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 the warmer days leave and winter begins to arrive. Although it may be tempting to leave the leaves on the ground, there are some good reasons why this is a bad idea. So that the lawn and garden of your rental home stay healthy and also to encourage strong roots that will aid your plants in withstanding winter temperatures, your best bet is to remove old growth and fallen leaves each fall.
Clearing dead leaves, flowers, and old-growth from the yard of your Cumming rental property is more than just a show of neatness. Cleaning up a home’s exterior affects more than just its mere appearance. 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. The danger of taking this approach is that the layers of dead leaves and other debris can smother 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 a healthy garden or yard is already a very compelling reason to clear your rental property’s fallen leaves and dead garden plants, but there are still additional reasons to do so. 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 creates a cover that traps moisture underneath. This can result in damaging mold growths and other issues that will eventually damage or kill existing plants. There is yet another problem that usually comes with uncleared dead leaves. That is the increase in insects and other pests. Many kinds of roaches, spiders, and small mammals flourish in layers of rotting foliage. As the population of these pests explodes outside, they would slowly reach more areas and eventually reach the inside of your rental home. With your rental home at stake, it’s easy to see why you shouldn’t let dead flowers, plants, and fallen leaves remain in the yard before winter arrives. They should be removed.
There are a number of property owners that rely on their tenants for their autumn landscaping clean-up. This isn’t a good idea. It may not have occurred to your tenant how important it is to remove dead leaves and flowers. That could be the reason, or maybe they just don’t know how to do it correctly. 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.
You don’t have to pick up after every leaf that falls. That would be too much. But large leaf falls are another story. These must be addressed in a timely manner to prevent damage to your rental property’s landscaping, foundation, and even the roof and gutters. There is more than one way to get the job done efficiently. 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 ask a professional company to send an experienced team to do the annual clean-up for them. This decision may be the better choice— more efficient and cost-effective— especially if you pick the right company.
Whichever way you want to do it would most likely be fine. What’s important is that you take care of 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 Executives Greater Atlanta takes care of important seasonal maintenance tasks for active and engaged property owners like you. Our first-class property management services will take care of your Cumming rental property so that it may be ready for whatever the winter season brings. Contact us online or call at 678-765-8383 to get started.
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