Your yard is a place to relax and spend time with friends and family. To optimize your outdoor environment, maintain a clean and tidy yard. While it may seem like a substantial task after hurricane season brings in a significant storm, you can manage your workload by completing the job in stages. Listed below are simple steps to navigate clutter and achieve a beautiful and orderly outdoor environment.
Before the Storm
Preparation is key to helping your yard survive the intense storms that hurricane season can bring. Before the storm, be sure to inspect the trees in your yard to see if they will be a potential hazard during the storm. If a tree is looking weak or rotten, or it’s already dead, consult a professional to have it removed so that it won’t cause damage during the storm. Be sure to check for any loose or damaged branches in your trees as well, as these can quickly become dangerous. Any concerning branches should be removed.
In addition to checking your trees, make sure all of the drainage areas in your yard and around your house are clear of debris. A block in your drainage can cause flooding and water damage in your yard during a storm, which can become a major hazard. Standing water can cause harm to the roots of your trees. To keep the health and safety of your yard intact, check your drainage.
Removing your yard décor and other miscellaneous objects in your yard is highly recommended as well for a couple of reasons. Items like outdoor furniture, grills, bicycles, potted plants, children’s toys, pet materials, trash cans, bird feeders, and wind chimes can all be damaged during a storm. They can also be potentially dangerous and damage your house in a storm with high winds. To avoid this, put these loose items in a secure storage area such as your garage or a shed. If these items are too big to be stored, consider tying them down or constraining them in some way in order to ensure their safety and yours.
Avoid any routine lawn maintenance before the storm. If it’s around that time to mow the lawn, clean the pool or fertilize the yard, consider putting these tasks off until after the storm. The risk of debris covering your yard and inches of rain coming down to ruin the hard work that you’ve just done is too high. Saving these tasks until after your post-storm yard cleanup is going to be a much more efficient use of your time.
After the Storm
Just like you did while preparing for the storm, inspecting your trees after the storm is very important. Always assess the state of the trees in your yard after a storm to determine if they have become a hazard. Split tree trunks, dangling or fallen branches, or a significant lean can all be signs of a dangerous tree. If you see any of these signs or anything else about your tree that may be concerning, consult a professional about getting it removed.
After inspecting your trees, start removing your yard’s excess debris. Whether small or large, fallen branches or sticks can become a major eye sore and hinder the use of the space. Collect any visible branches, rocks, and trash. Gather the debris in a wheelbarrow and place it in trash bags or boxes for disposal. You can also pile your larger tree limbs along the curb for pickup if they are less than four inches in diameter and six feet in length. If you have a swimming pool, be sure to clear out any debris that may be floating in the water immediately as it can be damaging to your pool. Once you have cleared away the larger fragments in your yard, go back through the yard and rake up any additional leaves and plant debris that the storm may have scattered throughout your yard. Rather than throwing the excess away, you could create a compost pile with the leftover vegetation. Pile together the foliage with topsoil and water inside a wood frame for a simple compost bin.
After your yard has been cleared of debris, this is when you should resume your routine maintenance. A freshly mowed lawn can do wonders for your yard’s appearance. Depending on the type of grass, the optimal height of your lawn will vary. Popular Tallahassee grasses like Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Bahia all thrive at different heights. Regardless, you shouldn’t remove more than one third of your lawn’s height with a single trim. Regular mowing is good for your lawn’s health and reduces the presence of weeds. However, grass cut too short is more susceptible to damage and weed growth.
To further improve upon your yard’s tidiness, use a lawn edger. An edger will neatly clean and distinguish the borders of your lawn. Likewise, cater to your lawn’s surrounding landscaping. Tidy up any areas overgrown with weeds. Not only do weeds obstruct from your landscape’s appearance, but they will also prevent your plants from receiving necessary nutrients. Use a weed trimmer to quickly eliminate weeds at the root, and apply weed killer to prevent the presence of future weeds.
Trim back overgrown shrubs and bushes for a neat and tidy yard. Trimmed foliage will improve the overall look of your yard and showcase the landscaping. For easy cutting, use hedge shears for smaller branches while opting for a more powerful tool if need be. A portable chainsaw or electric hedge trimmer can be used to easily trim and shape larger vegetation. Before operating, read through the tool’s safety guidelines. If you are hesitant to use these tools yourself, reach out to a professional lawn care or landscaping service to perform the job. Once you have trimmed your shrubs to the desired form, rake up any fallen leaves or branches. Pack the trimmings in a wheelbarrow, and disperse its contents into your compost bin or in trash bags for pickup.
After finishing up your yard maintenance, return the yard décor that you’ve stored away back to its rightful placement. If there are any old or damaged items in your yard, consider replacing them with new ones to give your yard a fresh look. If you have limited lawn décor, consider adding more to improve your yard’s functionality and appearance. Outdoor furniture and accessories will revitalize your yard instantly. Patio furniture and grills can increase the function of your backyard space, and adding a fire pit will be a great addition for the upcoming fall season. Incorporate charming outdoor accessories, like decorative statues and yard signs, to personalize your outside area. Utilize lighting features, such as outdoor lanterns and wall lights, to retain comfort and utility into the night. Preserve the look of your yard by storing outdoor recreational items in organized patio containers or shelving.
While a healthy yard seems like high maintenance, especially in a season when storms are abundant, a few small tasks can positively transform your yard and keep it alive through the storms. Complete portions of the job each week once you’ve gotten the yard to your desired state, or hire a lawncare service to lessen the workload. Through intentional maintenance and preparation, your yard can survive storm season and continue to be a practical and inviting outdoor space. 
Rylee Mehr and Kate Bernicke
Home & Yard Magazine
