Spring has finally sprung again, but before your yard can do its best “springing”, there are a few tasks you should do first. To get your lawn and garden looking its best this season, check out our tips below:
Do: Give Your Tools a Tune-Up
Before you bust out the leaf blower, weed whacker, or lawnmower, be sure to check their fluids, change spark plugs, install a new filter, and generally tune them up where needed. They haven’t been used in a few months and will need a little TLC to begin the season.
Do: Spring Cleaning is an Outdoor Task, Too
Getting your lawn and garden areas prepped for new growth begins with gleaning out the old growth. Remove and dead leaves, sticks, and other leftover debris from last season. This also helps your grass and soil absorb fertilizers and nutrients needed for the upcoming seasons.
Do: Fertilize and Prevent Weeds
Once your yard is cleaned, it’s time to fertilize. You should start in early spring by using a combination of fertilizer and pre-emergent product. After six to eight weeks, apply the combination again while adding a broadleaf weed killer. This should keep your lawn free of crabgrass and other weeds.
Don’t: Use Pre-emergent in Your Garden
For any weed killers you use in your garden, be sure to read the ingredients carefully. If you should use a pre-emergent by mistake, it is likely that none of your seeded garden plants will emerge. (That’s the pre-emergent’s job, after all.)
Do: Start Mowing Early
For a thick summer lawn, mow early and often in the spring. Letting grass grow tall, then cutting it short damages the root system. Instead, mow every 5 days or so (depending on the weather) and raise the mowing deck up to about 3 to 4 inches to help promote a healthy, thick lawn.
Do: Trim Bushes and Trees
Especially on bigger trees and bushes (you might need to hire a professional trimmer) it can be tough to recognize dead or dying branches as they develop leaves. Clear away dead branches in early spring when the trees are budding and decaying limbs are easier to identify.
Don’t: Seed Your Lawn if You’ve Already Treated it for Weeds
You may want to wait for Fall to seed the lawn. Just as with your garden, the weed killers used for lawns often include a pre-emergent, so if you’ve already treated the entire lawn with weed killer, your attempts to fill any bare patch likely won’t bear fruit. If you do notice these spots before fertilizing and treating for weeds, go ahead and find a patching seed mix.
Pick up everything you need for your lawn and garden at Mimbach Fleet Supply.
