Yard work is more than just cutting grass or pulling weeds—especially for commercial property managers. Keeping a property’s exterior clean, healthy, and professional in appearance requires ongoing effort. The stakes are high: poor landscape maintenance can affect safety, tenant satisfaction, and property value. While some tasks can be managed internally, many commercial landscapes benefit from a blend of light in-house work and professional support.
At Hittle Landscaping, we help commercial properties across Indiana streamline their approach to yard work, reduce operational strain, and improve outdoor spaces season after season.
Yard Work Responsibilities: In-House vs. Professional Support
What Your Team Can Handle
Encouraging your staff to handle basic outdoor tasks makes sense. Clearing trash and debris from high-traffic areas, keeping pathways free of trip hazards, and reporting landscape issues can and should be part of your onsite team’s routine. Quick fixes like light hand-weeding around entry points or removing small branches after storms help your property stay presentable between professional visits.
Where Hittle Landscaping Steps In
The larger, more technical yard work requires time, tools, and horticultural knowledge that most in-house teams don’t have. From irrigation inspections to turf renovation and tree pruning, these jobs demand specialized attention. Partnering with Hittle ensures these tasks are completed safely, efficiently, and with a long-term focus.
Simplifying Yard Work Through Smart Planning
A common challenge for property managers is reacting to yard work needs as they arise. Instead, a proactive plan built around the landscape’s annual cycle is key. We help our clients create a comprehensive calendar that schedules tasks well ahead of each season.
Why Planning Matters
Skipping seasonal tasks or delaying maintenance leads to more complex and expensive fixes later. For example, failing to aerate and overseed in fall might result in thinning turf come spring. Ignoring drainage problems in winter could mean costly erosion or turf loss during spring thaw. With a clear yard work plan in place, these risks are reduced.
At Hittle, we assess each property individually, identifying trouble spots and creating a strategy that fits your landscape and budget. Our approach allows us to manage your landscape proactively instead of reactively, saving you money and protecting your property’s long-term health.
Seasonal Yard Work Breakdown
Spring: Rejuvenation and Growth
Spring is when the landscape comes back to life after winter dormancy, making it one of the busiest times for yard work. The focus during this season is on reviving turf, plants, and soil to facilitate a healthy growing period.
The process often begins with soil testing to identify nutrient deficiencies and correct them through targeted fertilization. This gives your turf the nutrients it needs to green up quickly and stay strong.
Aeration and overseeding are essential spring services. Aerating helps alleviate soil compaction caused by winter freeze-thaw cycles, while overseeding fills in bare patches and thickens the lawn.
Pruning is also critical in early spring. Trees and shrubs should be trimmed before new growth starts, removing deadwood and shaping plants for a more controlled and healthier growing season.
Finally, mulching garden beds serves a practical role in maintaining plant health and creating a clean, well-maintained appearance. A fresh layer of mulch locks in soil moisture, blocks weed growth, and gives your property a crisp, professional look. To complete spring preparations, pest and disease scouting is essential. Spotting issues early allows for fast, targeted treatments, preventing pests or pathogens from disrupting your landscape during the critical growing season.
Summer: Managing Stress and Appearance
In the summer, the focus shifts to protecting plants and turf from heat and drought. Irrigation audits are essential for water to be applied efficiently without waste. Raising mowing heights helps shield turf roots from heat stress, while integrated pest management protects against insects and fungal diseases common in Indiana’s humid summers.
Maintaining a tidy appearance is equally critical during these months. Commercial properties benefit from regular edging, weeding, and hardscape cleaning to preserve curb appeal during peak usage periods.
Fall: Preparing for Dormancy
Fall yard work plays a crucial role in setting your landscape up for success in the following year. Removing accumulated leaves, aerating soil, and applying nutrients before winter helps turf survive dormancy and emerge healthier in spring. Structural pruning minimizes storm damage risk from heavy snow or ice loads on weak branches. Irrigation systems should also be winterized to prevent freeze-related damage.
Winter: Landscape Protection and Snow Management
Yard work doesn’t stop in winter. Effective snow and ice management keeps walkways and access points safe for tenants and visitors, while protecting your plant material from salt-related stress. Winter inspections of hardscapes and drainage systems also prevent major repairs down the line.
At Hittle, we offer full winter management services, including snow removal, de-icing, and off-season monitoring to help preserve your property’s landscape investment.
Why Partnering with Professionals Pays Off
The Hidden Costs of DIY Yard Work
While it may seem cost-effective to assign more yard work internally, untrained staff tackling technical tasks can result in inefficiencies or property damage. Over-pruned trees, poorly calibrated irrigation systems, and incorrect turf treatments can all cause long-term issues. By partnering with a professional team like Hittle, you mitigate these risks.
Expertise You Can Rely On
We bring decades of experience managing commercial landscapes of every size and type. Our crews are trained to spot early signs of plant stress, drainage issues, and safety hazards before they escalate. We also stay up to date on local regulations related to stormwater management, plant health care, and chemical applications—keeping your property compliant and your tenants protected.
Leveraging Technology to Streamline Yard Work
Technology now plays a larger role in modern yard work programs. Hittle Landscaping integrates smart irrigation systems that adjust watering schedules based on real-time weather and soil moisture data. We also use robotic mowers to maintain turf areas efficiently, minimizing noise and disruption to tenants.
For property managers, our digital reporting system provides real-time updates on services performed, landscape conditions, and recommended next steps. This transparency helps you stay informed without micromanaging every outdoor task.
A Smarter, Safer, and More Effective Approach
The goal isn’t just to simplify yard work—it’s to make your maintenance approach smarter and more sustainable. By combining light in-house tasks with expert-level care from Hittle, your property will look better, function more safely, and cost less to maintain over time.
Whether you’re managing one site or an entire portfolio, we’ll help you implement a year-round yard work program that supports your property’s goals.
Contact Hittle Landscaping today to schedule a custom yard work plan built around your property’s unique needs.
Scott DeNardin is the President of Hittle Landscaping in Westfield, Indiana, where he leads the company in providing top-tier commercial landscaping services. With a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, Scott and his team are dedicated to delivering customized landscaping solutions that meet the specific needs of their clients, ensuring that every project reflects the company’s commitment to excellence and sustainable practices.
