Easy steps to organizing your yard work

Ah, Spring! How good it is to get out in the fresh air again, to feel the warm gentle breeze. Even the birds are happy. You can hear it in their bright and chipper songs.

Gone are all the thoughts of "I am getting so tired of this yard work, the mowing, the trimming, the raking." Winter is kind to us that way. It helps us forget what we didn't like, and it feels good to get out and back at it, at least in the beginning.

The grass is beginning to green up. But there is a layer of "crud" on top, the winter's droppings, the accumulation of leftover leaves, twigs, plus the dirt and gravel from the snow plows. It is best to get that top layer off so the grass can see the sun and to save your lawn mower blade. 

Yes, it's time for yard work. So how can we organize our yard work to get it done most effectively and efficiently?

1. Consider the timing for early yard clean-up. It is easy to put off the yard work until another day, or week, or month. But there are things to consider before putting it off too long.
   • Consider pre-emergent applications. If you do your own fertilizing, consider whether or not you will apply a pre-emergent for crab grass and other weeds. Decide when you need to make this application, sometime in early Spring before those weeds start to grow. Or if you have a lawn service, be aware of their schedule for pre-emergent. Here in the midwest, it is usually about mid-April. Why is this important? Because you don't shouldn't do any heavy raking or thatching after the pre-emergent is applied. The pre-emergent puts down a barrier that keeps weed seeds from sprouting. Heavy raking or thatching will break up that barrier and allow the weeds to grow through. So early Spring, before pre-emergent application, is the time to do the clean-up yardwork. Keep that in mind as you plan your yardwork so you get it done before it is too late.
   • Know your local laws. Keep in mind the local laws when it comes to disposing of yard waste. In our city, we cannot put leaves and grass clippings in the regular containers that our trash service picks up between April 1 and December 1. We have the option of getting specially marked containers whose contents get hauled to a community compost heap, or we can haul leaves there ourselves during the forbidden dates. Be aware of what you can do legally, and plan accordingly. Get your early clean-up work done before those no-leaves laws go into affect. Better yet, if you have the room, create your own compost heap! We have a garden where we can put our grass clippings during the Summer. It helps keep the weeds down between rows, and helps keep the ground moist so we don't have to water as much. 
2. Work in sections. A while back, I sat out on my deck on one of those extra-early warm Spring afternoons. A neighbor a couple of yards over was out raking his lawn. I watched as he worked across the entire strecth of his yard. Then he would turn around and work back the other directon. When he finished his back-and-forth raking, he had the entire back yard raked. That's a lot of work, raking the entire pile of leaves and dead grass across the entire stretch of the yard. 
   • Divide the yard up into sections. I divide our yard into sections, four in the front, four in the back, and a single section on each side of our house. Then I rake those sections one at a time, starting from the outside and working toward the middle. I rake around the edges of a 1/4 section, which is almost a square, raking everything to the middle of this section. Then I move to another 1/4 section and repeat. When I'm done, I have four piles, one in the center of each section. And I didn't have to rake any of the leaves all the way across the  yard. There is also a sense of accomplishment when I see a section done. Psychologically, it is easier than doing the entire yard at once.
   • Move the trash container to the piles. When my neighbor finally finished raking across his entire yard, he started picking up the leaves with his rake and carrying them all the way across the yard up to the back of his house where his trash container was sitting. On each trip, he was leaving a small trail of debris that fell off the rake as he went, because he piled it as high as he could to save on the number of trips he would have to make. His trash container has wheels. It would have been much easier to move the trash container down to the leaves. When I get my four sections raked into four piles in the middle, I just bring the trash container to each pile. That saves a lot of extra work compared to what my neighbor was doing. And if you get tired of raking when you get one or two sections done, you can bring the trash container over and pick up one or two piles and give your back a little break. Then you can get back at it, and before long, you are done. I am always amazed at how little time it takes. The job seems much bigger before I start.
3. A few miscellaneous items.
   • Wear gloves. There have been times I've worn blisters on my hands while raking leaves. When I get done, I wonder why I didn't wear gloves. Be sure to think about that before the blisters come.
   • Watch the sun. In early Spring, it is easy to think the sun isn't hot enough to do any harm. But keep in mind we have been inside all Winter. Our Summer tan is gone. Wear a hat, and some sun-tan lotion or long sleeves to prevent an early Spring sunburn. You will enjoy the fruits of your yard-work labors much more if you aren't hurting from a sunburn.
   • Don't over do it. It is easy to get out in the fresh air and over work our bodies the first time. Take a break from time to time to give the muscles a chance to relax. If you have a huge yard, you might want to tackle it over a couple of days. A slight ache in the muscles reminds us we worked hard, and doesn't feel too bad. But there is no reason to kill our backs when there is another day coming to finish the task. It will be easier to sleep at night if we haven't over worked our bodies.

Now that you have your yard clean-up work plan in mind, you can get at it. Then when you are finished, you can sit back and enjoy the coming of Spring, and be the envy of your neighbors because you are already done. Then, all that is left is to keep it looking nice throughout the Summer. Enjoy your yard work!