Spring Yard Maintenance You Shouldn’t Overlook

There are many items that should be on your spring yard work to-do list. The weather is getting warmer, perhaps flowers are beginning to bloom, and you want to keep your own yard healthy and looking beautiful. Read on to learn more about the yard work you definitely shouldn’t overlook this spring.

Dealing with Pests

You’ll definitely want to deal with pests to keep them from being able to enter your house or destroying your grass and plants. Besides causing damage to your property, animals and bugs can also carry and spread different diseases.

To keep critters from being able to infiltrate your home, trim trees and plants that could make climbing easy. Traps are also an efficient way to combat pests, whether the kind that kills instantly or those that simply catch the offending creature for later release.

According to Six Brother Pest Control, if you have any holes or openings which could allow creatures to enter your home, you should fix them and fill them in order to prevent invaders.

Sprinkler Repair

In the spring, it is important to give your sprinkler system a checkup. There are many repairs you might need to make. An inefficient or broken sprinkler system can waste both water and your money, and it will not be able to benefit your grass to its full potential.

First off, you’ll want to regularly inspect your system for leaks, broken lines, or misdirected sprinkler heads. If you have a leaking valve, it may need to be replaced.

As far as broken pipes, replacing them requires a bit extra work, so you might consider calling in a professional to fix pipes for you.

Additionally, repair or replace damaged sprinkler heads and make sure they fit well. According to The Sprinkler Guy, fitting a proper-fitting sprinkler head can save you water by directing it more efficiently.

Tree Trimming

Don’t forget to trim your tree branches, as overhanging branches can cause damage to your home.

Tree trimming decreases potential danger of a future fire spreading from tree to tree; it also prevents dead branches from attracting insects which could weaken the tree and cause it to fall. In addition, trimming helps keep your trees looking nice and neat.

Be sure to remove any dead or decaying branches which might threaten the safety of your family, friends, house, and the tree itself.

Make sure you wear protective gear while doing so in order to protect yourself against falling branches, and be cautious in order to avoid falling from trees or coming into contact with electric lines.

Loosen Soil

Loosen compacted soil from the winter if you want to plan a garden. Compacted soil makes it harder for plant roots to grow into the soil, leading to fewer roots, fewer nutrients being absorbed by the plants, and overall poor plant growth.

In order to loosen compacted soil, you can add organic materials, such as compost or peat moss, to the soil.

According to LawnStarter, you can also add earthworms to your garden beds. Earthworms eat through compacted soil and also help fertilize it. You can also use a soil penetrant, a product which promotes water movement through the soil.

Dethatching

Thatch, dead grass gathered above your soil, accumulates over time. Some thatch is good, but when thatch builds up too much, it is damaging to your lawn because it keeps moisture from being absorbed into the grass and separates the grass from the air. Dethatching is one way to remove this potentially dangerous layer.

You can dethatch using a dethatching rake or a dethatcher. Be sure to mow your lawn before beginning to dethatch. When the process is finished, remove the loosened thatch, then fertilize your lawn.

Weed Treatment

Get started on weed prevention early, or you’ll have weeds plaguing you throughout the summer. Using a product can save you time you’d otherwise spend weeding by hand.

In order to prevent weeds from growing in the first place, you can apply a pre-emergent weed killer. You can also choose a fertilizer which doubles as a weed killer in order to accomplish two tasks in one.

Natural ways to prevent weeds include feeding your lawn regularly, mowing at a raised height, and watering the grass more deeply and frequently. If you only have a few weeds, you can hand-pull them.

Aeration

Aeration is performed in order to allow air, water, and nutrients to get to your grass’s roots. This allows your lawn to grow stronger. Besides improving the overall health of your grass, aeration reduces buildup of thatch, relieves soil compaction, reduces water runoff, and much more.

According to Pennington, aerating involves perforating holes in the soil, and you can do this yourself with a special tool or pay someone to do it for you. You should aerate your lawn at least once a year, and the best times are early spring and early fall, during the growing season.

Whether you are an avid gardener or just someone who enjoys having pride in your yard and home, these are essential tasks you shouldn’t overlook this spring. Yard work can be hard work, but the benefits ensure you won’t regret doing it.

For more landscaping tips, read this next: Practical Ideas for Landscaping a Challenging Yard

Maire Shield
 

Maire Shield worked for 15 years as an interior design consultant in Albuquerque and is now retired after selling her business. She now shares her experience and knowledge through blogging to help other people create a beautiful home for themselves.

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