encouraging an eco-friendly environment both for your plants and your family.
Summer Landscaping Cleanup Checklist
1. Lawn Care
Mowing and Edging
Keep your lawn longer in the summer, around 2.5 and 3 inches. This height helps shade the ground, hence lowering evaporation, and promotes deeper growth of roots. Use a straight-edged tool or edger while edging to keep grass from growing into walkways and flower beds and produce a neat, polished appearance.
Aeration and Thatching
Give your lawn a breath of fresh air through aeration. This process creates tiny holes in the soil, allowing air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots more easily, like opening windows in a stuffy room. While you’re at it, remove any thatch or layer of dead grass sitting between the soil and the green blades. Getting rid of thatch improves air and water flow, helping your lawn stay healthy and vibrant throughout the summer.
Fertilizing
Feed your grass the right way this summer. Select a fertilizer designed for the season using a balanced mix of nutrients. Apply the fertilizer in the cooler parts of the day, early morning or late evening, to prevent ‘burning’ your lawn. As for how much to use and how often to use it, always follow the package’s directions. Consider it as providing your grass with a well-balanced diet to maintain its strength and green color all summer.
2. Garden Bed Maintenance
Weeding
Proper weeding methods including hand-pulling or hoe usage help to maintain your garden beds neat and minimize regrowth. Mulching helps your plants in hot weather by suppressing weed growth, retaining moisture, controlling soil temperature, and lowering nutrient competition. To get rid of those stubborn Milwaukee weeds, think about applying targeted herbicides or natural substitutes like vinegar treatments.
Pruning and Deadheading
Pruning shrubs and trees for shape and health encourages new growth and prevents diseases. By cutting off the ends of flower blooms or “deadheading” them, you can keep your garden looking vibrant and fresh. Pruning plants on a regular basis also improves airflow, which lowers the risk of fungal diseases.
Soil Amendment
Improve soil quality by adding compost or organic matter to your garden beds. Check the pH of your soil and make necessary changes to make sure plants can grow in optimal conditions. You may want to use a soil testing kit to get a better idea of the nutrients in your soil. Use the result as a guide to make adjustments to the amendments to fix specific problems while creating the ideal conditions for plants to grow.
3. Tree and Shrub Care
Inspecting for Damage or Disease
Check your trees and shrubs regularly for signs of pests or diseases, like abnormal color, strange growths, or the presence of bugs. Treat or get rid of those plants right away to stop the problem from spreading. If you want to go the extra mile, you could keep a log of your observations to see how things change over time and find the problems.
Trimming and Pruning
Best practices for summer pruning include removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches. This method improves airflow and allows more sunlight to reach the plants, promoting overall plant health. However, be careful not to over-prune during the hot summer, as this can stress the plant and make it more susceptible to sun damage.
4. Hardscape Cleaning
Patios and Walkways
Use a power washer to remove dirt, grime, and mildew to ensure your patio and walkways look their best. After cleaning, inspect the surfaces for damage or cracks and fix them as necessary to maintain safety and aesthetics. For added protection, apply a sealant on the surface of your hardscaping to prevent future stains and weather damage.
Deck and Fence Maintenance
Your deck and fence, as do other hardscape components, require maintenance this summer. Search for wear and tear indicators, including cracks, splinters, or loose boards that call for repairs. Additionally, a top focus throughout your summer cleanup should be cleaning and staining wood surfaces. This ritual improves looks and guards against the strong natural elements.
5. Water Features and Irrigation
Cleaning Ponds and Fountains
Maintaining water features and irrigation systems is crucial for a healthy summer landscape. Regularly remove debris and algae from ponds and fountains to keep them beautiful and functional. Also, remember to check pumps and filters, cleaning or replacing components as needed. Our pro tip is adding beneficial bacteria or algaecides to help maintain water clarity and reduce maintenance frequency.
Irrigation System Check
Check your irrigation system for leaks, blockages, or damaged sprinkler heads. As summer progresses, adjust your watering schedule to meet increased plant needs while adhering to local water restrictions. For busy homeowners, smart irrigation controllers are an excellent investment. These devices automatically adjust watering based on weather conditions and plant needs, saving time and water while keeping your landscape lush.
6. Seasonal Planting and Mulching
Planting Summer Annuals
Adding bright colors to your yard with heat-tolerant annuals in the summer is a great idea. For maximum impact, think about the plants’ height, color, and the time they bloom when you’re choosing them. As a pro tip, pick native plants that thrive in Milwaukee’s weather, like purple coneflowers or black-eyed Susans. The aforementioned means less watering and maintenance during the hot months.
Refreshing Mulch
Another important part of landscape cleanup this summer is re-mulching your beds. Put down a new layer around the trees and in your garden beds to keep the soil wet, stop weeds from growing, and give your yard a polished look. Choose organic mulches that break down naturally.
7. Outdoor Furniture and Décor
Cleaning and Maintenance
Pay attention to your furniture and decorations if you want to fully enjoy this summer’s outdoor living trends. First, clean the seats and outdoor furniture thoroughly to get rid of any dirt, mildew, or stains. Check each piece for damage and fix what needs to be fixed to make sure it is safe and lasts a long time. Putting covers on furniture that’s not being used is also a good idea to protect it from damage caused by the sun and sudden summer rain.
Updating Décor
Last but not least, update your outdoor décor to create an inviting atmosphere. To achieve that vibe you have longed for, throw in some comfortable and colorful pillows, decorative lanterns or string lights, and potted plants. Set up your furniture in a way that makes your family and friends want to hang out outdoors, and add shade structures like pergolas or umbrellas. With these changes, you can fully appreciate the fruit of your landscape cleanup efforts.
End Note
Once you follow this thorough summer landscape cleanup checklist, you will be ready to take care of every element of your landscaping all summer long. Always remember that regular landscape maintenance makes your home look better and helps your plants and outdoor spaces remain in good condition for a long time.
LandCrafters can help you if you feel like the work of cleaning up your garden in the summer is too much for you or if you’d rather let the professionals do it. You can count on our team of professionals to help you make your dream garden look great all summer long.
