Spring Yard Care

Spring Yard Care
Nature awakens in the spring. Flowerbeds, lawn, and shrubs need a little nudge to breathe in the early summer. Follow the recommendations below so you don’t overlook anything. Let’s get started!

By Lyne Boisvert

Nature awakens in the spring. Flowerbeds, lawn, and shrubs need a little nudge to breathe in the early summer. Follow the recommendations below so you don’t overlook anything. Let’s get started!

Proper Planning

First, take inventory of your equipment, then get what you need: rake or leaf blower, lawn mower, shovel, pruning shears or chain saw, garden hose or pressure washer, broom, gardening tools, mulch, fertilizer, yard waste bags, etc. You might even want to tune up your gas tools and recharge your electric tools. Draw up a seeding schedule for your vegetable garden.

Once there is no longer a risk of frost, you can start giving your yard a dose of oxygen.

Best Practices

  • Spring cleanup is the first step. Remove winter covers from trees and shrubs. Turn the water supply back on and connect your garden hose. If you have a sprinkler system, make sure it works properly and adjust the sprinkler heads. Using your pressure washer or just a broom or hose, remove all traces of sand, pebbles, and salt from your driveway, walkways, and balcony.
  • Prune your perennials, trees and shrubs before the buds come out; you may need a ladder. Cut away dead or damaged branches, which can be grounded and turned into mulch.
  • Pick up litter. Rake up grassy areas and remove weeds.
  • Add potting soil and fertilize your lawn. Manure? Fertilizer? An expert at the garden centre can help you select the right product. Also spread grass seed, add soil, and water thoroughly.
  • If your soil is too compact, the soil should be aired some time after fertilizing on moist soil and a mowed lawn. You can do it yourself if the lawn area is small, using a spading fork, dehatcher, or aerator. Then spread river sand over the entire surface using a rake or shovel, and water.
  • Split your perennials if they are too big. Stir up and add new mulch in flowerbeds, they will be less invaded by weeds.
  • Replace burnt-out bulbs in outdoor lighting as needed.

Done! Now all you need to do is wash and set up your patio furniture before you sit back and rest those sore muscles!