How to Prepare Your Lawn and Landscape For Spring

Spring will officially start next month, which means now is the time to ready your lawn and landscape for a spectacular spring season. While it can be tempting to wait for longer days and warmer weather to tackle yard work, preparing early can make all the difference in the look and health of your lawn through spring and summer. So you can spring into action, we’re sharing a helpful checklist of pre-spring tasks to help get your south Alabama landscape ready for the season ahead.

Clear your landscape. The first step is to remove any yard debris that has piled up over the winter season. This includes picking up larger debris like sticks or limbs (be sure to wear a good pair of gloves) and raking up any leaves that have dropped since fall. This will help reinvigorate your grass and allow better penetration of products and sunlight.

Tune up your tools. Perform some basic maintenance on your lawn and landscape tools in preparation for spring yard work. This includes cleaning and sharpening lawn mower blades, loppers, pruning shears, string trimmers, etc. If you have a gas-powered lawn mower, you should also change the oil, air filter, and spark plugs.

Apply a pre-emergent herbicide. Late February to early March is the time to tackle spring weeds like crabgrass with pre-emergent applications. This will ensure the products have time to penetrate the soil and kill any weed seeds before they can sprout and surface in your lawn. Keep in mind that pre-emergents stop all seed development, so take care to avoid your flower beds and planting containers and don’t apply it to your lawn if you’re seeding your grass.

Test your soil. If you plan to plant this spring, it’s smart to be sure your soil has the proper pH and nutrient levels for new plants to grow and thrive. You can purchase soil testing kits at most garden and home centers, or a landscape company can provide professional testing and recommendations to correct improper soil health.

Clean and tidy flower beds. Remove any debris and old leaves from plant beds and use an edging tool to create neat, distinct edges. This will prevent grass from invading your beds once spring growth begins. This is also the time to remove any wayward plants (like that azalea bush that didn’t bloom last year) and make room for new spring color.

Prune trees and shrubs. Inspect trees and shrubs (except spring blooming shrubs) for branches that are broken, diseased, or damaged and prune as needed. Follow our best tips for trimming and pruning and remember to call in professionals for any trees that are tall or pose a safety risk to you or others.

Refresh your mulch. Adding a new layer of pine straw or mulch before spring helps to prevent weeds and protect new plant growth. If necessary, remove any old mulch before applying a fresh batch to avoid suffocating root systems in the soil.

Check irrigation systems. As temperatures begin warming, turn on your sprinkler system and inspect it for leaks, clogs, or other issues that may have happened over the winter season. Your landscape or irrigation system company can do this for you if needed.

If you’re not ready to take on your pre-spring tasks, Chad’s Landscape Management is here to help. Our expert landscape technicians can handle every step of seasonal maintenance to keep your lawn and landscape in optimal condition year-round. Give us a call for a free quote today!