What's included in an autumn garden cleanup?
By Service Plus Stockholm AB4 min read
Short answer
What's included in an autumn garden cleanup?
An autumn cleanup usually covers leaf raking of lawns, borders and paths, cutting back withered perennials, weeding, a final lawn mow and removal of all garden waste. Exactly which tasks are carried out, and how often, is agreed with the customer based on the garden's size and condition. The labour cost qualifies for a RUT deduction of up to 50 percent, while waste removal and materials are not included. Service Plus assesses the scope on site and provides a free quote before work begins.
Which tasks are usually included in an autumn cleanup?
An autumn cleanup isn't a fixed package but a review of the garden where whatever needs doing before winter gets sorted out. What's actually carried out, and how often it's repeated year after year, is agreed during the visit and written into the contract.
Below are examples of common tasks that customers in Stockholm tend to choose to include, but the scope is always negotiable and adapted to the garden's size, the number of trees and the condition of the borders.
- Leaf raking of lawns, borders, paths and driveways
- Cutting back withered perennials and annual summer flowers
- Weeding in borders and between paving slabs
- A final lawn mow before growth stops
- Light pruning of dead or broken branches on shrubs
- Emptying and cleaning pots and outdoor furniture to be stored
- Removal of all garden waste generated
Why is leaf raking and cutting back important before winter?
A thick layer of leaves left on the lawn all winter smothers the grass and increases the risk of snow mould, a fungus that causes yellow patches on the lawn when the snow melts in spring. The leaves block light and oxygen from the turf while moisture stays trapped longer.
In the borders, withered perennials can be left as winter protection for certain species, but diseased or mould-affected plant parts should always be cut off and removed, not left in the border or composted locally. The specialist assesses case by case which perennials are best left standing and which should be cut down.
What happens to the garden waste after the cleanup?
Leaves, twigs and cut greenery are removed straight away as part of the job, so the customer doesn't need to fill bags themselves or drive to the recycling centre. It's often the waste removal itself that makes an autumn cleanup feel overwhelming to do alone, since the volumes quickly become substantial.
Service Plus brings its own equipment for both the cleanup itself and the transport of the waste, meaning the whole task can be handled in a single visit.
Does autumn cleanup qualify for the RUT deduction?
Yes, the labour cost for an autumn cleanup in a garden attached to a home qualifies for a RUT deduction of up to 50 percent, with a cap of SEK 75,000 per person per year. The deduction is applied directly on the invoice, so the customer only pays their share.
Removal of garden waste and any materials, such as new ground cover or soil, don't count as labour cost and therefore don't qualify for the RUT deduction. This is a common question ahead of booking and good to know before the quote is drawn up.
How Service Plus carries out an autumn cleanup
Service Plus's garden cleanup specialist is called Lövet and reviews the garden together with the customer before work begins, to decide which tasks should be included that particular season. We bring our own equipment for raking, cutting and transport, and all waste is removed in the same visit.
Private individuals receive a RUT deduction of up to 50 percent of the labour cost directly on the invoice. Contact Service Plus Stockholm AB for a free quote within 24 hours.
Common follow-up questions
Can you book an autumn cleanup before all the leaves have fallen?
Yes, Service Plus assesses on site what needs doing at the time and can return for an extra leaf raking later in the autumn if the leaves fall in several waves.
Is waste removal included in the cleanup?
Yes, Service Plus removes leaves, twigs and cut plant material as part of the job, but the waste removal itself doesn't count as labour cost and therefore doesn't qualify for the RUT deduction.
Can the autumn cleanup be combined with fertilising or liming the lawn?
Yes, that's a common add-on that's agreed during the visit and included in the quote alongside the other tasks.
Do you need to be home while the autumn cleanup is carried out?
No, it's enough to agree on the scope and access in advance, and Service Plus can carry out the work as agreed even if no one is home.
