Spring is quickly approaching in the Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver, Washington areas. With spring comes an abundance of outdoor chores, which are easy to fall behind on. That is why it is important to start preparing your yard for spring now. This article will discuss a few tasks to consider performing before spring officially arrives.
Cleanup
Throughout the fall and winter months, an abundance of debris manages to collect itself throughout your property. From fallen leaves and branches to windblown trash, there is a plethora of debris that can be found in most yards. So the first step to preparing your yard for spring is gathering, collecting, and removing this debris, especially if you have fallen behind this task throughout the colder months of the year.
Mow and Edge
Since the warmer temperatures rouse our lawns from its dormant winter slumber, the grass begins to grow again with vigor. Therefore, it’s important to begin mowing and edging your lawns once the temperature begins to rise. Grass grows incredibly quickly, especially if your lawn has been well-fed and is healthy already. Hence, the best time to begin mowing and edging your lawns again is now.
Weeding and Mulching
Another aspect of yard care that most people can quickly fall behind on is weed removal. Garden and flower beds can quickly and easily become overrun with undesirable plants during spring, especially if they have been left to grow throughout the rest of the year. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly remove any weeds that are growing in these areas. Once these beds have been cleared of any unwanted plants, a good way to keep these plants from quickly regrowing is to apply a thick layer of mulch. Mulch blocks sunlight and slows the germination process of these unwanted plants, ensuring that weeds do not immediately return to the area.
Dethatching and Aerating
Throughout the year, your lawn can become compacted from weather and foot traffic. This compaction can adversely affect your lawn, causing your lawn to suffer. The best way to relieve this compaction is to aerate. Aeration creates tiny holes throughout your lawn, relieving compaction and allowing moisture and sunlight to better penetrate the roots of your lawn, ensuring your lawn is healthy.
Debris accumulates in our lawns throughout the year as well. This debris mattes your grass and blocks sunlight and air from penetrating through the surface of your soil, which can also adversely affect your lawn. Removing this debris is, therefore, an important step in maintaining a lush and healthy lawn. Dethatching is the process that removes this built-up debris, ensuring your lawn gets the nutrients it needs most.
Overseeding and Fertilizing
One more task that we recommend performing before the arrival of spring is overseeding and fertilizing your lawn. Overseeding is the simple process of adding more grass seed to your existing lawns. This not only helps to fill in bare spots, but it also helps improve the density, as well as diversity, of your lawn. After overseeding, it is also a good idea to add organic fertilizer. Adding fertilizer to your lawn ensures that your lawn has the appropriate nutrients it needs in order to remain happy and healthy.
As anyone can clearly see, there is an abundance of tasks that should be performed in order to prepare your lawn for spring; and we’ve only scratched the surface! If you are feeling intimidated by these tasks, or if you’d just prefer a helping hand, give Urban Eden a call today at (360)567-6399, contact us here, or fill out our FREE estimate request form online!