Now that spring is officially upon us in Washougal, Camas, and Vancouver, Washington, it may be time to clean up your yard in preparation for the forthcoming growing season. Since fall and winter can wreak havoc on your landscape, it is important to take care of your yard before the full force of spring arrives. Here, you’ll find our basic spring cleanup checklist that you can use as a guide for the cleanup process.
Debris
At the top of our checklist is the cleaning up of debris. Leaves, branches, and various other types of debris tend to accumulate in our yards. So, the first step in any well-rounded spring cleanup process is to address the debris. Rake or otherwise gather the debris together and dispose of it in a compost bin, haul it away to a recycling center, or have a landscaper do the dirty work for you!
Mowing and Edging
An obvious task to perform during a spring cleanup is mowing. Once the debris has been cleared from the lawn areas, mow your yard to your desired length or somewhat shorter if you plan to aerate and dethatch. Either bag and dispose of the grass clippings or mulch/compost them back into the yard. After the mowing is complete, it is a great idea to redefine the edges of the lawn as well. This will give your lawn an overall healthier look.
Reshape and Cleanout Garden Beds
During the colder months of the year, garden and flower beds can go neglected. Garden beds collect a lot of debris and undesirable plants (weeds). Because of this, beds can become ill-defined and overrun. The next step of a spring cleanup would be to remove any unwanted growth, dispose of it, and reshape/re-edge the beds. This will give your landscape a well-manicured look.
Aerating and Dethatching
During the winter months, your lawn can become compacted, which hinders the growth and health of your lawn. Aerating helps to relieve this compaction and dethatching helps to remove excess thatch within your lawn and further allows air, moisture, and other necessary nutrients to deeply penetrate the roots of your lawn.
Trimming and Pruning
Although the best time to trim and prune your trees, bushes, and shrubs is during the dormant period of winter, these plants can still be taken care of during the early time of spring. Ensuring your plants are properly pruned and trimmed will also ensure their health and vigor.
Overseeding and Fertilizing
During the months of dormancy, your lawn uses the nutrients it has stored from the previous year, which is quickly depleted by spring. Therefore, it is a good idea to fertilize your lawn to add the nutrients it may be lacking. Furthermore, if there are patchy areas in your lawn, or if it isn’t as thick and lush as you would like, then overseeding may be a benefit. Overseeding is the simple process of adding seed to your existing lawn. Be sure that you do not let the seeds dry out to ensure that the grass seed is able to sprout.
If all of the above tasks are completed, then you will be well on your way to having a fantastic looking landscape. If you would like assistance with any or all of these tasks, give Urban Eden Landscaping a call today at (360)567-6399, contact us here, or fill out our FREE estimate request form online.