It seems like just yesterday it was time to winterize your yard. Now, it’s time to start prepping it for spring!
Lawns need care year-round in some form, and there’s plenty to be done in the winter months—January through March—to create a lush, green lawn to enjoy in the warmer ones.
Let’s take a look at a list of ways you can get your yard spring-ready, month by month.
January Lawn Care To-Dos for a Spring-Ready Yard
This month, you’ll mostly be continuing a lot of December’s lawn-care to-dos—caring for your grass, cleaning up around the yard, and [preparing] for planting time. Unlike in December, though, you can actually begin planting certain things this month. Here are a handful of pre-spring tasks to focus on in January:
Tend to your turf—If you’ve got warm-winter grasses, such as Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and zoysia, take the opportunity on a dry winter day to mow.
Protect your “tender” trees and shrubs—Save your more delicate plants from frost by covering them with burlap or other hardy material. Also, support “leggy” plants with stakes to prevent breakage from ice and/or wind.
Plant certain flora—If you live in the Northern VA-DC Metro-MD area, you’re located in planting zones 6 and 7, which means you can begin planting roses; bare-root, balled-and-burlapped, and container-grown trees and shrubs; and summer and fall flowering bulbs. This is also a good month to remove plants you no longer want and replace them with others that you prefer.
Prune select plants—This is the perfect time to prune dormant trees and shrubs, including fruit trees and grapevines if you have any. Hold off, though, on pruning both winter- and spring-flowering shrubs until just after they bloom.
Perform “routine maintenance”—Some general cleaning and maintenance to-dos to consider in January include removing weeds; tilling any workable soil; and checking your lawn sprinkler system for any leaks.
February Lawn Care To-Dos for a Spring-Ready Yard
February marks the middle of winter, so many plants are still dormant or just about to sprout. It may seem like there’s not much yard work to be done, but that’s far from true. In addition to continuing much of January’s tasks, you can also start:
Pruning flowering plants and shrubs—This month is prime time for pruning! Most trees, except for maples and birches, are ready to be pruned. You can also begin pruning ornamental grasses, as well as roses, once their buds start to swell.
Planting more—If you haven’t already or weren’t able to in January, you can begin planting bare-root trees and shrubs. Poppy seeds can now also be planted, on top of the last snow of the season.
Fertilizing—If needed, give your winter vegetables and/or winter-blooming pansies a boost.
March Lawn Care To-Dos for a Spring-Ready Yard
March Lawn Care To-Dos for a Spring-Ready Yard
Spring is almost here—Wednesday, March 20, marks the first day of the season. You’ll be busy this month readying your lawn as spring closes in, but don’t forget to keep the last frost date and your planting/hardiness zone in mind. Leave winter in the dust and go out with a bang with these late-winter/early-spring lawn-care tips:
Spring-clean your yard—For starters, this is a great time to give your mower and lawn-care tools some TLC—e.g., sharpen mower blades, tune-up your mower—and your yard a thorough cleaning, if you haven’t already.
Prep for the first cut—If needed, lightly fertilize your lawn, whether it’s cool- or warm-season grass. If you have Bermuda grass and want to make it softer and easier to mow this summer, consider scalping it.
Put some bulbs out—Once the last frost has passed, you can plant tender bulbs, like caladium, dahlia and tuberous begonia.
Plant your favorite foods—Plow and work your garden as soon as your soil is workable, and plant your favorite herbs and cool- and warm-season vegetables.
Get ready for summer—March is a great time for irrigation and sprinkler installation to prepare for summer watering.
It’s not too soon to start prepping for the warm months. Is your yard ready? Contact us today to discuss your irrigation needs—we’ll design a system that will deliver optimum performance.