As the weather warms in early spring, our excitement for sprucing up our lawn multiplies. However, your lawn will not reach its fullest potential if you do not properly prepare it for the spring season. Here are 7 important steps you can take to give your lawn and landscape the best chance for success this spring.
1. Removing Debris from Your Lawn
No one wants debris cluttering their lawn and planted beds. Remove all sticks and leaves from your grass and plant beds. One way to accomplish this is to rake, bag, and remove all the debris. Another popular method is to remove the large debris then mulch the remaining debris by mowing over your lawn several times. Mulching the debris can add nitrogen and beneficial nutrients to your soil, which allows you to use less fertilizer. If you need help with cleanup and brush removal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
2. Soil Tests and Fertilization
Soil testing can greatly benefit your plants’ health and growth. Get a soil test done through your local extension office. The process is straightforward: you can either collect a soil sample yourself, or you can have a lawn care company do this for you. The soil test results will let you know how much and what type of fertilizer to use. It will also give you valuable information needed when developing a plan to improve your lawn.
3. Weed Control
Late winter/early spring is the time to apply pre-emergent herbicides to prevent weeds from germinating in your yard. You can do this yourself or hire a licensed chemical applicator to do this for you. The experts at Rivers Lawn and Landscape can help guide you.
4. Lawn Mower Service
No one wants the hassle of a broken lawnmower when it’s 98 degrees and 2 hours before your planned cookout. Early spring is the best time to service your mower, so you should carry out the following tasks to ensure your mower is ready for the upcoming season:
- Sharpen your blades if you haven’t done so lately. Dull blades will injure your grass because they “tear” the grass blades instead of cutting them. To ensure your safety, view Tractor Supply’s easy-to-follow guide.
- Check the fluid levels.
- Top off the air in the tires.
- Fix any other defects on your mower to prevent downtime in the coming season.
5. Mulch and Flowers
Spring is a great time to install mulch and flowers to enhance the appearance of your property. Annual flowers can be planted once the danger of frost has passed. Adding mulch around these flowers and other plants in your landscape provides many benefits. Read about these benefits here.
6. Trim Plants and Shrubs
Remove dead wood and trim your shrubs to their desired shape and size. Hold off on trimming shrubs and plants that bloom in the spring. Trimming them now can drastically reduce the blooms produced by those plants this spring. If you are unsure about when and how to trim certain plants, we can help.
7. Plan Landscaping Projects
Now is the time to plan and prioritize your landscaping projects for the upcoming year. The old saying goes “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Benefits of early planning include:
- Knowing exactly which materials you’ll need
- Establishing a budget
- Determining whether or not you need professional help to make your dreams a reality.
If you follow the 7 easy steps above, you will set yourself up for a beautiful lawn and landscape this spring and summer. Though the list may seem daunting, dedicating just a few hours to preparing for spring can make all the difference. If you’re unsure whether your busy schedule will allow time to prepare for the spring, let us know and we will provide high-quality, professional work.