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Spring has sprung! The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and early blossoms have come out to play. Are you feeling motivated to wake your sleeping lawn and prepare your yard for summer? Here are some simple, easy to remember spring gardening tips for inspiration:
- Sharpen: Visit the local hardware store or garden center to sharpen your mower blade, shovels and pruners sharpened.
- Toss: Sort garden chemicals and toss any outdated or unused chemicals according to label instructions.
- Prune: Prune early-flowering shrubs as soon as blooms fade. If you don’t prune the fading blooms early enough (new blooms set roughly 10 days after they fade), you may not see as many flowers next season.
- Rake: Give your yard a thorough raking before you begin to mow or treat the grass. Raking will pull up any thatch that has accumulated over the winter and you can locate dead spots that may need special attention.
- Plant: When it comes to planting in the spring, timing is key! Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Talk to an expert to find out how weather and soil conditions impact certain plants.
- Bare root shrubs, roses and trees should be planted while the soil is cool.
- Cold-weather plants and ornamentals, such as pansies, can withstand some frost.
- Mow: Wait until your lawn has turned mostly green before you begin mowing in the spring.
- Test: Harsh winters can cause pH levels in your soil to become acidic. If your soil has a high level of acidity, spread a thick layer of lime on your lawn to support new grass growth.
- Fertilize: If you did not fertilize in the fall, you may need to apply a layer of fertilizer in the spring to ensure green grass in the summer.
- Weed: A bit of spring weed prevention will help prevent weeds from developing. Apply herbicides or pre-emergent weed killers to support a nearly weed free summer.
