Spring is right around the corner. Chances are, you have already started to get in gear and do a bit of spring cleaning. While cleaning up the inside is a great start, you can’t forget about your yard. Now is the perfect time to start getting it ready for spring. Remember, the earlier you start, the better prepared you will be for warm weather. Some tips to help you get your landscape ready for spring can be found here.

Clean Up Your Yard

The first step in preparing your yard for spring should be to clean things up. This means removing debris that has fallen into your yard, flower beds, and on your deck and other hardscape elements. Be sure to use thick gloves while doing this to ensure you don’t injure your hands.

Rake Up the Leaves

Next, it’s time to take out the rake. Be sure to remove all the leaves that you may have missed in the fall or the ones that may have blown in during the winter months. While you rake, be sure to remove branches, twigs, acorns, and pinecones that have accumulated, as well. Raking will also help reinvigorate any clumped-up grass and get it ready to start growing again.

Start Pruning

It’s a good idea to begin your pruning efforts before spring or in the early months of spring. This is going to provide the best results for your shrubs and trees.

Dormant pruning can help improve tree health and will eliminate potentially hazardous limbs. It can also help shape these elements into a more attractive and appealing shape. When you prune the bushes in your yard, it will revitalize them during spring and help to keep their shape and size under control. These are important things to keep in mind and will impact your home’s curb appeal.

Edge Your Yard

If you want to ensure your landscape is ready for spring, then edging is a must-do maintenance activity. When you edge your landscape, it will define the line between your lawn and landscape. Edging also helps to prevent grass from growing into your flower beds, which keeps them looking neat and tidy. Clean edging will provide your landscape with a well-manicured and sharp look.

Revitalize Your Mulch

Mulching is going to help improve plant health. This is because it controls moisture absorption for your plants and prevents weeds’ growth. Mulch is also beneficial when it comes to moisture control because it will help to absorb water after heavy rain by releasing it as time passes. New mulch is also going to help prevent weed growth.

Hire a Landscaping Professional

When it comes to your landscape, it’s a good idea to leave it in the hands of a professional if you don’t have the time or ability to handle the job yourself. The professionals will be able to handle all the jobs that need to be done to ensure your landscape is ready for spring.

Proper drainage is essential to a thriving landscape. Rainstorms will wreak havoc on your lawn and landscaping foliage without the appropriate drainage system. If you are concerned that your property and landscape are not draining, consult your landscape team to discuss options. Let’s take a look at some of the ways drainage can provide protection for your landscape and increase your family’s enjoyment of your outdoor spaces.

Standing Water Poses Threats To Landscape And Health

Standing water poses threats to the health of your landscape and the health of you and your family. Rainwater that accumulates and puddles on your property can cause grass and other plants to die. Standing water is a sign of poor drainage, and its implications threaten the overall health of your vegetation the longer it remains. 

Accumulated water also attracts pests and insects, making spending time in your outdoor areas unbearable and potentially hazardous. Insects often bring bacteria and diseases that are harmful to your family and your pets. To keep your property less attractive to insects and pests, ensure proper drainage so water will not puddle.

Improper Drainage Leads To Soil Erosion

Without a proper path to follow, water will make its own, which can cause the soil around your home to wash away. Not only does soil erosion threaten the stability of structures on your property, but it also depletes your landscape of nutrients essential to plant growth. A lawn experiencing soil erosion will be left lifeless and brown, while a well-drained terrain will allow vegetation to thrive. 

When left unchecked, soil erosion can destabilize structures on your property. Issues such as cracked sidewalks, uneven pavers, and even damage to your home’s foundation are some of the problems caused by eroding soil. Proper drainage that directs water off your home and property will ensure your property is thriving and safe.

Signs Your Property Is Not Properly Draining

The health of your landscape and the safety of your property depends on proper drainage. After heavy rainfall, look for any standing water and puddling, which is a sign of poor drainage. If standing water is left around your home’s foundation, it can keep the crawl space wet or find its way into the structure itself. Damp foundations can lead to significant problems in your home, from cracks in the walls, mold growth, and even flooding in the basement. Check around your home for dampness, standing water, and mold growth, which can show that drainage needs to be addressed. 

