Are you looking forward to a beautiful lawn this year, lush and green, surrounded by attractive gardens and dotted with healthy trees? These top ten spring landscaping tasks will ensure your lawn looks great this year. Review the list and hire a professional landscaper to get a jump on the season of outdoor living.
Spring Landscaping Task # 1 - Aerate the Lawn
This process involves special equipment that actually punches holes in your turf, creating air pockets to improve the health of soil and roots. Aeration is best done when the yard has dried out, and hiring a professional to do the job is a wise idea. DIY aerating machinery is expensive and difficult to handle - the pros can whip through this job in a few hours and give your lawn the leg up it needs.
Spring Landscaping Task # 2 - Dethatching or Power Raking
Thatch is the build up of dead grass and debris left on the surface of your lawn over winter. Removing thatch will allow the grass underneath to grow quicker and fuller. If that layer is thick (around 3-inches or more), it's time to dethatch. A thinner layer of thatch can be effectively removed by power raking. Some landscapers will dethatch or power rake during the process of aeration.
Spring Landscaping Task # 3 - Rolling Over the Lawn
Frost sets into your yard over the winter. As that frost thaws out during the early spring, it can actually move the turf, creating bumps and ridges across the grass. Your landscaper will bring out a lawn roller and literally smooth out the ground using pressure. This process is more about creating an even yard, and won't likely affect the growth of your grass.
Spring Landscaping Task # 4 - Clean Out the Gardens
Many gardeners leave their plants in the fall, providing seed heads for winter birds and creating an attractive picture throughout the cold season. But when the weather turns in spring, your garden needs to be cleaned out and cleared up. Cut down the dead foliage and stalks from last season, composting all but the diseased plant material. Destroy any bugs, larvae and other pests you find and avoid turning the soil too much - that amount of disturbance can kill off nutrients in the upper layers of soil.
Spring Landscaping Task # 5 - Heavy Weeding
The first round of weeding in the spring tends to be the most intensive round. Pull out all weeds by the root if possible, and either burn or dispose of the weeds. Do not fill your composter with weeds or their seeds - this only leads to disaster later on in the year. Be careful not to disturb new growth, but be brutal with the weeds you come across, otherwise you'll be battling them all season long.
Spring Landscaping Task # 6 - Mulch the Beds and Trees
Layer your gardens with a generous amount of mulch - use chipped bark, wood chips or other natural mulch products - to help with moisture retention and reduce weeds. Consider mulch as an investment and spread it annually for a neater garden. Old mulch decomposes into the soil, adding necessary nutrients and feeding your plants.
Spring Landscaping Task # 7 - Plant Spring Annuals
Brighten up the gardens with colorful annuals, and add a splash of color to your patio with potted annual plants and hanging baskets. Most annuals can't be exposed to frost and will need to stay in a protected area until at least mid-May. But with some time in the windowsill and some time out in the sunshine, these annuals will have a major jump on the growing season and provide you with amazing color all season long.
Spring Landscaping Task # 8 - Prune Your Shrubs
Many shrubs and bushes can be pruned or trimmed in the spring to create an orderly, attractive landscape. Juniper, euonymus, forsythia and plenty of other shrubs need to be trimmed for good health and to avoid massive overgrowth. Use sharp pruning shears that have been well cleaned and be careful when handling tall shrubs.
Spring Landscaping Task # 9 - Plan for This Year's Projects
Maybe this is the year you'll have the deck or patio installed. Or perhaps it's time for a fence or a fence replacement. Whether you're considering a pool, hot tub, flagstone patio or storage shed, it's best to start planning early. Contractor schedules get filled up quickly; the longer you wait to get moving on the project, the longer you'll have to wait for installation. Contact a few local contractors and find out the scope and budget of your outdoor project.
Spring Landscaping Task # 10 - Fertilize the Grass and Gardens
This is often the first thing that people think about in the spring, feeding their grass to get it growing healthy and green. But you should spend some time thinking about the ideal type of fertilizer for your property. Are chemicals products the way to go or can your grass thrive on compost or other natural fertilizers?
Many homeowners spread composted manure or other compost in a thin layer over the grass and around the flowerbeds. This material will deliver nutrients to the soil and has less chance of burning or damaging the plants than chemically based fertilizers. You can opt for a well balanced chemical product, but be sure to follow directions and make sure you're allowed to use the fertilizer before application. Some municipalities have put chemical fertilizer bans in place to create cleaner communities. But most of the top selling fertilizer companies have reformulated certain products to meet the local bans.
Look after these ten spring landscaping tasks and you'll be able to rest easy, knowing your lawn and garden will be growing well throughout the season. From aeration and dethatching, to rolling, cleaning out the garden, wedding, mulching, planting and pruning, your spring to-do list will be long. Hire a professional company to help with the larger tasks and look forward to the fresh air and warmth of springtime.
Posted by: TrustedProsSuggested Reading For You
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