We all want our yards to look like they belong in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine, but who has the time!? There are a few steps to take and a nice weekend to make your yard into an appeasing feature!
- Prune away dead and damaged branches on trees and shrubs. Prune back to live stems.
- Cut back and divide perennials as needed. Prune flowering perennials to a height of 4-5 inches and ornamental grasses to 2-3 inches to allow new growth to shoot up.
- Clean up around plants. Rake out fallen leaves and dead foliage (which cans smother plants and foster disease), pull up spent annuals.
- Compost yard waste. Dump collected leaves, cuttings, spent foliage and last season’s mulch into your compost pile.
- Spring Lawn Care Checklist:
- Wait until the soil dries out before you start working in your yard.
- Sharpen your lawn mower blades and change the oil.
- Have your soil tested if it has been more than 3 years.
- Mow low to remove the dead grass tops.
- Aerate your lawn if it didn’t get done in the fall.
- Over-seed bare spots.
- Apply crabgrass preventer (pre-emergance) around Easter.
- Light nitrogen fertilizer application around Memorial Day.
- Wait to water your lawn until late spring/early summer.
