Spring Yard Cleanup Checklist for Royse City Homeowners

March in Royse City means it is time to deal with your yard. Winter leaves behind dead branches, matted leaves, and a lawn that looks like it gave up. The good news is that a solid spring cleanup sets your yard up for the entire growing season. Here is everything you need to do, in order, with guidance on what you can tackle yourself and what you should call a pro for.

The Complete Spring Cleanup Checklist

1. Walk the Property and Assess

Before you start any work, walk your entire property and take inventory:

Storm damage - Look for cracked or broken branches, especially in trees near your house, fence, or power lines

Dead plants - Note which shrubs, perennials, and ground covers did not survive winter

Drainage issues - Check for standing water, erosion, or areas where soil has washed away

Fence and structure damage - Look for leaning posts, broken sections, or gate issues

Hardscape condition - Check walkways, patios, and retaining walls for frost heave or cracking

Write everything down. This becomes your to-do list and helps you prioritize what matters most.

DIY or Pro? DIY. This takes 15-20 minutes and saves you from missing important issues.

2. Clear Winter Debris

The first real work: get the mess off the ground.

Rake up remaining leaves, especially from beds and lawn edges

Pick up fallen branches and sticks from across the yard

Remove any litter, trash, or items blown onto the property

Clear debris from gutters, downspouts, and drainage areas

Remove dead annual plants from last season's beds

Royse City tip: Our February ice storms and spring thunderstorms can leave significant branch debris. If you have large limbs or downed trees, that is a job for a crew with trucks, not a weekend with a rake.

DIY or Pro? Small debris is easy DIY. Large branches, tree limbs, or accumulated loads should go to a pro with hauling capacity. We handle [yard cleanup and debris hauling](/services/yard-cleanup) throughout Royse City and can have it gone the same day.

3. Prune Trees and Shrubs

Late February through early March is the ideal pruning window for most trees and shrubs in North Texas. Prune before new growth starts.

Trees to prune now:

Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches

Thin interior branches for air circulation

Raise lower branches if they block walkways or views

Shape crape myrtles (do NOT commit "crape murder" - topping ruins the tree's natural form)

Shrubs to prune now:

Cut back dead or winter-damaged growth on hollies, ligustrums, and boxwoods

Shape hedges before spring growth flush

Wait on spring-flowering shrubs (azaleas, forsythia, spirea) until AFTER they bloom

Perennials to cut back:

Ornamental grasses - Cut to 4-6 inches before new growth emerges

Lantana - Cut dead stems to the ground (it comes back from the roots)

Salvias, Mexican bush sage, esperanza - Cut back hard to encourage bushy regrowth

Black-eyed Susans, coneflowers - Remove dead stalks

DIY or Pro? Most shrub pruning is DIY-friendly with good loppers and hand pruners. Tree pruning above 10-12 feet or near power lines should always go to a professional.

4. Clean and Edge Flower Beds

This is where your yard starts looking intentional instead of abandoned.

Pull weeds that got a head start during warm winter days (Royse City's mild winters let weeds grow year-round)

Edge beds with a sharp spade or half-moon edger to create clean lines

Turn soil lightly in beds to break up compaction

Remove old, decomposed mulch if it has turned to dirt

Amend soil with compost if beds have not been amended in 2+ years

Royse City soil note: Our heavy Blackland Prairie clay compacts severely. Adding 2-3 inches of compost to beds each spring dramatically improves drainage and plant health. It is the single best thing you can do for your beds.

DIY or Pro? Weeding and edging are satisfying DIY projects. Major bed renovation, soil amendment, and plant removal is faster with a crew.

5. Apply Fresh Mulch

Mulch is the fastest way to make a yard look polished. It also retains moisture (critical in Texas summers), suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature.

When to mulch: After pruning, weeding, and bed cleanup are complete. Do not bury the mess.

How much: Apply 2-3 inches. Do not pile mulch against tree trunks or plant stems (this causes rot).

What type:

Hardwood mulch - Most popular in Royse City, affordable, breaks down to improve soil

Cedar mulch - Repels some insects, lasts longer, aromatic

Dyed mulch - Consistent color, but some dyes can be questionable

Native mulch - Made from local tree services, most affordable, varies in quality

How much mulch do I need? Measure your bed area in square feet. One cubic yard of mulch covers approximately 100 square feet at 3 inches deep. A typical Royse City home with front and side beds needs 3-8 cubic yards.

DIY or Pro? A few bags from the hardware store is fine for small areas. If you need more than 2 cubic yards, having it delivered and professionally installed saves your back and your weekend. We include mulch installation in our [landscaping services](/services/landscaping).

