7 Tips for Spring Yard Prep

(BPT) – After winter’s last gasp, spring is just around the corner. That means it’s time to get out into the yard and tackle some spring cleaning. With a little DIY prep work now, your yard will be your family’s oasis for months to come.Here are seven spring cleanup tasks from ECHO Inc. to put on your to-do list, along with the right tools to get the job done.Clean up debris. Gather up any stray branches, twigs and trash that have blown into your yard. Tool tip: Keep two bags handy, one that you regularly use for garbage and a bag specifically designed for yard waste. Garbage services in many cities have specific windows of time in which they’ll pick up yard waste in the spring, so check with yours and make sure you get your debris to the curb on time!Rake the lawn. Didn’t get to those leaves before the first snowfall? Now’s the time to rake them up. This will let sunlight and air reach your grass, sparking it to grow. Tool tip: They go in that same yard waste bag you’re using for debris.Do you need to aerate? Take a hard look at your lawn. Is the soil too compacted? Do you have bare patches? It could mean you need to aerate the soil. Tool tip: You can do this job yourself by renting an aerator from your local hardware store. Or, bring in a lawn service to do it for you. This is also the time to apply fertilizer if your yard needs it.Deal with downed trees or branches. After this unpredictable winter, many people are faced with downed trees or large branches in their yards. Cutting them up and disposing of them now will save lawn headaches later. Tool tip: This is a job for a chainsaw. The battery-powered ECHO eFORCE DCS-5000 chainsaw is quiet, easy to use and you don’t have to mess with gas and oil. Or a power cord. You’ll get 200 cuts on a single charge delivering professional-grade power via the ECHO eFORCE 56V battery system.Trim up shrubs. Since you’ve got that ECHO chainsaw powered up, take a look at your shrubs. Did you find any dead or diseased branches? Zip them off. Now is also a good time to shape your bushes and plants, cutting away any stray branches for a clean look.Prune your trees. If you have low-hanging or dead branches, the time to clean those up is early spring, before the leaves start budding out. Tool tip: An extendable pruner is the safest tool for this job. It allows you to prune branches without climbing onto a ladder. Read more about it in this article from Almanac. One important rule to remember when doing this task: Stay away from branches that are anywhere near a power line. That is a job for the pros, period.Tend your garden. Whether you have an in-ground garden or containers, remove any dead plants and other debris like sticks from those beds. Also, cut your perennials back to just a few inches off the ground. This will facilitate new growth. Tool tip: Turn over or till your soil with a simple hoe if your garden is small. For bigger plots, you’ll want to use a tiller.With these tips and the right tools, you can spruce up your yard, making it ready for your family to enjoy until the snow falls again. For more information about how to use ECHO’s line of outdoor power tools, visit their website at www.echo-usa.com.