Spring Clean Up

Spring is the best opportunity to see that your yard and garden are prepared for the year ahead. If you take the time to clean away those pesky weeds, spiff up your garden, and make sure to fertilize all your plants, it’ll go a long way to prolonging the health of your yard’s natural ecosystem.

There are some key elements to consider when it’s time to clean up for spring. Make sure to remove any old leaf and pine needle debris, and apply fresh mulch your yard or garden as needed. For flowers, cut off any dead leaf material, especially on perennials. If you have any butterfly bushes, see that they’re well trimmed.

Prepare your vegetable garden for growing season with plenty of compost or fertilizer. Prune roses to prepare for good future growth. If the bed lines are looking sloughed or soft, sharpen them up to improve both their appearance and aeration. Older shrubs and bushes should be cleaned of any dead wood, and dead plants should be removed. Also consider using herbicide (either store bought or organic) for problem areas in your yard to kill unwanted weeds. The earlier you apply the herbicide, the less trouble and wasted time you’ll have through the summer and autumn months ahead.

If you have roses in your yard, see that they’re well tended and cared for. Any transplanting should be done in early spring when the ground is soft, and make sure that you trim off any dead material as soon as possible. Lawns should also be aerated and fertilized regularly, since thick grass lawns are less susceptible to crabgrass and other pesky weeds. Mow your lawn regularly, but make sure that the grass is allowed to grow at least two inches high.