MENUThe calendar said April and that should have been the first full month of spring. Here in Western New York, though, it seems that Ole Man Winter didn’t look at the calendar. We had cold days and enough snow that Rochester rose to the top of the Upstate New York cities that vie for the dubious snowfall championship. Well, it’s a new month and we can expect it to be spring like. As you venture outside to begin gardening or landscape maintenance, may I suggest that you begin with spring clean-up?
I doubt if you could get away without doing spring cleaning inside, so why not clean the outside, too? After all, more people see the outside of your home than the inside. To make the job easier, here’s a checklist to help you get started:
• Pick Up Litter. Begin your clean up by walking your property, picking up debris that has accumulated. You’re sure
to find twigs, paper and other trash that blew into your yard. It may be on the ground, under shrubs or even caught on branches. While doing this, note other items that need your attention.
• Rake Up Leaves. If you missed any leaves last fall or if they blew into your yard during the winter, they should be raked up and thrown on the compost heap. This is especially important if the leaves are matted on the lawn. They could be trapping moisture and drowning the grass.
• Mulch. When there’s no more chance of a hard frost, rake the mulch to the edge of your beds and let the soil dry. If you added mulch for the winter, it’s time to remove it for the summer. If you lost a lot to decomposition, add enough to bring it up to 3 inches.
• Trim. Pull out dead annuals, trim back dead branches on perennials and cut ornamental grasses back to a level just above the ground so they can grow new grass.
• Repair. If your hardscape suffered winter damage, now’s a good time to repair it. This includes walks and patios, fences and furniture. At least, hose them off to get rid of winter grime.
• Repair or replace damaged plants. Try re-standing any small, toppled trees. If that doesn’t work, replant them. If all else fails, consider replacing them. This doesn’t include large trees. Leave them to our professional arborists.
This checklist is just a starting point. As you get into the project you will, no doubt, find more things that have to be done. Add them to the list. But if you want a nice clean yard without lifting a finger, we have well trained, experienced landscape technicians who would be happy to do the job for you at a reasonable price.
