“Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson described the weather in March perfectly. Especially the weather in the Midwest where it is difficult to know what to expect. But either way, spring is just over the horizon! Big Bend Landscaping loves this time of year. We are gearing up for our busy season—getting out our tools and looking at our schedule. If you’re already on our list, sit tight! We’ll be there soon.
Meanwhile, let’s look at ten things you can do to prep your yard for spring!
Walk the Line
Begin by strolling through your yard, looking for problems that may have popped up over the winter–such as changes to the terrain, bare spots in the lawn, and soil loss around the roots of perennials, shrubs, and young trees.
Make plans to address any issues you see before they becoming larger problems. You may need a retaining wall and/or dry creek bed. Big Bend can help with that!
Be Prepared (locate and clean up gardening tools)
It might seem like it’s a little soon, but now is the time to make sure your tools are in working order. Pull out the lawnmower, change the oil and sparkplugs, and sharpen the blade–or take it in for servicing. Locate your gardening tools, like rakes, hoes, and other tools that you rely on.
If you’re thinking about installing a new feature, such as a patio or walkway, now is the time to think about where you want to place them, whether it means purchasing new lawn care tools, and what permits you may need.
Big Bend Landscaping can help with this too.
Clean up! Clean up! Everybody Everywhere…
Clear away deadfall. Take note of whether the dead branches are the result of ice, age, or disease. Rake up any leaves that may have fallen and any debris that might have blown in from a neighbor’s yard. Pull up any leftover annuals. Sweep off your outdoor living space and clean out any debris that may have fallen into your fire pit or fire place.
If you don’t have an outdoor living space, but are thinking about getting one, call Big Bend Landscaping and set up a time for us to come out and show you how we can help you create the outdoor space of your dreams.
Prep Your Pots and Planters
If you planted annuals last year and just left them in the pots or planters, clean out the pots—throw out or recycle potting soil, depending on how it was used last year whether the plants were healthy or not.
Tree Trimming
Check your trees and shrubs for broken or damaged branches. Remove them with sharp pruning shears. It is easier on trees and shrubs if you prune them in the late winter or early spring.
Pruning Perennials
Prune perennials like rose bushes while they are dormant or are just beginning to bud. Remove diseased branches and shape your plants with an eye toward how you want them to look when they begin to bloom. Keep in mind that some perennials, like roses get leggy and woody and won’t bloom as well if you don’t prune back old growth. Ask your local gardening center or extension office for advice about this.
To Prep Your Yard for Spring: Take the Test
Test your soil in your flower beds and lawn to see what minerals have been depleted by the previous growing season. Your local extension office will have kits for this. This will tell you whether or not to amend your soil. Do not fertilize or amend your soil too soon! You don’t want to encourage premature growth!
Inspect Irrigation System
Now is the time to check your irrigation system for any problems that may have surfaced during colder weather. Look for cracks or loose connections and replace damaged sprayer heads. If you have a service that does this for you, this would be a good time to schedule an appointment. This is especially true if Big Bend Landscaping is coming out to install your new outdoor living space. Planning ahead will prevent scheduling conflicts.
Much Ado about Mulch
If you use an organic mulch (like straw or wood chips) you may need to add more to your flower beds. This will prevent unwanted weeds from springing up as the weather warms up and protect your newly emerging plants from unexpected cold snaps. Raised flower beds, placed behind retaining walls, make keeping weeds under control and mulch clean up a snap! Big Bend Landscaping can talk with you about the best use of raised beds and how you can use them to dress up your landscape!
Call Big Bend Landscaping!
Now that your yard is cleaned up and ready for spring, schedule a visit with Big Bend Landscaping to talk about the outdoor living area you’ve been dreaming about all winter! Take a look at our gallery for ideas!
Conclusion
Big Bend Landscaping has been building outdoor living space in the St. Louis space for over 25 years. We use only the highest quality materials by companies like Belgard, Pavestone, and Romanstone. Our company has 56, five-star reviews on Google and an A+ rating with the BBB. Our crews have a Level 1 Certification from the National Concrete and Masonry Association. This means we’re experts in our field. We guarantee all our work; this includes parts and labor. If for any reason you have a problem with something we’ve done, call us and we will make your satisfaction our priority.
Want to know more? Give us a call or contact us for an online estimate!