There is something so magical and inspiring about the spring! Springtime sunshine and rain brings the yard and garden back to life. Unfortunately, that also includes unwanted weeds, insects and messes leftover from winter. Our spring yard and garden maintenance checklists will help you turn that wilderness into an immaculate landscape.
General Maintenance
- Check landscape lighting, replace bulbs and batteries as needed and check timers
- Repair any drainage problems that occurred during winter
- Inspect hardscape areas for heaving and other damage, and repair as needed
- Remove weeds and winter debris
Pruning
- Prune dead branches from small trees and woody and evergreen shrubs
- Prune to shape flowering and decorative shrubs such as viburnum and boxwood
- Perform reduction pruning—removing up to 1/3 of the old wood--from shrubs like Dogwood and Red Twig
- Remove root suckers, crossed branches and dead or diseased limbs from trees
Lawn Care
- If you’ve never done it, test your soil’s pH level this spring. Knowing exactly which amendments are needed will help you grow a thicker, healthier lawn
- Dethatch to remove dead and dying grass and other debris that collected over the winter
- Aerate to loosen soil and allow water and nutrients to penetrate to the lawn’s roots
- Pull weeds. If you must apply chemical weed killer, use sparingly. Too many chemicals can stress the lawn when temperatures rise
- Feed the grass with a slow-release fertilizer if needed
- Reseed bare spots
Flower Beds
- Cut bedding edges
- Spread fertilizer around flower clumps, never on the crown
- Cut back groundcover plants
- Divide decorative grasses, perennials and bulbs as needed, replant divisions in bare areas
- Spread no more than two inches of mulch around plants. Never spread mulch closer than 1 inch to a plant or on top of the crown
Putting the time and energy into taking care of these chores now so you can reap the benefits of a beautiful yard this summer.
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