6 Spring Landscaping Tips
As the chilly weather starts to fade, it can only mean one thing- Spring is on the way! Everyone can agree that the longer and warmer days that Spring brings are a welcomed change. The start of Spring doesn’t just mean longer days; it also means that the bees are buzzing and plants will start blooming. It is time to give your outdoor spaces extra attention and start those landscaping projects.
Get your outdoor living space spruced up with our top 6 Spring Landscaping Tips, covering everything from your perennial gardens to grass care, hardscaping, and fence posts.
1 - Clean Out the Beds Early
Some gardeners clear out their flowerbeds in the fall, eliminating the risk of critters and lowering the chance of plant disease. But others prefer to leave the garden over winter, providing seed heads for the birds and valuable compost in the soil. Either way, you need to clean out the beds as early as possible to create the ideal growing conditions for early spring bulbs and other flowers.
2 - Avoid Crabgrass
Crabgrass can create a pesky problem in your lawn, and Spring provides the ideal time to tackle it. Crabgrass killers include pre-emergent herbicides that set into your turf before this nasty weed takes root. About.com landscape experts state that the ideal application time depends on your climate; most areas in Canada should aim to apply crabgrass killers after the forsythia bush blooms and before the lilacs come in.
3- Check Gates and Fence Posts
As the frost recedes, homeowners often discover heaved fence posts or gates out of line. Spring provides an excellent time to look at these issues, as repairs and adjustments can be made now while the ground is soft and wet. For example, a quick adjustment to the hinge or latch often fixes a gate, while heaved fence posts may require more heavy-duty repair work.
4 - Clean Off Deck Boards or Patio Stones
Give your deck or patio a great start to the season with a thorough cleaning. Pressure-treated or cedarwood can be cleaned with deck wash products. The use of a power washer may or may not be necessary. To avoid marring the surface, composite decking should be cleaned with warm, soapy water and a soft-bristle brush.
Patio stones are often more durable, and winter debris can be quickly cleaned off with a pressure washer or hard bristle scrub brush.
5 - Reseed Bare Patches
Although it is best to seed your new lawn in the fall months, reseeding can be successfully done in Spring. Environment Canada suggests using new seed and spreading it uniformly by hand or with a seed-spreader onto your semi-established lawn. Be sure to keep the area lightly watered and cover it with a light layer of straw to avoid losing seeds to the birds or wind.
6 - Aerate the Lawn
Aeration helps maintain strong turf roots and is an essential part of lawn maintenance for mature yards. Plan to aerate your lawn in late Spring or early summer, but consider booking your landscaper now. These professionals get very busy in the months to come, and being proactive allows you to rest easy knowing that your lawn aeration will be looked after when the time is right.
Canadian Gardening magazine offers some tips on how to aerate and what type of equipment your landscaper may use. Dethatching is often done during the aeration process, providing an even better boost for your turf.
