#1 Aerate your lawn
If you’ve never aerated your lawn, Spring is the time to do it! This process involves special equipment that punches holes in your turf, creating air pockets to improve the health of soil and roots. The holes in the lawn will allow for much needed nitrogen from rainfall to enter your soil and aid all sorts of microbial action. Keep in mind that aeration has the best effect when done after the yard has dried out, and hiring a professional to do the job is definitely a good idea.
#2 Dethatch your lawn
Thatch is the build-up of dead grass and debris left on the surface of your lawn in the winter months. Removing thatch will allow the grass underneath to grow quicker and fuller. A thinner layer of thatch can be effectively removed by power raking. Some landscapers will dethatch or power rake during the aeration process.
#3 Spring Clean Up – The Perennials
Perennials are great as they come back every year, and many gardeners will leave their plants alone in the fall; providing seed heads for winter birds, and creating an attractive picture throughout the cold season. As the weather turns in spring, however, your garden needs to be cleaned out and cleared up to make space for new growth. Remove the dead foliage and stalks from last season leaving the roots in the ground. Destroy any bugs, larvae and other pests you find but avoid turning the soil too much — too much disturbance can kill off nutrients in the upper layers.
#4 Mulch your Beds – Get it delivered
Layer your gardens with a generous amount of mulch — use chipped bark, wood chips or other natural mulch products — to help with moisture retention and to reduce weeds. Consider mulch as an investment and spread it annually for a neater garden. Old mulch decomposes into the soil creating great growing conditions while building soil; by adding many necessary nutrients to feed your plants, shrubs and trees. If you can’t pick it up, get it delivered.
#5 Prune your Shrubs and Trees
Pruning is much more than the simple act of sawing off limbs and should be a regular part of all tree and shrub maintenance programs. Pruning at the right time and in the right way is critical, since it is possible to kill a healthy tree through neglect or over-pruning. Essentially, pruning should enhance the tree’s natural shape. Many shrubs and bushes can also be pruned or trimmed in the spring to create an orderly, attractive landscape, as well contributing to good health and preventing massive overgrowth.
Call 416-925-1111 To Schedule Your Spring Yard Maintenance Today!
