Spring has sprung. Do you have plans for your garden, lawn, and landscaping? Then it’s time to get started. Landscape maintenance in early spring means you’re giving a head start on everything to grow and reach peak potential by late spring and early summer. It also means you won’t wait too long, as damage to your landscape, lawn, trees, and plants can occur if left unchecked. Let’s go over what’s involved.

Start with a Landscape Cleanup

Winter can leave a lot of debris in your yard, hardscape, and other parts of your landscape. Left alone, fallen tree branches, leaves, and other junk left over from New England winter storms can damage grass, stain patios and walkways, and become a home to pests. Cleaning it all before you start on the rest of the landscape is vital—if not very fun. Make sure to clear clogs from any drainage features in your landscape, and check that your sprinkler system survived the winter.

Landscape Plant Care in Spring

Next, it’s time to inspect the plants of your exterior for signs of damage or care needed. Dealing with landscaping issues early in spring gives your plants a chance to grow properly.

• Spring Lawn Care: Inspect your lawn for damage from winter debris or traffic. Any bald spots should get fertilized and seeded. Not sure how much? See our blog, Where to Start with Lawn Care in Early Spring.
• Spring Plant Care: Not only is this a good time to inspect shrubs and other perennials as they emerge from winter, but also to select new plants for your garden, including seeds and seedlings.
• Spring Tree Care: Before deciduous trees start growing leaves, now is a great time to inspect for damaged or diseased branches (the only better time is in winter). If any trees are getting out of hand, it’s also time for a good pruning.

Other Landscape Maintenance in Early Spring

Besides your lawn and plants, it’s also a good time to inspect your hardscaping, irrigation systems, and landscape lighting for signs of damage and wear. Patios, walkways, benches, and other landscaping features should be cleaned to prepare them for use. Once planting is done, it’s also a good time to break out the mulch to insulate new plants from those cold nights common in spring. For more ideas, review our 9 Things to Do Now to Prepare Your Landscape for Spring blog.

There are many steps to creating great landscaping in spring, summer, and all seasons, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you want help, Dolan Landscaping is here with over 30 years of experience in landscaping maintenance. Lawn care, landscape cleanups, plant care and plantings, even big projects like lawn irrigation systems and other landscape construction—we do it all. Contact us today to learn more and get started.