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What is a "Spring Cleanup"?

3/26/2014

After the long, harsh New England winter your landscape requires some TLC to prepare for the growing season. If you don’t do a thorough spring cleanup – by yourself or by hiring a professional – your landscape can quickly get out of control. By taking a few steps in early spring, you can save yourself from more serious challenges later in the spring and summer months. The following tasks are usually taken for a comprehensive spring cleanup.

Refuse Removal
The first step in a spring cleanup includes removing all of the natural and other waste from your property. This means the bits of trash that have blown into the corners of your yard; the animal waste; the dead grass, leaves, and stalks; pinecones, and any other littler. Even if you did a thorough fall cleanup, you’ll inevitably have some dead leaves to rake up this spring. Raking to remove these leaves and any other debris will also help prevent thatch build-up on your lawn.

Plant, Transplant and Prune
Spring is a great time to plant. With temperatures getting to a comfortable level, plants can adjust to their new environment with minimal stress from extreme cold, heat or drought. If you have existing perennials that have become or are getting overgrown, spring is also a good time to divide and transplant these. Gently dig them up, divide them and move them to another area of your property (or give them to family or friends).

Now that it’s spring, your existing perennials will also require a trim. Most perennials should be cut back right to the base, although some should have some growth left behind. If you’re unsure, do a little research online on your specific plants to avoid over-pruning. At this time you will also want to remove any weeds from your garden beds as well as any dead, damaged, or diseased branches from shrubs and trees.

Fertilize
Just like people, plants require good nutrition to maintain health and longevity. A layer of fresh compost (about an inch to two) around plants and flowers can mean the difference between a lush, thriving plant and one that struggles through summer days. Apply compost before laying fresh mulch.

Weed control
Using pre-emergent weed control can make an incredible difference in weed growth on your property. While it won't eliminate all weed problems, it is effective in acting as a barrier to any existing weed seeds to prevent them from germinating on your lawn and in your garden beds. Apply this prior to installing fresh mulch. You should continue to use weed control up to three times throughout the summer to minimize weeds.

Mulch
Mulch helps create a defined, polished look to your landscape. It also helps in regulating the ground temperature for your plants, preventing weed growth and maintaining moisture in the soil. Just 2 to 3 inches of mulch should be installed throughout your plantings. If you’ve applied mulch previously, you may only need to top it off with an inch or so each spring.

If you’ve over-applied mulch previously, or it has built up over time, you should remove this old mulch prior to applying new mulch to avoid having more than 3”. An overly deep layer of mulch creates an environment conducive to insects and disease. It can also prevent nitrogen, an essential nutrient, from reaching your plant roots.

Now that you know what an effective spring cleanup includes, get your supplies ready to start cleaning your landscape in the coming weeks! If you don’t have the time for a job this big, or it seems like more work that you want to deal with, call Gardenin’ Angels for a comprehensive spring cleanup. We service all of the south shore of Massachusetts and are now scheduling spring cleanups for April through May.

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Preparing your lawnmower for spring

3/10/2014

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With snow still falling in some areas of Massachusetts, it seems hard to believe it some days – but spring is almost here! Oftentimes, once that first spring sunshine hits our faces, we rush out to buy patio furniture and plant flowers and start de-weeding. Of course we all want to beautify our outdoor space once the weather allows. But before you jump into it, take the next few weeks to prep your lawnmower that has been stored all winter (probably collecting dirt and moisture). Here are a few tips:

·        Clean or change your mower's spark plugs. You can clean them by removing them and lightly going over the plug with 400 grit sandpaper to remove any dust or debris. Rub gently to avoid damaging the contacts. A new spark plug is a minor expense - usually a few dollars. For safety, keep the spark plugs disconnected while you do the following steps.

·        Clean the undercarriage of the mower. Be sure there is no grass stuck underneath from last season and if rust has accumulated, you can use a steel brush or steel wool to remove it. Make sure the gasoline cover is on securely before you turn the mower over.

·        Drain and change the engine oil. Engine oil should be changed twice per year.

·        Drain and change gasoline. You should have drained your gas prior to winter storage, but if you didn’t do it now and replace with fresh gasoline. Gas can get separate, collect moisture and get gummy which is bad for your motor.

·        Sharpen the blade. Make sure you’ve disconnected the spark plug and remove the blade. Sharpen the edge of the blade using a file or a grindstone, keeping it at a roughly 45-degree angle, following the angle of the existing edge.

If these tips seem to overwhelm you, consider taking your mower to a professional. Your lawnmower is an investment. The better care and maintenance you provide, the longer it will last and the better it will run.

This is also a good time to inspect your weed-wacker/trimmer and gardening tools. Make sure to remove rust with a steel brush and sharpen blades and digging tools. When you use clean, sharp tools, you’ll accomplish work at a faster pace and get a better result!

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What is a "Spring Cleanup"?

Preparing your lawnmower for spring

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