Spring and fall yard cleanups in Royal Oak, MI: Ahead of the leaf trucks, not behind them.
In Royal Oak the city's calendar matters as much as your trees. Leaf trucks run on a schedule, and curbside yard waste stops from mid December until April. HD Landscape times your cleanup around both, clears the beds and leaves the yard clean.
- Timed to city pickup
- Beds and corners cleared
- Spring start set by your soil
Cleanups in Royal Oak
The city's calendar runs this job.
Every fall the city sends 13 dump trucks over 212 miles of streets to collect its leaves, and the rules around that are easy to miss. A cleanup timed to that system goes smoothly. One that misses it can leave bags sitting by the garage until April.
Two passes in about six weeks
City crews vacuum leaves from the street in two passes, starting in late October or early November. Piles should be no larger than 3 feet high by 4 feet wide, 3 to 4 inches off the curb, with no sticks or rocks. Signs go up the day before, and cars need to stay off the street.
The gap from December to April
Curbside yard waste ends the third Friday in December and comes back the first Monday in April. A cleanup in that gap has no curb to use, and the free SOCRRA bag drop is for residents, not landscapers. So a winter job needs its own plan for the debris.
Those small slots at the curb
Many drain covers here are built to slow rain down, with only two or four slots. Leaves and clippings plug them, and the street floods worse. The city asks for a gap at the curb so water can drain, and clearing a blocked cover helps the whole block, so a cleanup should leave yours open.
West side ground stays soft longer
The heavier soil on the west side drains slowly and can stay soft well into spring, and walking on wet ground compacts it. Sandier ground downtown and to the east usually firms up sooner, though USDA describes a shallow water table there into May as well. So the spring start date depends on the yard.
What shows up when the yard is bare
Common buckthorn and bush honeysuckle leaf out before native shrubs, the city says, so both are easy to pick out at a spring cleanup. Both often turn up as old hedges. We will point them out, along with Japanese knotweed, which takes repeated treatment and should never be composted.
What you get
A one-time job that clears what the season left.
Book it for spring, fall or both, with no plan to sign up for. Here is the work it covers, and your itemized estimate shows what is planned for your yard.
- Beds cleared
Leaves, sticks and last season's stems out of the beds and corners.
- Weeds pulled
Out of the beds so they do not drop seed.
- Perennials cut back
Spent stems and ornamental grasses cut back at the right time of year.
- Shrubs tidied
Dead or broken wood out and stray growth cleaned up. Heavy pruning is planned separately.
- Yard left clean
Bed lines cleaned up, walks and drive left clear.
How the debris leaves goes on your estimate. Fresh mulch and hedge trimming can be added to it. We do not do lawn aeration or sprinklers, and a big tree that has to come down is a job for a tree company.
Try it
A fall cleanup, minus the rake.
Drag across the lawn to clear it. Ours takes a little longer, but this is the result.
In Royal Oak
A Royal Oak fall cleanup gets booked around your street's leaf pass.
Book a fall cleanup for the days before your street's pass, once most of your leaves are down. The city's leaf schedule shows when that is for your area, and weather can move its dates, so leave some room. Jake can see the yard in person or start from a few photos by text, and the estimate comes itemized.
The crew clears beds and corners, pulls weeds, cuts back what should be cut back and tidies the shrubs. How the debris gets off the property goes on your estimate.
- Leaf pickup
- Two passes, late October into December
- Curbside yard waste
- First Monday in April to third Friday in December
- Bags
- Paper only, no plastic at any time
- Estimate
- Free and itemized
Jake and his crew were very professional. They did a great job cleaning out the beds in front of our house. Over grown plants and weed which is getting too hard for this senior couple. We highly recommend!
Nancy G.Flower bed cleanout
Totally professional from start to finish. The crew was friendly and very hard working. Delivered on time and more than promised. Will use again.
Marie B.Landscaping
Questions
What people ask about spring or fall cleanup in Royal Oak.
If yours is not here, call or text (586) 718-8762.
Do you do yard cleanups in Royal Oak?
Yes. HD Landscape does spring and fall yard cleanups in Royal Oak, clearing beds and corners, pulling weeds and tidying shrubs. Call or text (586) 718-8762 for a free estimate.
When is leaf pickup in Royal Oak?
The curbside leaf program starts in late October or early November, once most leaves are down, and covers every street twice over about six weeks. The starting area rotates each year and weather can shift the dates, so check the city's schedule for your street. After the third Friday in December, leaves are not picked up until spring.
Should I book a fall cleanup before the leaf trucks come?
Yes. Aim for the days before your street's pass, once most of your leaves are down. The city asks people not to rake right in front of the crews, so leave a little room. If your big trees drop late, the second pass is your backup.
Can I use plastic bags for leaves in Royal Oak?
No. Plastic bags are not allowed for yard waste at any time. Use 30 gallon paper landscape bags, or a 20 to 32 gallon can with the city's free yard waste decal facing the street. Each one has to stay under 50 pounds and be out by 7 a.m. on your trash day.
Can you do a spring cleanup before April?
It can work, as long as the ground is firm enough to walk on. City curbside yard waste does not start until the first Monday in April, so an early cleanup needs a different plan for the debris, and that plan goes on your estimate. If you would rather wait, we can book it for April.
Should I just leave the leaves?
Some of them, if you like. The city's own leaf page promotes leaving leaves to break down and feed the garden, and the city also backs Slow Mow Spring in May for pollinators. A thick mat on the lawn should still come off, because it can smother the grass over winter. Tell us what you want left, and we will leave that corner alone.
More for Royal Oak
Background: a finished job, relit for evening
Free estimate
Get your Royal Oak estimate.
Tell us about the yard and where in Royal Oak it is. Jake will take a look and give you an itemized estimate.