The weather at the beginning of spring in Southern Ukraine is unpredictable. Sunny in one day, cold rain the next and even snow in March is not uncommon here. But for home gardeners, early spring is the perfect time to “dig in the dirt” and take care of your garden and lawn.
Here are the top spring garden and lawn care tips as your yard wakes up to the upcoming growing season:
Cleaning of lawns and beds
In the winter months, yards are filled with various household or construction waste, last year’s fallen leaves. March is the time to remove all that rubbish from your garden and lawn and remove all the dry grass to make room for new shoots to grow.
Cut off damaged branches.
If your trees or shrubs have winter-damaged branches, now is the time to cut them back to the living stems. When doing garden and lawn maintenance in March, inspect trees and shrubs and trim any broken branches using hand loppers or a hand saw for large diameter branches. For fruit trees, make sure you finish pruning before the buds swell. Roses can also be pruned now.
Quality and correct fertilizers.
March is the time to think about fertilizers as part of your garden and lawn maintenance. During the winter months, lawns and green spaces lack essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and iron. So, for strong roots and healthy new growth, you can use slow-release or organic-type light fertilizers. A light application of fertilizer at this time of year will really keep your lawn growing well. Consult a landscape professional for help in selecting the best types of fertilizers.
Weed control
While March brings new growth to your garden, it also brings a lot of weeds. Now is the time to start pulling weeds while they are still young. Weeds usually invade your lawn in early spring, when the temperature on the thermometer reaches 12-14 degrees Celsius. When tending to the garden, you can apply herbicide before the appearance of aggressive weeds.
Check your yard for signs of insects and pests.
As the weather warms, keep an eye out for overwintering moths and other outdoor pests appearing in your lawn and garden. These pests like to feed on young green shoots. Talk to a professional landscaper in March about proper pest control that focuses on lawn care
Finally, if you mow your lawn yourself, getting your landscaping ready for the season in March should also include an inspection of the lawn mower. Care for this tool at the beginning of the season is crucial. Dull mower blades tear grass, so make sure they are sharpened beforehand. And if your lawnmower needs service, get it done now.
Whether you need help caring for your spring garden and lawn, or need seasonal maintenance, Green Yard Garden Center has the professionals, experience and services to meet all your landscaping needs.
You can contact us for landscape design and maintenance, and visit our garden center store Mon-Fri 8:30am to 6:00pm
Check your yard for signs of insects and pests.
As the weather warms, keep an eye out for overwintering moths and other outdoor pests appearing in your lawn and garden. These pests like to feed on young green shoots. Talk to a professional landscaper in March about proper pest control that focuses on lawn care