Get Your Yard Ready For Summer - Spring Landscaping Tips

March in Eastern Washington can be rather unpredictable. Shrubs and lawns can be crusted with snow during the first week of the month, and then, within just a few weeks, temperatures rise enough for flower and leaf buds to show signs of life.

With the weather quickly changing there are several spring cleanup tasks that are always necessary for a health landscape. Burlap should be removed from trees and shrubs and any branches that didn't survive the cold winter months should be pruned to make room for new growth. If you didn't have the chance in the fall, it is also a good idea to cut back perennials and remove old annuals.

Follow this "Spring Checklist" to ensure your yard and garden are ready for the warm summer months.

Perennials & Grasses

You'll want to make sure to prune your perennials to a height of 4-6 inches to allow to growth to sprout up. With the soil thawed be sure to dig up perennials to thin crowded beds; divide them up in three or so stems each clump and move them to fill in open areas. Cut back damaged rose canes below the blackened area. Keep younger green canes and remove older woody ones.

Rake Out Beds

It is important to rake out any fallen leaves and dead foliage from the fall and winter, and remove spent annuals. To be ready for the new years mulch it is a good time to remove all old mulch to make room. This is an opportune time to lay down pelletized fertilizer on the soils surface which makes it easier for the spring rain to deliver to the roots. We recommend a 5-10-10 fertilizer around bulbs for maximum bloom and a square head shovel to keep a nice line around your beds.

Shrubs and Trees

Prune away branches that are dead or that have been damaged by the winter cold. Prune summer flowering shrubs before buds swell, but for spring bloomers you'll want to wait till after they flower. And for overgrown evergreens trim back to a branch in the direction you want to encourage growth.

Composting

Take advantage of all of the leaves and spent foliage by dumping them into a compost pile. Shredding leaves and chipping branches over an ½ inch in diameter will help speed decomposition. Keeping the pile moist and aerating with a pitch fork every several weeks is ideal.

Lawn Care

You will typically start to see grass start to grow in late March or April. Remove any grass damaged by salt, plows and disease preparing for seeding that should be done later in a few weeks. A ½ inch or so of compost will help keep the new seed moist. A good time to begin seeding is when forsythia begins to bloom.

By following some of these steps you'll have a beautiful landscape ready for the summer. If you don't have the time, tools or patience to perform spring lawn care give us a call, we'd be happy to help get your yard ready for the summer.