6. Address the Lawn

Your Bermuda grass is waking up from dormancy. Here is the spring lawn checklist:

March:

Apply pre-emergent herbicide BEFORE soil temperatures reach 55 degrees consistently (usually early to mid March in Royse City). This prevents crabgrass and other summer weeds. Timing is critical - too late and it is useless.

Do NOT mow until the grass is actively growing and green

April:

First mow when Bermuda is 2+ inches tall and actively green

Set mower height to 1.5-2 inches for Bermuda

Apply a balanced fertilizer (15-5-10 or similar) once the lawn is fully green

Check irrigation system: run each zone and look for broken heads, leaks, and dry spots

May:

Regular mowing begins (every 5-7 days for Bermuda)

Water deeply but infrequently: 1 inch per week, applied in 1-2 sessions

Watch for chinch bugs and grub damage

St. Augustine lawns: If you have St. Augustine instead of Bermuda, mow higher (3-3.5 inches), apply pre-emergent on the same schedule, and watch for fungal issues in spring humidity.

DIY or Pro? Most lawn care is DIY-friendly if you have the equipment. Aeration, major weed infestations, and irrigation repair are usually worth calling a pro.

7. Check and Start Irrigation

North Texas springs can swing from wet to bone dry in a week. Your irrigation system needs attention:

Turn on the system and run each zone manually

Walk each zone while running and look for broken heads, low pressure, misaligned sprinklers, and dry spots

Check the controller and update the schedule for spring watering (usually 2 days per week to start)

Inspect drip irrigation in beds for clogs, breaks, and disconnections

Adjust heads to avoid watering sidewalks, driveways, and your neighbor's yard

Royse City water note: Royse City follows North Texas Municipal Water District watering restrictions. Check current allowed watering days before setting your schedule.

DIY or Pro? Basic head replacement and schedule adjustments are easy DIY. If you have low pressure, broken main lines, or need to add zones, call an irrigation specialist.

8. Plant Seasonal Color and New Plants

Once nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees (usually mid-March in Royse City), you can plant warm-season annuals and new perennials.

Spring annuals for Royse City:

Petunias (full sun)

Begonias (shade to part shade)

Vincas/periwinkle (full sun, heat-loving)

Zinnias (full sun, butterflies love them)

Pentas (full sun, attract hummingbirds)

Perennials to plant in spring:

Lantana, salvias, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflower, mealy blue sage, autumn sage

Trees and shrubs: Spring is a good time to plant, though fall is ideal. If planting now, water deeply and consistently through the first summer.

DIY or Pro? Small plantings are great DIY projects. Large-scale bed redesign and installation is more efficient with a [professional landscaping crew](/services/landscaping) that can design, plant, and mulch in one visit.

9. Handle the To-Do List Odds and Ends

The smaller tasks that round out your spring cleanup:

Power wash - Driveways, walkways, patios, and fences

Repair edging - Replace bent metal edging or deteriorated plastic edging

Check outdoor lighting - Replace bulbs, clean fixtures, adjust timers for longer days

Clean up storage - Organize garden tools, check chemical expiration dates, sharpen mower blades

Address fire ant mounds - Broadcast bait across the entire yard, then treat individual mounds

Spring Cleanup Timeline for Royse City

Here is when to do each task:

| Timing | Tasks |

|--------|-------|

| Late February | Property assessment, tree pruning, cut back perennials and ornamental grasses |

| Early March | Pre-emergent herbicide, debris removal, bed cleanup and edging |

| Mid March | Mulch installation, irrigation startup, begin planting warm-season annuals |

| Late March - April | Lawn fertilization, first mow, seasonal color planting |

| May | Regular mowing schedule, deep watering, monitor for pests |

When to DIY vs. When to Call EFE

You should handle it yourself if:

Your yard is small (under 5,000 sq ft)

The work is basic maintenance (raking, edging, small plantings)

You have the tools and the time

You enjoy yard work

You should call us if:

Winter left significant storm debris (large branches, downed limbs)

Your yard has been neglected and needs a full reset

You have a large property (half acre+) with extensive beds

You need hauling (we have the trucks)

You want cleanup AND landscaping done together

Physical limitations make yard work difficult

You would rather spend your Saturday doing something else

We offer complete spring cleanup packages that cover everything on this checklist. One call, one crew, one visit. We clean it up, mulch it, haul everything away, and leave your yard ready for the season.

For pricing details, check our [yard cleanup cost guide for Rockwall County](/blog/yard-cleanup-cost-rockwall-county).

Book Your Spring Cleanup

Royse City spring is short. The window between "too early" and "100 degrees" closes fast. The earlier you book, the better your yard looks for the whole season.

Call (469) 774-7113 for a free estimate, or fill out our online form. We serve Royse City, Rockwall, Heath, Fate, Forney, and all of Rockwall County.

Do not let your yard be the one on the street that is still wearing winter in April. Let's get it cleaned up.