Spring is finally here fellow gardeners! It’s time to shed our winter coats and get back outside to do what we love to do. At first glance, your spring maintenance checklist might seem daunting. Where do you start? After the long and stormy winter, your yard might have taken a beating so your to-do list might be a lot longer than usual. Luckily we’ve thrown together some tips to get you started on your spring cleaning checklist and help you get your yard back into shape.
Rake and Clean Up
Raking in the spring can be just as important as raking in the fall. Many trees, such as oaks and certain species of maples, hold onto their leaves through the winter. These leaves may have fallen during high winds and heavy snows so get out there and rake your lawn… again. It’s important to get leaves off your lawn early so that they don’t kill the tender grass trying to grow underneath it. Leaves are also breeding grounds for snow mold, red thread, and dollar spot.
Time To Prune Your Trees and Shrubs
Be sure to pay some attention to your trees and shrubs. Pruning dead or unsightly branches can boost the appearance of your trees and the curb appeal of your yard. Trimming lower branches before the leaves start to form redirects nutrients to the rest of the tree so that it can get an extra boost in growth.
Prevent Mosquito Infestations
You can spend a lot of money on bug sprays, repellants, citronella candles, torches, and other products that claim to repel mosquitos or… you can take the proactive step of eliminating all the standing water in your yard. Take a stroll around your yard after it rains and you’ll be surprised at how many things can collect water and therefore are a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This includes tires, pots, lawn furniture, or children’s toys. Of course, there are reasons to keep standing water such as in a birdbath, rain barrel, or animal waterer. For these, you can purchase a mosquito dunk. These dissolvable pellets kill mosquito larvae and can be found at most hardware stores and are safe for plants and animals.
Consider Aerating Your Yard
Over time our soil gets compacted from foot traffic and thatch buildup. When your soil is compacted, water, oxygen, and fertilizers can’t penetrate the soil and will just run off. When this happens, it’s time to aerate. Aerating your yard can revitalize your grass and encourage rapid growth by allowing air, water, and nutrients back into the roots. At Custom Personalized we offer a core aeration program guaranteed to make your lawn look better than you’ve ever seen it.
Plant Grass
When the snow melts and your grass begins to green up after the long winter, you may notice that your yard is sparse in areas or even dead. To fix this you’ll have to reseed, but before you start throwing money at any old grass seed it’s important to know the difference between cool-season and warm-season grasses. Professional landscapers use a strategic combination of both to create rich and vibrant yards that last long into the cold season where other lawns don’t.
- Cool-Season Grasses: Grasses that grow best in spring and fall and become less active during the summer. Plant cool season grasses in the fall when conditions are ideal. Types of cool-season grass: Fescue, Ryegrass, and Bluegrass.
- Warm-Season Grasses: Grasses that grow the best during the heat of the summer (June-August) Types of warm-season grass: Bermudagrass and zoysiagrass
Hire a Lawn Care Service
Take a break this year from all the back-breaking work that goes into yard maintenance by ordering professional lawn care services from Custom Personalized . Just call us at (810) 736-3214 or leave a message on our site.
