As the autumn leaves begin to fall and summer flowers fade, it is important to clear them out of your rental property’s garden and yard before winter brings in colder days. Although it may be tempting to leave the leaves on the ground, that idea isn’t very sound. To make sure that your rental’s lawn and garden stay healthy and to encourage strong roots to grow and help withstand winter temperature, the best practice would be to remove old growth and fallen leaves each fall.
Clearing dead leaves, flowers, and old-growth from your Newbury Park rental property’s yard isn’t just about keeping the appearance of cleanliness. The benefits of taking care of a home’s exterior includes things that aren’t cosmetic. Some property owners are under the impression that since fallen leaves and old-growth are natural, that it’s okay to imitate nature and let them stay on lawns and in gardens to decompose over the winter. They would be mistaken. If they did that, then the layers of dead leaves and other debris would smother their lawns and other plants, preventing air, light, and essential nutrients from penetrating the ground below. Healthy landscape plants and grass rely on a healthy root system, which in turn relies on abundant access to water, air, and light.
Having healthy plants and grass is a good reason to clear your rental property’s fallen leaves and dead garden plants, but that’s still not all there is to it. There are still some additional reasons to clear it up. One reason is that uncleared leaves and dead flowers can result in common plant diseases that can ruin an otherwise healthy yard. As the debris piles up, it covers everything else. This may trap moisture underneath and can result in damaging mold growths and other issues that will kill existing plants. There is also another problem that happens when you have uncleared dead leaves, it’ll bring an increase in insects and other pests. Many kinds of roaches, spiders, and small mammals flourish in layers of rotting foliage. As the number of these pests explode outdoors, the area they’re infesting would grow larger, reaching the rental home itself, and eventually making its way inside. There is so much to lose. This is the reason why you should not allow dead flowers, plants, and fallen leaves to remain on a rental home’s yard before winter arrives. They have to be removed.
Some property owners think that it’s a good idea to rely on their tenants to do the autumn landscaping clean-up. This is a risky thing to do. It may not have crossed your tenant’s mind just how important it is to remove dead leaves and flowers, or perhaps they just don’t know the correct way to do it. Tenants may also be putting themselves at risk and that’s not good for the property owner as well. If your property has tall trees that shed leaves onto the roof or other elevated surfaces, you wouldn’t want your tenant to get on a ladder to trim tree branches or clear the fallen leaves away. It would be a bad idea to ask your tenant to do that.
Not every leaf that falls has to be removed immediately. That wouldn’t be practical. But large leaf falls, however, must be addressed in a timely manner. You have to deal with them to prevent damage to your rental property’s landscaping, foundation, and even the roof and gutters. There are multiple ways to get the job done. One method is where property owners rake fallen leaves onto the lawn and then use a mulching mower to shred them into fine particles, which will sift down into the soil and fertilize the grass. Others may outsource this to a professional company that already has the experience and skill. They drop by to do an annual clean-up and solve the problem for you. If you choose the right company, this could be more cost-effective and efficient.
Whichever way you’d decide would be fine. Just remember that the priority when making that decision is caring for your rental property’s yard without putting your tenant at risk. If you have spare time, you can be the one to do it. But the saying is true: Time is money. It’s true for just about anyone— including real estate investors. That is why Real Property Management Ventura County takes care of important seasonal maintenance tasks for property owners with packed schedules. Our first-rate property management services will properly care for your Newbury Park rental property and get it ready for whatever winter brings. Contact us online or call at 805-387-3682 to get started.
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