Before the grass grows too high…

The grass is sprouting back to life and flower buds are appearing on trees and shrubs. Reminders of late autumn are still scattered about an old, dried crabgrass stems are still poking out around the heating oil tank. Soon it’ll be time to get the mower tuned up and running again.

It’s a great time to begin outdoor spring cleanup. It’s still cool enough to not break a sweat while you do it and the grass doesn’t need mowing – yet. Make a short list and tackle what you can.

Rake up leftover leaves so the ground can “breathe” and allow new growth to thrive. You can feed those decomposing leaves to your compost bin if you have one. Trim back dead plants and flowers so they can begin new growth, then spread some fresh mulch in planting beds if the old mulch is getting a bit thin. This will dress things up while protecting emerging plants and flowers.

If you have an above-ground, home heating fuel tank or outdoor air conditioning unit, inspect the area around it. Trim back any overgrowth by hand so the heating oil delivery person or air conditioner tune-up specialist has easy access. You might consider spreading some landscaping stones beneath or around the base to keep weeds at bay.

While you’re at it, check the heating oil level in your tank and call us to top it off if needed so you’re prepared for the next bout of cold weather – hopefully not for months!

Need a refill of home heating oil? Call Hillside HVAC to schedule a delivery. In Delaware: 302-738-4144. In Maryland: 410-398-2146.