It’s too bad winter snow and ice and its accompanying wrath don’t provide for a beautiful landscape once temperatures warm and melt away all signs of winter.

But that would be the stuff of fantasy. Unfortunately, most of our gardens and lawns look pretty sad at this time of year with dead and dried foliage, unkempt lawns and dirt in places where it shouldn’t be.

With springtime upon us and Earth Day right around the corner on April 22, let look at ways to do a spring clean-up without further harm to the planet. The following are suggestions on ways to tidy your property without destroying the natural cycle of nature and biology.

Remove dead leaves

This may be the most obvious springtime chore since brown and dried leaves aren’t the prettiest but don’t be too hasty with your rake. Did you know that that curled up vegetation is the perfect little home for plenty of creatures and beneficial bugs? Pollinators such as ladybugs and butterflies like to overwinter in leaves so give them a chance to wake from their winter’s slumber. All manner of eggs and pupae can be found lurking in dead plants, shrubs and leaves. Go easy before cutting and discarding and wait till temperatures hit about 10 degrees Celsius.

Be smart about…everything 

Planning a new garden this year or hoping to add some turf where none existed before? Maybe you’re thinking of adding mood lighting in an effort to impart some extra ambiance to all of those outdoor barbecues you enjoy hosting? Or perhaps you’ve decided it’s time to chuck the old sprinkler in favour of a new-fangled device. There are smart choices you can make in all three scenarios. For your lawn and garden, try selecting low-maintenance plants and flowers. They use less water.  Your lighting should be LED or solar because they last longer and offer the most energy efficiency.  Invest in a smart timer that allows you to operate your sprinkler from anywhere. Smart timers automatically respond to weather conditions so no need to manually turn off your sprinkler when it rains.

Compost it 

Your waste is a beautiful thing to waste so stop throwing it away. Start composting. This allows you to recycle materials and kitchen scraps that would otherwise land in the landfill heap.  The list of acceptable materials is a pretty long one: grass clippings, coffee grounds, sawdust, newspaper and food scraps are just a few. Composting also lets you reduce soil erosion, increase the moisture in your soil and enhance nutrients in lawns and gardens.

Let it grow 

Keeping your grass a bit on the longer side is best for helping it withstand drought conditions during hot summer months. Another added benefit to this is roots grow deeper and lawns get thicker resulting in fewer pests, less disease and less need for chemical intervention.

Sources:  www.augustagreen.ca, www.angieslist.com, www.rd.com