This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a commission at no extra cost to you should you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A Spring Gardening Guide? Springs' soft, gentle breezes have taken the snow away and have dried up your lawn. After a long winter, it is time to give your lawn, flower beds, and vegetable gardens a facelift.
There is much to do, and the time is now to get your lawn on the move by waking it up to the earth that surrounds your home. This can be done very easily but don't get in a rush for some of the things on your to-do list.
Here is an early spring guide to gardening:
Spring Gardening Guide: Lawn Care
Perhaps raking is the most important part of getting your lawn ready for a new season. Start by raking every inch of your lawn - removing winters' left over's such as any debris that may have collected over the winter. All twigs, leaves, and sometimes garbage should be removed from your lawn at this point. It will give your lawn room to breathe and promote its growing capability.
When you are raking, pay attention to any bare spots that may have formed over the winter - this can be done by raking the patch of soil first, then drop some lawn seed on the patch. If you live in an arid part of the country, the lawn seed can be encouraged to grow by covering it with burlap and soaking this material to hold the moisture.
Do not swamp it with water. After a few days, the wet burlap will make the seed underneath take hold, and when you lift it, you will see the new grass seedlings sprouting through the ground. It is important to keep the burlap wet until the grass seed shows through. Then, you can lift the burlap off.
Shrubs and Trees
Assuming you have wrapped some of your trees and shrubs with burlap during the winter, it is now time to remove them. Be sure to remove anything that you have placed around your tree for protection. This will give your trees and shrubs the much-welcomed air of spring and help them recover after the long winter.
Now is the time to move a shrub you want to place in another area of your property. This is the ideal time to move them as they are still a little dormant. Once they are moved to a new spot, it will not take them long to take root, and before you know it, they will dress in new leaves.
If you have fruit trees on your property, they need a little attention. You can use an organic substance to spray the trees to kill any pests that may have made these trees their home over the winter. The best time to spray your trees is while they are just budding but are not showing flowers.
Spring Gardening Guide: Weeds
Weeds are the pest of any lawn and will start growing immediately when spring breaks. To get a head start on weed controls, get out there and start killing them as soon as they appear. Pulling them out is one way to ensure they will not return, at least in the near future.
By weeding early, you will stay ahead of weeds, and it will prove a much easier job than tackling them later. This can be done by pulling them by hand, or your local hardware store will have a tool that cuts the root of weeds at their core.
The Flower Garden
You will certainly find that flower beds hold some of last year's foliage, which is dead. Although this is unsightly, do not remove it until you are sure the weather has stabilized and you are sure the frost is over. This could still protect plants that may have survived the winter.
Some of your plants will have died over the winter, and the only solution to this is to remove them and replace them with new plants. Once you are sure the frost is over, you can remove all dead plants and place them into your compost. If your garden has a rose bush, remove any protective items you may have used to winterize them and prune the bush. Do this before they start to grow leaves.
If you dig your flower beds too early, this can be a common mistake made by new gardeners. The soil must be dry, and when you take the soil in your hand, it should break apart very easily. Now you can proceed by adding fertilizer of your choice.
A few more suggestions would be before you start your spring clean up - check your lawnmower to make sure it is working properly. There is nothing as aggravating as getting enthused to mow your lawn only to find that the lawnmower needs work too.
Cut back all grass that has accumulated close to your walkways by placing a trench along the edges. Everyone is enthusiastic about gardening once spring arrives. You can start your early spring gardening once you have a guide to take you through the process.