With an early Spring just around the corner, now is the time to plan ahead for your Spring landscaping and maintenance to help your lawn go from Winter to warmer temperatures.
But there's no need to rush! Spring landscaping maintenance shouldn't be started until you see continuous temps of 8-10 degrees celsius.
To get your lawn ready for new growth, here are five things you should keep in mind:
Rake
If you've never raked in the Spring, this is your sign to start! You need to remove the grass that died over the winter to avoid it turning into thatch. Thatch is the layer of mainly dead grass lying between the green vegetation of the grass above and the soil below. This layer, if it becomes too thick, can be bad for the health of your grass.
Another reason to give your lawn a good rake is an effect called 'snow mold'. This creates matted patches that new grass will have a hard time penetrating.
Pruning
Spring is peak pruning time for your trees and shrubs. You’ll improve the health of your trees while also getting rid of potentially dangerous, dangling limbs and giving them a more attractive shape, and your shrubs will be revitalized while helping keep their size and shape more manageable.
Fertilize
Give your lawn some light food in the springtime, and focus on a heavier feeding in the Fall. Over-fertilizing in the Spring can lead to excess weeds, but your lawn will need some help to come back after the winter frost. This can be done using a chemical fertilizer, or by using compost or a mulch mower.
Mulch/Weed Control
Help reduce the amount of weeds that will pop up in your gardens by applying a 2-inch layer of fresh mulch over all beds. Hand pull any weeds that have emerged after mulching, or use a natural spray to combat them. Be careful to not catch any flowers or plants that you'd like to keep!
Natural Weed Killer Recipe
- 1 gallon white vinegar
- 1 cup salt
- 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and treat weeds at the sunniest time of day for best results.
Mow
When the ground is dry enough and the grass is long enough to require cutting, it's mowing time! Cut at the proper height for your type of grass to avoid mowing too low. Grass cut too short allows sunlight to reach soil, encouraging weed seeds to germinate. It also favours shallow root development, which makes the lawn more easily susceptible to drought stress. Signs of this are wilting, the grass turning to darkening color, and footprints remaining after walking across the lawn.
