5 Easy Ways to Get Your Lawn and Garden Ready for Spring

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For anyone who adores gardening, winter can be a form of torture. Unless you have a greenhouse where you can while away the frigid months caring for your seedlings, chances are that you gaze out at the frosty landscape and dream of spring.

Spring and gardening go hand in hand, but until you can dig your hands deep into the soil and feel the warm sun on your back as you plant to your heart’s content, there are things that can and should be done to your lawn and garden to get them into top shape for planting.

These winter garden preparations not only create the best possible environment for your spring planting, but they also can help cure that burning desire that every gardener has to be outside digging and weeding, even if there is still no sign of spring.

1. Raking and Aerating

Chances are good that, even if there’s been snow cover, your lawn is full of winter debris. Even if you thoroughly raked your lawn before the snow fell, there are still sticks, leaves, and other matter that you’ll want to remove to allow your lawn to regenerate itself for spring. Use a sturdy grass rake and dig deep to remove all dead grass, leaves, and debris. You can consider composting this material if you’re certain it’s weed free and using it as mulch later.

Aerating keeps the roots of your lawn from becoming too compacted, which can inhibit their access to water and nutrients later in the season. Use an aerating tool to help break up clumped root systems to give your grass the best possible start to the year.

2. Fertilizing

Fertilizing is a crucial step in your spring lawn preparations, but even experienced gardeners can be unsure as to the proper type of fertilizer, how much, and when is the optimal time to give your grass the nutrients it needs.

Fertilizing schedules vary from region to region, but many lawn care experts recommend a light lawn fertilizer in the spring, and another treatment in the fall. A professional lawn care company can also combine the aforementioned lawn raking and aerating with a fertilizer treatment and lawn pest control services if you don’t have the time or if your lawn covers a sizable amount of land.

3. Pruning

If you want productive fruit trees, beautiful roses, and lush ornamental grasses, now is the time to break out the pruning shears and get started. However, despite the fact that pruning can be arduous work, it’s also a delicate task that may require the help of a professional. This is especially true if you’re working with tall trees or you’ve never actively pruned before.

For ornamental grasses, most experts suggest cutting back to a height of four inches. As the warmer weather sets in your grasses will take off with new growth. Roses need to be pruned when they begin to show signs of new growth so keep an eye on them for the proper time. Proper pruning of fruit trees ensures that the tree’s energy goes into fruit production instead of new growth. Again, a pruning expert may be your best choice for trees of any type.

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4. Flowerbeds and Perennials

Just as you would with your lawn, you’ll also need to ensure that your flowerbeds are thoroughly raked and aerated to prepare them for planting. Once the ground is no longer frozen you can also begin to work some mulch into the soil. If you’ve turned your lawn debris into compost this is the perfect place for it.

Any perennial flowers that you maintain will need to be cut back to prepare them for spring. You can also dig them up and separate them if they’ve begun to clump together or have become overgrown.

5. New Landscaping

If this is the year that you plan to give your entire yard and garden and makeover, now is the time to begin planning. In fact, what better way for a gardener to spend the winter months than by meticulously planning and plotting your yard’s brand new look?

If you’ve decided to work with a landscape architect book your consultation early. This is a busy time of year for them and you don’t want to miss out.

Waiting for the summer gardening season can be difficult, but there are plenty of large and small tasks that you can complete before spring to have your best gardening season yet.

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