When the warm weather starts to creep in we all get a little excited. Pleasant temperatures mean no more heavy jackets, you don’t have to deal with crazy inclement weather, and you can actually look forward to spending time outside instead of avoiding it at all costs. The only cloud in the spring sky is the fact that your lawn is nowhere near ready for the spring.
Having a good-looking lawn is a big deal for homeowners to boost curbside appeal and help your property stand out from the rest. Whatever the reason, nobody likes looking at brown patchy grass that comes with the annual thaw. Here are a few ways to get your lawn looking lovely in time for spring.
1. Rake Up Unwanted Debris
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that fall and winter will dump a bunch of unwanted debris on your lawn. The absolute first thing you can do to help your grass be nice and lush is raking up any leaves and debris leftover from the colder seasons. Doing this not only makes your lawn look cleaner, but it lets your grass breathe and will prevent any brown or bare spots from developing as the weather gets warmer.
2. Make Your Lawn An Aeration Station
There are many benefits to aerating your lawn. The process lets oxygen and moisture penetrate the soil which will enrich the soil and help your plants and grass get the nutrients they need to flourish. Even though aeration leaves little Cheeto-shaped dirt and grass pellets scattered over your lawn, those will go away in a few weeks’ time. So the earlier in the spring you get started on aeration the better.
3. Take Heed And Re-Seed
In an ideal world, none of our grass would die during the cold months, but every homeowner knows that’s not the case. Make sure you’re re-seeding those bare patches with grass and watering them periodically to make sure they take root and grow. Even though fall is the ideal time to re-seed it is still necessary to patch bare spots. It’s pretty much the foundation for any stand-out lawn in the neighborhood.
4. Take the Time to Prune
Woody plants, trees, and shrubbery need a little R&R at the beginning of the spring. Clear away any damaged or dead growth by pruning them so they can grow uninhibited and healthy during the spring. If you have rose bushes, now is the time to trim them down before they start blooming in the summer.
5. Mulch Away
Mulch is a great product for any homeowner that wants to optimize the good their nutrient-rich topsoil does for their plants. Putting a layer of mulch over top of topsoil in your garden beds will help make sure the soil stays put even in rainy and windy spring weather. That way your plants will continue to get the food they need even in inclement weather. Plus, there’s no cleaner look than great topsoil underneath your flowers.
6. Test Your Soil PH Before Planting
What some gardening enthusiasts don’t know is that some plants just won’t work in the acidity of your soil. It’s not something you can really control since every soil is different, but it helps to know what ground you’re working with before you run out and buy a plant that might die. You can buy a PH kit at your local hardware store to test out your soil. Most plants grow best in soil with a pH between 6.0 to 7.0, but some do prefer more acidic or basic soil.
7. The Birds And The Bees
A healthy and happy garden is one that supports a lot of life in it. Make your garden a hub of beautiful activity by adding plants and features that attract birds and bees. Birds are one of the best caretakers to have in your garden since they eat so many pests and insects. Attract these loyal gardeners by installing a birdbath, getting a bird feeder, and adding plants like sunflower and honeysuckle.
We all want to save the bees, and one of the added benefits of doing so is that our gardens look beautiful! Having pollinators in our gardens means that the pollen and seeds of flowers are mingling and that means more plants will grow in your garden, and you didn’t even have to go out and buy them. Plant marjoram, abelia, pussy willow, and lilacs in your garden to attract these helpful pollinators and make your garden a hive of activity come springtime.
Don’t delay if you’re looking forward to spring in the Midwest and adopt these helpful strategies to get your lawn looking as ready as you feel!
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