Spring cleanup is one of the most important steps in getting your landscape ready for a healthy, attractive summer. The overall goal is simple: prepare your lawn for the growing season ahead and finish up anything that may have been missed during fall cleanup.
The first task to focus on in early spring—typically mid-March through early April—is your lawn’s first fertilizer application. When selecting a fertilizer, look for one that includes a pre-emergent, often labeled at garden centers and big box stores as a “crabgrass preventer.” This product helps stop weed seeds from germinating and can control many common weeds for much of the season.
There is one important exception to keep in mind. If you plan to overseed your lawn in the spring, do not apply a fertilizer with pre-emergent. While it prevents weeds from sprouting, it will also prevent your new grass seed from germinating. If overseeding is not part of your plan, a fertilizer with crabgrass preventer is a great way to start the season.
Spring is also the right time to take care of cleanup items that were skipped in the fall. If you still have leaves in lawn areas or planting beds, remove them now before they begin to smother turf or interfere with new growth. This is also a good opportunity to trim shrubs before their leaves fill in. With branches still visible, it’s much easier to shape plants and remove problem growth.
One final and often overlooked task is trimming ornamental grasses. Many homeowners leave these grasses standing through the winter for visual interest or wildlife habitat, which is perfectly fine. However, they should be cut back before summer growth begins. If ornamental grasses are left untrimmed year after year, the centers will die and new growth will only occur around the edges, eventually creating a hollow, unhealthy plant.
Use a pair of hedge trimmers and cut ornamental grasses back to about six inches above the ground. Once the clippings are removed, your beds will be clean, refreshed, and ready to grow.
With fertilizer applied, weeds prevented, and planting beds cleaned up, your landscape is officially prepared for a strong and successful summer season.