Another gardening season is upon us and it’s time to prepare for proper landscape maintenance this spring. Before you grab the nearest shovel and start edging, do a quick overall assessment of the lawns and gardens all around the home. This will help you spot things that didn’t fare well over winter, and identify any areas affected by things like mold, rot, disease, and structural failings that require urgent attention. It’s best to address these first before planting things that might not thrive because of an issue that wasn’t spotted earlier. To ready the lawn and gardens for healthy growth and new plants this spring, get your landscape maintenance on by following these simple steps.
Plan It Out
Take a look at the overall layout and decided how you’d like the lawns and gardens to look this year. Some people like to keep a traditional garden that looks the same each year, and others prefer to change it up every year or two. Whatever you choose remember to take the surrounding environment into account when selecting all of the grass, plants, trees and shrubs that will populate your little Eden. If you’re unsure of what will work in a new garden space, take note of the sun exposure throughout the day, and plant according to what works under those particular conditions.
If it’s a graduated garden or a full luscious look you want, don’t forget to check the height and growth area of each of your plant choices to get the layers you want, and to prevent the garden from becoming overgrown or too crowded for everything to grow and shine.
Heat The Ground
After a cold winter the ground remains cool and solid, even after the weather warms up a little, and these conditions make it very difficult to plant and coax any new life out of the garden. A very simple solution is to loosely place a plastic sheet over soil that’s been cleared of old dead plants and debris for at least one week. The sheet will help raise the soil temperature and also increase the moisture levels for seeds and young plant.
Fertilize
Most plants benefit from a good fertilizer and, in preparation for new plantings, fertilizing the soil ahead of time can be the ace up your sleeve. Always fertilize according to what you plan to plant, and if you’re using manure, make absolutely sure that it’s been aged so that it doesn’t burn or kill your plants. Most importantly, make sure not to over fertilize as this can actually hinder new growth.
Get Good Drainage
Always check the drainage of the lawns and gardens to make sure they do not draw water to one main area of the garden. Pooling and poor drainage can drown or damage plants and leave your lawn soggy. If you’re unsure, hire someone to assess it and help you arrange your yard so that moisture is more evenly distributed and to make sure that all pipes and drains are in good condition and free of cracks that may lead to leakage.
Mulch
During your next spring supply run, remember bread, milk, and mulch for the garden. Mulching helps retain moisture and also represses pests and fungal growth, making for a happier healthier garden. There is a wide variety of mulch available, and each has different benefits for your garden so to get the one that’s right for you, consult with a landscape maintenance professional or resident expert gardener.
Happy Gardening.
