When it’s time to start thinking about preparing your lawn & garden for spring (usually mid-March for southern Ontario), here are 9 things that should be on your spring yard cleanup checklist.
1. Removing Refuse
Removing refuse is going to be a difficult task, and you need to start rolling your sleeves. Remove all litter that may have been deposited in your yard during the winter. Put on some heavy gloves and deal with all kinds of refuse, including carnival animal waste, dead grass, and dead leaves from perennials.
2. Prune Away Damaged and Dead Branches
When shrub and tree branches are damaged by snow, wind, and cold, you’ve to prune them to bring your yard back to life. Also, shape hedges and flower shrubs that prevent air and sunlight from lighting up your yard.
3. Compost Yard Waste
Dump collected cuttings, leaves, and last season’s mulch into a compost pile. Shred chip branches and leaves bigger than half an inch to speed up decomposition, or top-up compost starter to the pile. Always keep your pile moist and aerate it using a pitchfork after two weeks.
4. Preparing the Flower Beds
When preparing the flower beds, ensure that you add compost around your plants. Although considered a simple practice, working in compost will help make your soil more friable while fertilizing the plants. It will also help if you remove all the different weed plants when you encounter them.
Always follow the included directions if you plan on using chemical fertilizers. However, if you are thinking of opening a new planting bed, you can either build raised beds, make landscaping berms, use a tiller, or kill the grass.
3. Planting
During the early spring, install shrubs, trees, and hardy perennial flower borders. Wait until the frost passes before installing tender perennials and annuals. Ensure that you research on the exact dates that you can install the different kinds of plants and trees.
4. Weed and Pest Control
Preemergent herbicides are the ideal choice for your lawn when dealing with pest and weed. However, ensure that you fight these weeds before they emerge for better results. Using the preemergent herbicides will help with crabgrass control when applied before the soil gets to 55 degrees F.
5. Pruning Shrubs
Only prune your shrubs once they have finished blooming to avoid causing any damages. Note that some scrubs bloom earlier than others. Some of the late bloomers that will need you to wait, include Lavender, Butterfly bush, Bluebeard, and Rose of Sharon.
6. Dealing with Perennial Division and Mulch
Deciding when to remove mulch will differ depending on where you live. Check to see if your perennials are pushing up. Once you spot this phenomenon, you must remove the mulch to avoid suffocating your perennials. Don’t forget: you will need to replace the mulch once winter starts coming back.
7. Prepare Damaged Lawn Spots for Reseeding
Spring is an ideal time to have your soil’s pH tested so that you can get the right modifications. Get rid of turf destroyed by diseases, salt, or plows to get ready for reseeding. Always start seeding when forsythia begins flourishing in your area. March is a perfect time to top up the first dose of crabgrass treatment and fertilizer.
8. Reshape and Clean Patios and Walkways in Your Yard
Winter causes damages to patios and walkways, which can be disastrous if not repaired. If your walkways are not in good shape in early spring, rake the loose gravel or mulch, replace where necessary, repair broken pavers, and bring back their original colour.
9. Patch or Replace Wooden Fence
Wooden fences don’t do well with winter and moisture. Therefore, remove rotted or damaged wood and install new wood if needed. Scrub pickets using bleach, water, and soap solution and let them dry. Additionally, check small rotten areas and patch them with wood proxy. Sand the wood surface to make it smooth and apply a new coat of paint.
Using this spring yard cleanup checklist will ensure that your lawn and garden get a great start every spring. Need a little help? Enlist us to deploy one of our 10-star lawn treatments, lawn cutting packages or gardening service! We offer contract-free, top notch lawn & garden services to make sure your outdoor space is as beautiful and effortless as possible. Just sit back and enjoy! Lawn Troopers has your six in the spring and all year round.