Spring Yard Landscaping Maintenance Time!
Use Mulch
To prevent weeds, retain moisture, and provide protection for your plants during the summer growing period, mulching your plant and garden beds is recommended. If your soil is rich and heavy with compost, you may be able to simply keep the top of the soil loose over the summer to keep weeds from sprouting. If not, then mulch comes in a variety of textures and colours such as:
- shredded cedar/pine/hemlock or forest mulch
- black or red (dyed) mulch.
Whatever you choose, be sure to lay it thick enough – usually about 3 inches!
Top Dressing your Lawn
Top Dressing your lawn can improve lawn health and replenish nutrients. Top dressing once a year in the fall or early spring is recommended. Purchase by the bag from retail stores and landscape suppliers. Bulk quantities (by the half-yard or yard) are available from some garden centres and are made from compost/peat/loam materials blended with sand (to prevent clumping!).
- Rake (dethatch) your lawn of winter-kill and/or aerate
- Spread top dressing over your lawn and rake smooth (a fan rake works best) allowing for about a half-inch thick covering; over-seed if necessary, and water
- Along with fertilization and watering, you should have a healthy lawn!