What Should You Remove and Trim in Your Yard Fall Cleanup?

When the season turns to October and Fall Cleanup season, it’s helpful to understand what Fall Cleanup really involves. It’s not just about raking leaves – this is also the time to prepare your landscape for winter and set it up for a healthy spring.

Starting with the essentials, removing leaves is a must. Left in thick layers, they can smother grass and invite mold. If possible, send them to compost or mulch them into your lawn.

Next, consider your perennials. Some plants can remain standing through winter for structure and wildlife value; others are better cut back.

• Hydrangeas: Can be trimmed in fall or spring. Be aware that if left standing, heavy snow may cause stems to bend or break. The general guidance from our experts is that you can always trim them back if you want to; they’ll come back next year. But if you want to leave them up for “winter interest” (meaning, because they look nice!) you can do that if they’re vertical and strong and can withstand the snow. It can also matter if they’re in the open; if they’re under a roof edge, and they’re going to get snow on them, just trim them down.

• Snow-sensitive perennials: If a plant has brittle stems or a tendency to flop, trimming in fall may prevent damage.

• Ornamental grasses: Many people leave them for “winter interest” – that visual texture in an otherwise bare landscape. They can be cut back now or in early spring.

• Sedums: One standout exception, Lowney’s typically leaves sedums standing. They hold up well and look great with a dusting of snow.

Some plants benefit from extra protection. Younger evergreens or tender shrubs may need burlap wrapping or evergreen boughs to insulate the soil. In some cases, anti-transpirant sprays are used to help prevent winter burn. These decisions often come down to plant type, age, and exposure.

One simple but important task: clear debris and plant material away from your home’s foundation. Mice and rabbits look for winter shelter, and minimizing hiding spots helps keep them away.

Fall Cleanups at Commercial and Communities

The advice about how to plan and execute Fall Cleanups at a commercial property or at a community are mostly the same except now you must consider the scale of the operation. If you have single building with a moderate amount of landscaping around four outside walls, you may be able to have an employee or two execute the steps above.

Communities and large expansive commercial or business properties are a different challenge of course. At scale, you are probably going to need trucks, machines, and a large crew to handle this properly. Most companies, commercial properties, and communities/associations will need the help of a landscaping company.

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Tips About Trees in the Fall & Winter

Late Fall and Winter are excellent times for certain tree work. Only prune oaks and elms when they are dormant, typically late Fall through Winter after leaves have dropped. The sap-feeding beetles that spread oak wilt are inactive in cold weather, so wounds are less likely to get infected, and similarly Dutch Elm disease spreads much easier in warmer weather.

Fruit trees should also be pruned when their pathogens are dormant. Late Fall and Winter are best for them because earlier Fall can stress them too much. When pruning trees, be sure to sanitize the tools in between trees so you aren’t spreading any pathogens.

Some tree removal situations work great on frozen ground, reducing lawn damage. For larger projects, such as trail creation or land clearing, fall and winter can be ideal timing, especially with forestry mulching equipment.

Summary

As you can see in the video at the top, there are numerous steps to a proper Fall Cleanup. Perennials need to be trimmed back, leaving those you would like for “winter interest” if you know that they will remain standing. Hydrangeas and similar plants might need pruning, then that material plus the leaves and debris need to be blown away from foundations and sent to a proper place like a mulch pile. You will also want to think about whether you need tree work in the Fall or Winter.

As we head into Late Fall and Winter, you deserve the peace of mind that your lawn, landscaping, and trees are cleaned, cared for, and protected. You should be proud of how your property looks and confident it’s prepared for Spring. If you aren’t confident about what you’re doing, or don’t have the time or energy either way, our experienced teams are here to handle it the right way, just like we do for so many customers who consistently give our crews 5-Star Reviews.