Once winter subsides, you want your lawn to have a stunning comeback in the spring. But healthy, gorgeous grass depends on what you do before the weather warms up. So, when should you start spring cleanup? Learn more here.
Spring Cleaning Should Include Your Lawn
Temperature extremes and harsh outdoor conditions wreak havoc on your commercial lawn. Your business has a professional reputation to uphold, and it needs to look its best at all times. But after winter wear and tear and minimal maintenance, its appearance may not be up to par. It’s customary to perform spring cleaning inside the building. However, your lawn benefits from seasonal cleanup too. It’s your opportunity to assess and address any damage and prepare your property for the next season.
When To Start Landscaping in the Spring
The most opportune time to start spring cleanup is after the last snowfall or frost of the winter. Once the snow and ice have completely melted and the weather’s consistently warming up (around early to mid-March), perform the following tasks:
Remove Litter, Leaves, and Debris
As the snow and ice melt, they reveal everything hidden underneath. Fallen branches, trash, and pet waste must be removed from your lawn as soon as possible. This is the first step to spring cleaning—literally cleaning your yard.
Also, don’t forget to clean your plant beds. Remove weeds, leaves, and rotten mulch to prevent them from smothering your plants and hindering healthy growth.
Trim and Prune
Your commercial property is no place for overgrown plants and dead vegetation, so trimming and pruning are critical steps during spring cleanup. When you cut dying or diseased plants and keep healthy ones from growing out of control, it significantly improves the appearance of your property.
On the same token, you don’t want to get scissor-happy and trim too much, as this could cause long-term damage to the plant. Improperly cut plants ruin uniformity and tend to grow back unevenly. Professionals don’t just know how to prune and trim, but they also know when. Since fresh-cut branches attract insects and disease in warmer climates, timing is everything. Experienced landscapers wait until ideal temperatures to perform trimming and pruning services.
Aerate and Overseed
Soil gets compacted over time, making it harder to absorb the oxygen and moisture it needs. Plus, it’s difficult for grass to take root within dry, compacted conditions. For these reasons, aerating the lawn or putting holes in the soil allows water, nutrients, and air to provide nourishment and strength.
Aerating before overseeding helps the seeds germinate more quickly. Overseeding fills in the areas that are thinning or bare. That way, when your grass grows back in the spring, it’ll be vibrant and full.
Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicides and Fertilizers
After lawn aeration and overseeding, the next step is pre-emergent and fertilizer application. A pre-emergent is an herbicide that forms a protective barrier in the soil to prevent weed growth. The excessive water from snow and ice and the chemicals used to melt it away weaken the soil. Pre-emergent herbicides and fertilizers stop unwanted growth while expediting healthy growth.
Mow and Edge Your Landscape
Once all the above is complete, you may finally cut your grass before the next season begins. Cutting your grass is one thing, but edging is an additional service that prevents grass from growing into garden beds and sidewalks. If you’re looking for a way to boost your location’s curb appeal, lawn mowing and edging give your building a sharp, manicured appearance.
Varsity, Inc. Is Ready To Restore Your Lawn
Spring cleanup landscaping is one of our many specialties here at Varsity, Inc. We’ve been in the commercial lawn care industry since 1976, so we’ve mastered these services over the years. Our full range of landscaping services includes erosion control, tree and shrub installation, and many other solutions to prepare your lawn for spring and summer. Varsity, Inc. performs quality work at competitive prices, and our team strives to exceed your expectations from start to finish.
If you’re interested in learning more about our capabilities, don’t hesitate to call and speak with our specialists. We’re dedicated to serving you, and we look forward to building a lifelong partnership.