Spring Clean Up
As we wistfully look ahead to spring, many of our clients are counting on a good old-fashioned spring clean-up to get their landscape in tip-top shape.
Nothing says spring like the sound of leaf blowers on your property, especially after a winter thaw.
But what if this time around our winter stays until June? Or maybe last fall you put an extra amount of care into your landscape before the first coating of snow. Does that make spring clean-up any less important for your landscape?
Spring Clean-Up For Landscapes:
As soon as the weather breaks and the Lake Ontario snow machine heads back into Mother Nature’s garage, these four spring clean-up services — all part of Second Look Maintenance, Inc. spring program — will breathe life back into your property after a long winter no matter what kind of winter we endured.
Remove Leaves, Weeds And Other Landscape Debris:
When it comes to spring clean-up, an out-with-the-old mentality takes center stage. Whether it’s blown, swept or raked, a good looking lawn and landscape start with the removal of leaves, weeds, litter and fallen limbs. And while a debris-free property is a great start, this service isn’t done for aesthetics alone.
Landscape debris removal also prevents leaves and other organic material from rotting on your turf and in your beds. Rotting leaves lead to mold and mildew; they also attract pests and smother your turf’s access to sunlight and air circulation.
Deep Edge Planting Beds And Tree Rings:
Deep edging around plant beds and tree rings is a lot like adding a frame around landscaped areas. A hand spade or mechanical shaper is used to produce a distinct edge between your turf and beds — something that needs to be done before pre-emergent and fresh mulch are applied.
When done properly, a deep manicured edge will help hold back grass roots and weeds from creeping into a landscaped bed. It also makes mowing up to flower bed edges easier and greatly reduces the risk of damage.
Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicide:
A pre-emergent doesn’t kill existing weeds. Instead, it prevents weeds from taking root in the first place. In most cases, when this preventive step is taken routinely, it reduces the need for post-emergents — weed killers — later in the year.
Applying pre-emergent herbicide to your shrub beds and tree rounds is all about timing. Pre-emergent should be applied early in the season, when soil temperatures are still below 50 degrees. If pre-emergent is applied too late, you run the risk of battling weeds all spring and summer long.
Add A Fresh Layer Of Mulch:
Once the pre-emergent has been applied, adding a fresh layer of mulch next can do wonders for a winter-worn landscape — like a fresh coat of paint.
Adding a 1 to 3 inch layer of new mulch in the spring comes with a handful of benefits for your beds. For starters, mulch can curb weed germination and growth.
It also helps the soil retain moisture and stay cooler as temperatures rise, which can prove to be even more valuable in the summer heat.
Have You Scheduled Spring Clean-Up For Your Property?
Don’t wait until the last minute — now is the ideal time to set yourself up for a successful spring by scheduling spring clean-up for landscaping on your property. While it depends on the size of your landscape, owners and property managers should know that spring clean-up for landscapes is a painless process and typically completed in one visit.
With more than 20 years of landscaping experience in Western New York, we’ve seen firsthand the role spring clean-up plays in the health and beauty of your landscape all year long. Skip it and you’re setting yourself up for landscape headaches come summer.
Let Second Look Maintenance, Inc. help you take back control of your landscape in 2019 and give it the attention it deserves … before the weeds do. Call us any time at 585-396-9138, or email us at [email protected] and we’ll get in touch shortly.