In most instances, homeowners tend to neglect their yards during the winter because of the cold temperatures and resulting slow growing period. But now that we’re into mid-March, it’s time to start prepping your yard for spring. If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a checklist that will help you to get your lawn in top shape:
– Mow the lawn. Most likely you haven’t mowed it at all during the winter months and it will need some trimming. Make sure that you take 1/3 of the height of the grass off the top to ensure that it’s healthy and has room to grow in uniformly.
– Prune the bushes. Trim them back in both height and circumference so that the bushes can receive sunlight on all sides.
– Clear out anything dead. Pick out dead leaves, foliage and fallen tree branches from your beds and lawn.
– Pull the weeds. Pull any existing weeds and take steps to ensure they don’t come back for the rest of spring and summer.
– Treat your soil. Add a soil mix of 50% planting mix and 50% dirt to add nutrients into the ground which helps to retain water and prime the ground for plantings.
– Remove old mulch. After the last freeze of the spring, remove the old mulch to make room for new better-looking mulch.
– Add new mulch. Mulch regulates the temperature of plants and prevents weeds. After removing the old mulch, add at least 1-2 inches of dark mulch to all of your beds.
– Protect your plants. If a late-spring frost threatens your plants, water them before and after the freeze to help them survive. Putting towels over the plants the night of the freeze can also help to insulate them; just make sure to remove the towels first thing in the morning so they don’t damage your plants.
– Plant appropriate annuals. Pansies, violas, cyclamen and English Primrose are good choices for spring planting because they can handle low temperatures down into the 50s.
– Install low-maintenance trees and shrubs. Dogwoods, Crepe Myrtles, Azaleas and Hollies are great choices for the Middle Tennessee climate and are both low-maintenance and cost-efficient over time.
By putting in the time and effort at the beginning of the season, you’ll be able to create a beautiful lawn that you can enjoy for the rest of spring and summer!