A seasonal cleanup clears out what the last few months left in the yard. In spring that means tidying the plant beds and pruning trees and shrubs before new growth starts. In fall it means getting the leaves off the lawn and out of the gutters. Either way, Green Scene's crew takes away everything it rakes, blows, prunes or picks up, so nothing ends up in a pile by the curb.
Unless you live out in the country, getting rid of yard debris is the hard part. Raking is a weekend; finding somewhere for all those bags of leaves and a pile of storm limbs to go is the real chore, and it's the piece most people are glad to hand off.
What gets done in a spring cleanup?
The work happens well before the first buds open. The crew clears out old mulch, dead growth and whatever blew into the beds over winter, then prunes trees and shrubs while it's still easy to see their shape. It's also the time to decide how you want the canopy of a young tree or a row of shrubs to fill in over the coming years.
Pruning follows the same limit the maintenance crews keep year-round: no more than 15 to 20 percent of a plant taken off in one cutting, and each plant cut in its own best window. The landscape maintenance page explains why harder cuts backfire, crape myrtles especially.
They removed old shrubs, trees, and bushes and replaced with new ones. They also pruned our existing trees and shrubs.
Doug P., Brentwood
Why do fall leaves have to come off the lawn?
Because the grass underneath is still growing, and a wet mat of leaves shuts out the light it needs. Getting them off is part of keeping the lawn healthy, not just tidy.
Fall is also when most lawns here get their biggest care of the year. Tall fescue is aerated and overseeded then, and UT Extension's 2024 lawn calendar puts that work in August. Clearing the leaves on time keeps the new seed from being smothered right as it comes up. If the yard is due for fall overseeding, the cleanup and the seed can be planned together.
Do you clean out gutters and downspouts?
Yes. Gutters packed with leaves can't carry rain off the roof, so it spills over the edge and down the side of the house, and a home can be damaged that way in more than one place. Clearing the downspouts keeps the whole drainage system working. The crew does it on the same visit as the leaf removal.
What else will the crew haul away?
Most things that don't belong in the yard. A cleanup visit can include:
- limbs and branches brought down by a storm
- branches and clippings from pruning
- every leaf, raked and blown out of beds, corners and fence lines
- dead trees, rocks and other things in the way
- old mulch and grass clippings
Taking out a dead tree can need a permit in some towns. In Forest Hills most removals do, so bring it up at the estimate if you live there.
Can cleanups be set up for every year?
They can. Teresa Garcia books the spring and fall visits from the office on Mealer Street, so you don't have to remember to call when the trees start dropping. The estimate for the plan is free and in writing.