Spring Yard Cleanup and Maintenance Tips You Can Use Now
- Posted by livewell in Landscaping Tips
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The beginning of April is a great time to get outside and do some spring cleaning. We’ve pulled together spring yard cleanup and maintenance tips to boost your property appeal and enjoy your outdoor oasis.
It’s time to get outside and get to work with the whole family – even the youngest children can help refresh your yard.
Tip #1: Clean the Yard and Garden Beds
Cleaning up the yard and garden beds is the best place to start. Pick up branches and twigs that have fallen into the yard over the winter. Gently rake leaves out of garden beds and out of the yard.
If you have a compost pile, put the leaves there. Otherwise, you can bag them up for disposal. Because the soil is moist, this is also an excellent time to pull spring weeds such as chickweed, speedwell, deadnettle, and dandelions.
Tip #2: Create New Garden Beds
Get rid of thinning grass patches and ass instant curb appeal with new garden beds. Start by adding topsoil to get your plants off to a good start.
Choose groundcovers, flowers, and shrubs that will thrive in that location – whether in full sun or shade. Consider perennial flowers that will multiply and fill in a space.
Related Reading: Why You Should Use Native Plants in Your Landscape
Tip #3: Mulch as Needed
You should undoubtedly lay down mulch on any new garden beds and any bare spots. You can also top-dress other garden beds and around trees to give everything a fresh look.
Just be sure not to let mulch get piled too deeply, as that can reduce air circulation to plant roots. If adding new mulch will make it deeper than 4”, remove some old mulch before putting down fresh mulch.
Tip #4: Tend to the Lawn
Spring is an excellent time to fertilize and put down crabgrass preventers. Your lawn care company may do this for you. But if you’re a DIY lawn care person, buy the products suitable for your lawn and use a spreader. If you plan to overseed thin areas, do not apply crabgrass preventer there.
When you mow, be careful not to cut your grass too short. Thick, healthy turfgrass prevents weed growth. Setting your mower to 3-3.5” should do the trick.
Tip #5: Clean Hardscaping
Lastly, you’ll want to clean your hardscapes, such as your patio, walkways, and driveway. Start by giving everything a good sweep with a push broom. You can pull any weeds and remove moss at the foundation between your patio and home by hand.
Next, if winter’s grime has discolored your patio and walkways, you can rent a pressure washer or hire a company to clean the hard surfaces. If you have pavers, use a gentler setting on the pressure washer, so you don’t disturb the sand in the joints. If it’s been several years since you sealed your pavers, you may also want to seal them this spring.
Tip #6: Consider Working with a Landscape Designer
If you have a lot of thinning grass, dead or dying shrubs, and overgrown shrubs and trees, it may be time to overhaul your landscaping. Avoid mistakes and get a professional’s help. A landscape designer can help you upgrade your property with a well-thought-out design that incorporates native plants, with an eye for the color, texture, and height of plants, shrubs, and trees.
An outdoor living company can install the landscaping and hardscaping elements that complement your home and exemplify your tastes.
Related Reading: DIY Landscape Design Risks
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If you’d like to add more function and beauty to your outdoor living spaces, we can help. We turn your outdoor living dreams into reality. From landscape design to patios to inground pools, we transform ordinary backyards into personal paradises. Check out our Portfolio for examples of our work and gain inspiration.
We work with homeowners throughout the Capital Region, including Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