The fall and winter seasons can be really hard on your landscape, which is why you should consider letting a professional handle the task. Winterizing your landscaping will help protect it against harsh winter weather and ensure it’s ready to look its best at the start of next year. A professional landscaping company, 855-RILAWNS, can help you assess your landscape’s needs, recommend appropriate actions for the situation, custom design a plan, and provide quality artistry to carry out any needed tasks.

Begin with Sprinklers

During the fall, you should have your sprinkler system drained in preparation for the winter season. If not, then when the temperature drops below freezing, your sprinkler lines can freeze and crack, causing costly damage to your property. A complete winterization will remove all water from your sprinkler system.

Remove Fallen Leaves

Fallen leaves tend to collect around your landscaping, and as the weather gets colder, the leaves tend to die and decompose, poisoning the soil and reducing the amount of water and nutrients the soil can absorb. 

A weekly mowing schedule can ensure that you have a healthy lawn, but it’s also important to perform other chores in the off-season, including leaf removal. Your yard can benefit significantly if you compost your dead leaves or create mulch out of them, but it is essential to remember that leaving too many leaves in place can hurt your lawn in the spring when warm weather returns. Our teams at 855-RILAWNS can make quick work of the job. Prefer to rake the yard yourself? We offer a ‘you rake em, we take em‘ service that will remove leaves curbside.

Prune Shrubs and Trees

Pruning is a great way to maintain your trees and shrubs. Pruning ensures maximum health and balance, especially with the potential damage from winter storms. Professional landscaper 855-RILAWNS has the proper tools, training, and know-how to ensure excellent results. It minimizes the risk of damage caused by falling branches and also ensures that they stay lush during the winter months.

Fertilize Judiciously

While the overall temperature during the winter months will go down significantly, it may also be accompanied by an increase in precipitation. The low temperature conditions coupled with precipitation can cause your lawn and plants to become susceptible to disease and other contaminants. This is why you should fertilize your lawn and beds in the winter. 

While spring and summer are the best times for healthy grass growth, fall is the time to focus on maintaining your turf for its overall health during the winter months. Your lawn should be tested for pH levels and any critical nutrients your soil lacks for optimal lawn health. This will help determine when and how much fertilizer to add to your lawn.

To ensure your lawn is healthy and beautiful in the spring, preparing it in the fall for the colder weather is essential to achieve optimum growing results next year. If you take the extra time and steps that your lawn and landscaped areas need now, it is sure to be in its best shape when warmer weather returns. Just remember, a little preparation now will save you time and money on lawn and landscape care in the spring.  

Get Rid Of Weeds

Fall is a critical time for your lawn and one when you can help improve its health to be vital during the cold temperatures around the corner. You can start by removing weeds by applying an organic weed killer to minimize competition for essential nutrients and water. While weed growth is minimal in the fall, removing them from the lawn allows your grass to get the nutrients and water needed to remain healthy. 

Apply Fertilizer

Fertilizer is an essential component of lawn care. Before applying fertilizer or other nutrients to your lawn, it is a good idea to contact your local county extension office or lawn care professional to perform a soil test. Soil tests verify pH levels so that you can apply the correct amounts of nutrients or lime to your yard. Having more than is needed of lime or nutrients can damage the grass and inhibit future growth. 

Leaf Removal

Environmentally-aware gardeners will tolerate a bit of leaf litter in the fall for the sake of wildlife who find refuge in the fallen leaves. Overwintering insects burrow into the ground to survive the colder months, and many ground-nesting bee species rely on fallen leaves for safety. 

Where your lawn is concerned, leaves can damage healthy grass. Consider raking or blowing them to an area where they can continue to protect wildlife without tarnishing your curb appeal. Landscape bedding and fence lines work well as leaf collectors and add nutrients to the soil as they break down. 

Landscape Preparation

In addition to winterizing your lawn, landscape and beddings should also be addressed during the fall. Remember, the more you cut back shrubs, remove old limbs and debris from trees and bedding, and prepare your landscape to survive the harsh winter now, the less work you will have when spring arrives. 

As always, your landscape professional can advise you on your property’s fall preparation needs and help you effectively achieve your lawn care goals.