How much does fall yard cleanup and landscaping cost in the GTA?

The leaves are taking on a yellowish tinge, and those sunsets are creeping up earlier each evening; the first few whiffs of fall are in the air.

This is a time of transition for people and nature alike – and that extends to your yard. September is a great time to prep your property for the colder months; it’s important that lawns be clear of debris, and plants have adequate protection, before the snow falls.

If you’ve got a green thumb or a smaller outdoor space, fall yard cleanup can be a one-day DIY task. But if the thought of picking up a rake and yard waste bag is less than ideal, there are Pros available to handle it, getting your lawn into tip-top shape well before Halloween rolls around.

These jobs tend to book up fast as we head into the later weeks of September. Here’s what to know about the cost, what’s included, and the most important yard work tasks that shouldn’t be overlooked.

How much does fall cleanup typically cost in the GTA?

Yard work can come with a lot of variables; the size of the property, whether or not there are trees with leaf fall or shed, and garden requirements all factor into what you’ll pay for maintenance.
 
Overall, though, homeowners can expect to budget between $400 to $600 for a full maintenance package.

“If you’re talking about both the backyard and front, there may be important details for both – and there’s usually some stuff on the side of the house,” says Sinisa Balen from Toronto Home Painters and Gardeners.

What does fall yard maintenance include?

Leaf cleanup and disposal

Leaves tend to be the biggest focus of fall yard maintenance, assuming you don’t intend to leave them for the season to let them mulch, which is becoming an increasingly popular approach to lawn health.

“There are more and more articles about how wise and healthier it is for the garden to leave the leaves as they are and let them rot, but most people don't want to do it because it looks ugly – you’re not in the woods, right, it’s your garden," says Balen.

“It will just be more work and higher cost for a spring cleanup, and the whole thing will look ugly, because there's going to be Tim Hortons cups, dog poop, and then tons of leaves.”

Even if you’d rather let the leaves lie, it’s important to remove them from other types of surfaces, like walkways and patios, out from under shrubs, and off any wood surface like a deck, as decomposing material can contribute to rot over time.

“If you're not on top of cleaning up your leaves, once the snow melts in the spring, the leaves are still going to be there,” says Carlen Golding of HB Landscaping. “They’re not going to dissipate into the ground – it would take years for that to happen if you were to just leave it.”

A Pro should handle all raking, gathering, bagging and removing the leaves from your property, or get them prepped for the next city yard waste day.

Pruning and cutting perennials

Your perennials – plants that regrow each season – need a bit of TLC before enduring the hard winter. This means cutting away any dead foliage, which  helps the plant hunker down into a dormant, energy-saving state during the cold months.

Balen says, “It’s important to prune the shrubs and the plants; some of them need a full cut to the ground, and some only need a few inches to kind of get them dormant.”

Garden bed clearing

It’s also important to clear out any buildup from annual plants – those that need to be replanted each season – once the first frost hits and they’re dead for good. Removing other debris such as twigs, sticks, and weeds, also helps keep garden beds tidy and prevents the conditions for winter pests and mold taking hold.

A final mow for the lawn

Giving the grass a last cut helps set it up for success come spring; cropping it close before the first snow fall prevents the conditions for pests, as long grass can mat and trap moisture – which bugs love to live and breed in. Clearing the lawn also helps keep the grass from suffocating under the snow, allowing it to bounce back faster once things thaw.

General debris cleanup

In addition to raking and bagging up leaves, a Pro can also do a sweep for other waste and debris in the yard.

Hard surface clean

Your Pro can also clear off any driveways and paths to give the property a neat appearance.

Common fall yard maintenance add-ons

While these won’t likely be included in a basic yard cleanup package, depending on the Pro and the services they provide, they may be able to bundle them in, saving on money and time.

Gutter cleaning

One of the most important tasks to do in the fall, this clears out built-up leaves and debris in gutters, allowing for unobstructed flow of water away from your property, and preventing the conditions for things like oversized icicles and ice damming.

Winter fertilizer or aeration

If your lawn needs a bit of extra care, the fall is a great time to add fertilizer, as cooler conditions are less stressful for plants, and a weaker sun causes less burn-off.

“If the grass, or any other plants, are not strong enough, it's good to apply some fertilizer before the snowfall, because some types of fertilizers dissolve slowly under the snow and it feeds the plant over the winter, and those plants come back stronger in the spring,” says  Serhat Kurt from Garden Shine.

Wrapping plants and small trees

Balen says wrapping delicate shrubs and trees in burlap is one of the most useful ways to protect them over winter from heavy snow and salt, and many homeowners overlook it.

“It’s good to wrap the sensitive trees and plants in burlap or any kind of protection, especially if it's younger seeders that are only planted now or maybe a couple of years old,” he says.

Is it better to sign a year-round contract for landscaping near me, or pay per-season?

Pro opinions on this differ, and it really depends on how much service and labour is needed for your property. Balen says he operates solely by responding to clients calling when they need him. Others, though, say there can be benefits to locking into a contract for the year.

“I'd say it kind of depends, there's a lot of variables for that,” says Golding. “It depends on the size of the yard, what else they get done. If someone gets someone to cut their grass and do yard clean up, it's good to bundle that stuff up and do it year round, whereas if it's someone who cuts their own grass, they do their own maintenance and they just want someone to come in and do the property clean up, then it's probably more beneficial for them to do it seasonally.”

Kurt says his company provides seasonal add-ons for contract holders, and that working on the property year-round makes it easier to keep it in good shape.

“When we have a contract, the summer and spring clean ups are free, and as we take care of the place for the whole year,  the fall clean up is just picking up the leaves, because we’ve already taken care of everything,” he says. “So it's always nice and tidy, so we don't have to do the cleanup, basically, other than the leaves. So that's why seasonal contracts are always the better option for clients.”

What fall yard tasks are commonly overlooked?

One easily overlooked area, says George Nikitin from ESG Landscaping, are tight spaces and corners where leaves and debris can compact, leading to hard-to-clean spots that are a draw for pests and mold.

Overall, taking a day to spruce up your outdoor space comes with plenty of payoff; not only does it look nicer during the fall season, but it gets your garden and lawn ready to spring back once the warmer weather rolls back around.

Frequently asked questions:

• What's the fall landscaping "to-do" checklist, and in what order?

Your fall yard cleanup checklist should include leaf cleanup, garden bed clearing, hard surface cleaning, and a final lawn mow.

• How much does fall cleanup typically cost in the GTA?

The cost will depend on the size of your property, the work to be done, and whether you’ve bundled the services or are under an annual contract, but a common ballpark cost is between $400 to $600.

• When should I stop mowing for the season?

The best time to do your final lawn mow is about one week before the first hard frost of the season.

• Should I mulch leaves instead of raking/bagging them?

It depends; leaving leaves on the lawn can have benefits, but some homeowners may not like how it looks or the possibility of additional cleanup in the spring.

• Should I fertilize my lawn in the fall?

Fall lawn fertilization is beneficial because it helps establish stronger roots, allows the grass to build up nutrients over the winter, and helps the lawn conserve its energy for the spring growing season.