It’s freezing outside and yard maintenance is probably the last thing on your mind. However, there are many important jobs to do in the late winter and early spring to ensure your yard will look beautiful. Prepping your yard helps eliminate weeds, keeps shrubs tidy, and ensures lush thick grass and flower growth. So banish your cabin fever and use these five tips to get your yard ready for springtime.
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Remove Debris
Winter storms and heavy snow can leave your yard littered with branches and leftover leaves. Pick up and dispose of large debris, then use a rake to remove small twigs and leaves. Raking is also useful to clear away matted grass, which can help you avoid mold growth and disease.
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Avoid Crabgrass
The secret to curing that pesky crabgrass problem is properly applied prevention. Apply pre-emergent crabgrass control before the soil reaches 55 degrees. Once it germinates at 55 to 60 degrees, crabgrass is practically impossible to get rid of, no matter what you do.
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Trim Shrubs and Bushes
When the weather is cold, the sap is low, so this is the time to trim. Remove dead branches and keep bushes in shape with a trim. Avoid trimming flowering bushes and trees until after blooming to avoid removing productive branches.
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Sow Your Seed
Investigate your yard for bare spots and sow grass seed to ensure even grass growth. For best results, wait six weeks after weed control before adding new grass seed. Fertilize to encourage grass growth as the weather gets warmer. This is the time to plant certain flowers, plants and bulbs, too, depending on your growing zone.
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Tune Up Your Equipment
Whether you use many tools or only a lawn mower, winter weather is rough on equipment. So check your mower and string trimmer for damaged gas lines, built up rust, and dull blades. If you forgot to empty the gas in your mower in the fall, now is the time to get rid of any dead gas.
Bountiful yards don’t just happen, but they don’t have to fill up all of your time, either. However, a little work now can prepare your lawn for a lush and lovely spring. So, use these tips to get your yard ready for springtime.