Spring Yard Cleanup Checklist for Montreal: Free Downloadable Guide

Montreal winters leave their mark on every yard. Snow, ice, salt residue, and freeze-thaw cycles take a toll, and spring cleanup goes well beyond appearances. It sets up your lawn and garden for the rest of the year. This checklist walks you through every step, in the right order, with references to the City of Montreal's green waste rules so you dispose of everything properly.

When to Start

Spring cleanup in Montreal typically begins in mid-April to early May, once the snow has fully melted and the ground is no longer frozen. Starting too early on saturated soil can cause compaction, which damages grass roots and soil structure. Wait until the ground is firm enough that you don't leave footprints when you walk across the lawn.

The Complete Spring Cleanup Checklist

Phase 1: Assessment and Debris Removal

• Walk the entire property and note any damage: cracked pavers, shifted retaining wall blocks, heaved fence posts, damaged plants.
• Remove branches, twigs, and any debris that accumulated over winter.
• Clear out leaves that collected in corners, along fences, and in garden beds.
• Pick up litter, pet waste, and any objects that were buried under snow.
• Check gutters and downspouts for blockages. Ensure water drains away from the foundation.

Phase 2: Hardscape Inspection

• Inspect walkways, patios, and driveways for frost heaving. Note any pavers or slabs that have shifted. Our freeze-thaw damage guide explains what causes heaving and when repairs are needed.
• Check for cracks in concrete surfaces caused by freeze-thaw cycles.
• Look for salt damage on stone, concrete, and metal surfaces. Rinse affected areas with clean water.
• Test outdoor lighting fixtures. Replace any bulbs or units damaged by winter.
• Confirm that handrails on steps are still secure.

Phase 3: Lawn Care

• Rake the lawn thoroughly to remove dead grass (thatch) and matted leaves. This allows air and light to reach the soil.
• Identify bare or thin patches caused by winter damage, salt runoff, or snow mould.
• Overseed bare patches once daytime temperatures consistently reach 10 degrees Celsius or higher. Use our overseeding calculator to determine how much seed you need.
• Apply a thin layer of compost (5 to 10 mm) to bare areas to encourage germination.
• Avoid heavy fertilizer applications in early spring. A light topdressing of compost is sufficient until the lawn is actively growing.

Phase 4: Garden Beds and Perennials

• Remove winter mulch from perennial beds once new growth appears at the base of plants.
• Cut back dead perennial stems to just above new growth.
• Divide overcrowded perennials (hostas, daylilies, ornamental grasses) and replant divisions.
• Add 5 to 8 cm of fresh mulch to garden beds after the soil has warmed, keeping mulch a few centimetres away from plant stems.
• Check for winter damage on shrubs. Prune broken or dead branches back to healthy wood.

Phase 5: Trees and Shrubs

• Inspect trees for broken limbs, split bark, and signs of disease.
• Prune dead or damaged branches. For major pruning or large trees, hire a certified arborist.
• Remove any burlap wrapping or protective covers from shrubs and young trees.
• Check tree stakes and ties. Remove stakes from trees that have been planted for more than one year.

Phase 6: Drainage and Grading

• Walk the property during or after a rain and observe where water pools.
• Clear any debris from drainage channels, French drains, or catch basins.
• Check that the grade around your foundation slopes away from the house (a minimum of 5 percent slope for the first 1.5 metres).
• If water is pooling against your foundation, plan for regrading or drainage improvements before the wet season.

Phase 7: Outdoor Furniture and Equipment

• Clean and inspect outdoor furniture. Tighten bolts on tables and chairs.
• Service the lawnmower: change the oil, sharpen the blade, check the air filter.
• Test irrigation systems (if applicable) for leaks or broken heads.
• Reconnect and test outdoor faucets. Check for frost damage to pipes and hose bibs.

Montreal Green Waste Disposal Rules

As you clean up your yard, you will generate green waste: branches, dead leaves, grass clippings, and garden debris. The City of Montreal has specific rules about how to prepare and dispose of this material.

What counts as green waste: Garden debris, hedge trimmings, grass clippings, dead leaves, and small branches (Ville de Montreal, Garden Waste and Dead Leaves).

Branch rules: Branches must be no thicker than 5 cm in diameter. Tie them in bundles using fibre rope. Branches thicker than 5 cm, as well as soil and rocks, are not accepted in green waste collection. Take these items to your local ecocentre instead.

Container rules: Use rigid, reusable containers with handles, with a maximum capacity of 150 litres. The city's 360-litre bins are not accepted for green waste collection (Ville de Montreal, Green Waste Collection Rules).

Collection period: Green waste collection typically runs from spring through fall. In some boroughs (Lachine, Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, L'Ile-Bizard-Sainte-Genevieve, Pierrefonds-Roxboro, and Saint-Laurent), green waste is collected with organic waste year-round.

Check your schedule: Collection dates vary by borough. Use the city's Info-collectes tool at montreal.ca/en/services/collection-schedules to find the exact pickup dates for your address.

What is not allowed:

• Placing dead leaves directly on the street is prohibited.
• Dumping garden waste in parks is forbidden, as it can introduce disease and invasive species to natural areas.

Eco-friendly alternative: Consider grasscycling (leaving grass clippings on the lawn) and leafcycling (mulching leaves into the lawn with a mower). Both methods return nutrients to the soil and reduce the volume of material you need to dispose of.

Free Compost from the City

The City of Montreal turns collected green waste into compost, which is distributed free to residents once or twice per year, typically in the spring and fall. Distribution dates and locations vary by borough. Check your borough's website or the Info-collectes tool for details.

When to Call a Professional

Most spring cleanup tasks are manageable for homeowners. However, some situations call for professional help:

• Significant frost heaving in walkways, patios, or retaining walls (these need to be releveled or rebuilt, not just patched).
• Drainage problems that are causing water to pool near the foundation.
• Large tree work that requires climbing, heavy equipment, or proximity to power lines.
• Redesign projects where you want to replace damaged features with something more durable.

Montreal Paysagement Pro helps residential homeowners across Montreal with spring repairs, drainage corrections, and full outdoor redesigns. Call us at 514-900-3867 to discuss your property.

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Sources:

• Ville de Montreal, Garden Waste and Dead Leaves
• Ville de Montreal, Green Waste Collection Rules
• Ville de Montreal, Collection Schedules
• Ville de Montreal, Collections and Recycling
• Gouvernement du Quebec, Yard and Houseplant Maintenance