Your grass is greening up, flowers are beginning to bloom,
and birds are chirping away. That means it’s time for you to do some important
things to get your landscaping in good shape for Spring! Here are some tasks to
help you achieve the best looking yard around.
Aerate
The healthiest grass out there is that which is allowed to
grow high, enabling its root system to thrive and deepen. A strong root system
breaks up the soil and promotes drainage, in turn creating healthier grass. Since
most of us keep our grass mowed to a shorter height, the roots are not able to
do as good of a job as needed for ideal grass. That means we have to help our
grass achieve its best condition, and aeration is often a great solution. Aerating
your grass promotes air circulation, improves distribution of nutrients and
moisture, loosens compacted soil so that roots can better grow, breaks down
thatch buildup, and aids oxygen in reaching the roots. How do you know if your
yard will benefit from aeration?
- Your lawn is getting too
thin and there aren't any obvious causes like watering changes or too much
shade.
- You see more water runoff
than normal, and it’s not due to too much rain or over-watering. Soil that
is too compact doesn't absorb water well.
- Fertilizer doesn't noticeably
help your lawn. This likely means that the fertilizer’s nutrients can’t
reach the roots of your grass. If you aerate your soil, wait about two
weeks and then apply fertilizer for the best results.
Fertilize
Mid-spring is the ideal time to apply weed and feed
fertilizer to your lawn. If you fertilize too early in the season, you may get
rid of a few weeds but you won’t achieve greener grass. You might even promote
lawn diseases like Brown Patch if you don’t fertilize at the right time of the
year.
Trim
Spring is a great time to trim some of your trees and
shrubs. Crape myrtles, ornamental grasses, and roses will especially benefit
from trimming this time of year.
- Crape myrtles are very
popular in southern landscapes. They should be pruned in the late winter
or early Spring to eliminate dead or weak branches and sucker growth.
- Roses should be trimmed
regularly to reduce disease or pest damage, and to promote new growth.
Spring is a great time to focus on your roses.
- Ornamental grasses should
be trimmed to allow new growth to emerge from damaged foliage. This will
give you a nice batch of new growth in the Spring.
Mulch
One of the greatest things you can do to improve the
appearance of your landscaping is to add a new layer of mulch in your beds and
around your trees. It protects plant roots from extreme temperatures (which
will be hitting this area before we know it!), discourages weed growth, and
conserves moisture in the soil. You can choose the type of mulch you like best
for your landscaping, as there are several types and colors available.
Contact C4 Landscaping for help in sprucing up your lawn
this Spring. Time is of the essence in getting your landscaping looking
beautiful for the rest of the year!
