If you are in Washington DC or the Mid-Atlantic region, you will have to deal with quite a bit of snowfall during winter months. That’s why spring cleaning of your gardens and lawn is essential. Heavy snow can be very damaging to plants and lawns in winter. But do you have a clear idea of when and how to start spring gardening and cleaning, so that you can get the most out of your lawn and plants all season long? In this article, we will be sharing all the essential details to help you move forward with the best spring gardening plan.
Why should you focus on spring cleaning on your property?
After the winter season, you will have to deal with the lawn and garden debris caused by leaves, stems, and dead plants. This will not just take away the good looks of your yard, but can also be unhealthy for it. For example, such an environment can create fungus spores and other similar diseases to spread fast. On the other hand, dead material lying out there in the yard can hide weeds, which can quickly attack the entire yard. Without waiting for such problems to arise, you will need to be mindful of spring cleaning.
When should you start spring cleaning?
You should never rush to start spring cleaning at the end of winter. It is a good thing to wait until the temperature rises to around 50 degrees Fahrenheit to start spring cleaning. Numerous pollinators and bees tend to hibernate inside the leaves and plant stems during the winter season. They will not come out until the temperatures reach the 50s. If you start spring cleaning too early, you may end up killing them.
On the other hand, waiting until the temperatures come to the 50s to start spring cleaning would make sure that the ground has dried out and thawed. This is why it is a good thing to walk around the beds and see whether the soil is still wet. If the soil is too much wet, you should wait for quite some time until it dries up. This will help you to create an ideal environment for the plants to grow.
How to get started with spring cleaning your garden?
Here are some tips that you will need to keep in mind to get started with spring cleaning. If you can stick to this checklist, you can make sure that you are not missing out on anything.
- Prune shrubs
During the early spring season, you will need to prune shrubs. This will help you to trigger new growth. Along with that, you will also be able to prevent diseases from impacting your plants. However, you should be careful not to trim too early. The most appropriate time to prune shrubs would be after they flower.
- Remove winter mulch
When the temperature reaches the 50s, you will need to start removing winter mulch. In case if you have added any protection on top of the sensitive plants before the winter season, you will need to remove them as well. This includes plant cones, windscreens, burlap wraps, and all sorts of protection that you have added on top of your plants.
- Brush back all thick leaves
Most people wonder whether it is required to remove leaves from the flower beds during the spring season. There is no need for you to worry about removing all leaves from the beds. That’s because the leaves can be quite beneficial for the soil. Leaves also tend to create a thick mulch layer, which will help to keep you away from weeds. On the other hand, leaves are capable of feeding your plants as they tend to decompose with time.
However, you need to make sure that no thick layers of leaves are sitting above your plants. If there is a need for you to add mulch, you will need to go for a light layer on top of the leaves.
- Pull all dead annuals
When you take a walk around your garden at the end of winter, you will be able to find a large number of dead annual plants. They include snapdragons, geraniums, marigolds, begonias, and petunias as well. The reason why these plants are dead is that they tend to live only for a year. In other words, these plants are not in a position to grow back after the winter months. This is the main reason why you will need to pull out all dead annual plants from the ground. You need to do it from the roots and put them inside a compost bin.
- Get rid of dead growth caused by perennials
You will also need to get rid of dead leaves shattered by perennials such as sedums, coneflowers, ornamental grasses, daylilies, and hostas. There is no need to worry too much about cleaning the flower beds during the spring season. However, you will need to get rid of thick leave clumps, which can slow down the new growth of plants. You will also need to make sure that the bases of plants remain clean while you are trimming them.
- Pull out weeds
Spring can be considered a perfect time to pull weeds from your garden. That’s because weeds are just growing in the garden, and getting rid of them during this time of the year can be quite easy. In other words, you will have to put very little effort into pulling out weeds. After you get rid of all weeds, you will also need to take appropriate steps to prevent the growth of these unwanted plants again. This is why you will need to cover up the soil with a thicker layer of mulch. It is a proven method to keep new weeds away from sprouting.
Get help with Spring Garden Cleaning
If you can adhere to this spring cleaning guide, you will be able to get the most out of it. We encourage everyone living in Washington DC to contact us with questions or for a free quote. Then you will be able to stay away from problems that would come on your way for the rest of the year with maintaining the yard.
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