Find Out How To Best Prepare Your Lawn For Spring In Maryland, Washington DC, And Northern Virginia
Spring cleaning counts for your outdoor space too! You’ll also be checking your tools, cleaning debris, pruning, replanting, mulching, mowing, and more.
Discover the full checklist below-
WE’RE FINALLY…DONE?
“Not quite yet,” sighs Shane.
Emma sighs, shoulders slumping. “What do we have left on the list?” she moans. Shane opens up his phone to look, saying “Looks like we have the full spring yard clean up checklist to go. That includes the lawn.”
Emma rolls her shoulders to stretch them out. “Well, let’s get to work then. What does the list say?” Shane chuckles dryly. “The list says we have a lot to do to get our yard ready for spring. Not sure we can finish it today.”
“Well, we can always start! That’ll mean less work tomorrow,” Emma points out. “We should also look up some new plants for adding to our curb appeal,” she suggests. Shane nods and turns his phone so they can both see the checklist.
Here’s what the couple has down:
CHECKLIST FOR SPRING YARD CLEANING
1. CHECK YOUR TOOLS
It’s good to check your tools for rust, splintering, and damages in general. You’ll also want to make sure you have all, and enough of, the materials you’ll need for spring yard maintenance.
2. CLEAN UP DEBRIS
Sticks, leaves, litter, pinecones, and basically anything not grass or one of your plants should go. Removing this litter will help make your lawn healthier and prevent damaging conditions to your yard like fungus or bare spots.
Instead of throwing away yard debris, compost it! Or, you can choose one of the other ways to recycle yard waste.
3. CHECK FOR DAMAGES TO PLANTS AND TREES
Any damages need taking care of quickly. They can include pruning dead areas, getting rid of pests, replanting, and more.
4. PRUNE PLANTS
Pruning plants is like shearing sheep because it’s actually really good for them. Pruning can help your plants live longer, healthier lives, all while looking great.
When it comes to pruning you can use the 4 Ds: Dead, Damaged, Dried, or Deranged (which means branches going in weird directions).
You can prune flowering perennials to about 4 to 5 inches tall and ornamental grasses 2 to 3 inches tall. Prune spring bloomers after they flower and summer bloomers before their buds swell.
5. PREVENT CRABGRASS
Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to keep crabgrass from growing. It’s best to do this before the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees Fahrenheit because that’s when crabgrass seeds germinate.
6. INSTALL OR REPLENISH MULCH
Mulch is great for plants. It insulates them from heat and cold. Mulch also helps keep weeds to a minimum.
7. WEED CONTROL
Nobody wants a yard full of weeds! Let’s get rid of those suckers before they become a bigger problem.
8. DIVIDE PERENNIALS AND PLANT THEM IN 3 STEM GROUPINGS
This can help fill in any gaps in your garden.
9. FERTILIZE GARDEN BEDS AND ANY OTHER PLANTS
You can help your plants grow bigger and healthier with fertilizers. Be careful to follow instructions for chemical fertilizers or you could hurt your plants.
10. CLEAN ANY HARDSCAPES LIKE PATIOS AND DECKS
Look for any mildew or mold spots and get rid of them. Sweep, hose, and sweep again for a thorough clean. Don’t forget to clean any outdoor furniture!
SPRING LAWN CHECKLIST
1. CLEAN ANY DEBRIS LIKE STICKS AND LEAVES
These don’t look good among the beautiful green grass. Too much debris covering your grass for too long will hurt your grass. Leaf removal is very important as they can kill your grass if left covering it for too long, leaving bare patches.
2. SEED ANY BARE PATCHES IN YOUR LAWN
Lawns shouldn’t look like patchwork quilts. Seeding can fill these in, which can help keep weeds from taking over.
3. MOW TO 3 INCHES HIGH
This keeps your lawn looking nice without hurting the grass. Keeping it a little longer does mean more mowing but your grass will look and be healthier.
4. ADD FERTILIZER
Fertilizer can help your lawn look way better. It can also help it be healthier, which makes it look better.
“Well, let’s divide up the tasks and get started,” says Shane while he stretches. Emma nods, saying “Yeah, and let’s also see what else we might want to know about yard and lawn care.”
