Getting your yard ready for spring is a matter of priorities. For example, Sears published a blog article explaining how to prepare your lawn and yard for spring. Among their advice? “Apply fertilizer, pre-emergent and weed killer.” And, our favorite, “Mow early, mow often.” Are they kidding? Chemicals, chemicals, and more chemicals. Mowing, mowing, and even more mowing. Kinda makes you wish winter would stick around.
Of course, we should remember that Sears sells mowers. Here at Heavenly Greens, we sell artificial grass. And, frankly, we’re sure we have the better product. It’s always ready for spring, and every other season.
With artificial grass, you don’t need to buy or maintain a mower. Instead of mowing more often, you’ll be mowing never. Instead of instead of worrying about the dangers of lawn chemicals, you can relax knowing your kids and dog are playing on a non-toxic, non-allergenic grassy surface.
Yes, artificial grass does need a quick tune-up now and then. Picking up debris keeps the turf looking its best. A rinse with the hose washes away dust or pet urine. A fluff with a stiff brush restores the blades in high-traffic areas. Zip, zap, zoop, you’re ready to spring into action around the rest of your yard. The fun part!
Think Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees
Start with a walk-around, notepad and pen in hand. What needs to be done? Write it all down, so you don’t overlook something later and – this is the best part – so you can celebrate every time you cross a to-do off the list. So satisfying! As you’re considering the big picture, think about ways you can make your yard more sustainable. Here in the South Bay Area we are blessed with an enormous variety of drought-resistant trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, and groundcovers.
Prioritize tasks. You can group like work together – picking up debris, then weeding, then pruning and trimming, etc. Or you can divide your yard into sections and tackle them one at a time. This has the advantage of producing far more visible results faster, which is a nice motivator.
Give your gardening tools a once-over. They should be sharp and clean, so work goes faster and you won’t risk spreading disease from one plant to another. Clean planting containers, too.
A few tips:
- It’s easier to pull weeds when they are small (fewer roots) and when the soil is damp. Do not put them in your compost pile!
- Get professional advice before you trim or prune if you aren’t sure what to do.
- Don’t prune spring-flowering shrubs until after they have bloomed or you’ll miss the show.
- Divide perennials that are outgrowing their space. Replant extras elsewhere in your yard or give them away to friends or at a plant swap.
- Transplant anything that is not thriving in its present location (assuming you have a happier spot for it); otherwise consider giving it away and replacing it with something that will love the location. Or a piece of garden art.
- Finish your handiwork with a nice overlay of organic mulch. That will hold in moisture and keep pesky weeds from germinating.
Get planting!
Now is the time for many plants, and garden centers will see a steady stream of new seasonally appropriate goodies for the next few months. It’s still a bit too early for some seeds and veggies, but it’s easy to get on track with that. Chat with your local nursery, the Extension Service, or check out the Farmer’s Almanac planting calendar (just enter your ZIP code for locally-customized information).
Don’t kill yourself! Take breaks frequently to sit back and admire your progress. It’s all coming together beautifully, isn’t it? Thank heavens (and Heavenly Greens) you didn’t have to waste time and energy and money getting your grass up to speed for spring.
