Fall Cleanup

Leaf Removal Procedures

Leaf removal in northern Minnesota is not a one-pass job. Trees drop leaves over a 3–4 week window from late September through late October, so most properties need two or three visits. Schedule the first pass when roughly half the canopy has dropped, a second pass after the majority has fallen, and a final pass to catch stragglers.

Blow leaves into manageable windrows using backpack blowers, then rake or tarp them to the trailer or truck. For large properties, use a leaf vacuum or mow-and-collect with a bagger attachment. Mulch-mowing light leaf cover into the turf is acceptable on the first pass, but heavy leaf layers must be removed — smothered turf under a mat of wet leaves develops snow mold and dies over winter.

Clear leaves from all beds, around foundation plantings, under hedges, and out of window wells. Leaves packed into these spaces trap moisture against structures and plant crowns, promoting rot and disease. Blow out gutters during leaf service if included in the service agreement — doing gutters before the final leaf drop means doing them twice.

Clearing Items for Snow Operations

Walk the entire property and identify everything that will be in the way of plows, blowers, or shovelers. This is critical — a plow driver working at 4 AM in a snowstorm cannot see a garden hose buried under two inches of snow.

Items to relocate or store: garden hoses (drain and coil), flower pots and planters, yard furniture (chairs, tables, benches, fire pits), garden stakes and trellises, decorative lawn items (statues, birdbaths, solar lights, shepherd hooks), trash and recycling bins (establish a winter staging location with the customer), dog tie-out cables and stakes, welcome mats and boot trays near entries, and any other loose items in the plow path.

Coordinate with the customer on where to store items — garage, shed, or designated area. If items belong to the customer and you cannot move them, flag them clearly and notify the customer in writing that they need to be moved before snow season. Document everything you relocate with photos.

Final Mow & Turf Preparation

The last mow of the season should drop the cutting height to 2.5 inches — about half an inch lower than the normal summer height. This reduces the grass canopy going into winter, which decreases the risk of snow mold (a fungal disease that thrives under snow on long, matted grass). Do not scalp the lawn — just bring it down gradually over the last one or two mows.

Bag or mulch all clippings on the final cut — do not leave windrows. Blow all clippings off hard surfaces. After the final mow, the lawn should look clean and uniform with no debris, clippings, or leaf remnants visible.

Bed & Landscape Winterization

Cut back perennials to 3–4 inches once they have gone dormant and foliage has died back. Leave ornamental grasses standing through winter for visual interest and crown protection — they get cut back in spring. Pull spent annuals and remove any remaining seasonal color. Clear all plant debris from beds to reduce overwintering pest and disease habitat.

Apply 2–3 inches of winter mulch over the root zones of sensitive perennials, young shrubs, and newly planted material. Mulch insulates roots against freeze-thaw cycling, which is the primary killer of borderline-hardy plants in Zone 3b. Do not pile mulch against tree trunks or shrub stems — maintain a 2–3 inch gap to prevent bark rot.

Snow Markers & Flagging

Place driveway markers, curb stakes, and obstacle flags before the first snowfall — once snow covers the ground, it is too late to do this accurately. Use fiberglass snow stakes with reflective tips for maximum visibility during nighttime plowing.

Mark both edges of every driveway and parking area. Flag the locations of curbs, raised bed borders, low retaining walls, fire hydrants, mailbox posts, and any other obstacles that will be invisible under snow. Place stakes at 8–10 foot intervals on straight runs and tighter on curves. For properties with underground dog fences or invisible boundaries, get the wire map from the customer and mark the path.

Document all marker placements with photos — if a plow driver hits something that was not marked, the cleanup crew bears responsibility. Communicate the marker layout to the snow removal team directly.