As an avid gardener, spring is perhaps your favourite time to care for your yard or lawn. We understand that dead grass, snow, and other such issues can deter us from taking steps to make our gardens more beautiful.
However, the best way to get rid of this is to get out as soon as you can and spring clean your garden to keep it ready for the coming months.
So, if you don’t know how or where to begin spring yard cleanups in Ontario, you are in the right place. Our experts have created a comprehensive checklist to ensure you clean your garden correctly.
1. Clean Your Lawn
The first thing to do during spring yard cleanups is to clean your lawn. There might be a lot of damage from the snow and winter, such as dead grass and plants, debris, leaves, and more.
All of these things will hinder your lawn from growing new life. Be sure to wear gloves and clean the lawn of this debris to make way for spring landscaping and lawn maintenance work in Ontario.
2. Don’t Cut Down Dead Plant Stems too Early
An important note during spring yard cleanups is to understand diapause in insects, which is similar to hibernation. This means that beneficial insects and pollinators might be sleeping on the plant’s stems.
When you cut them too early, you will disturb these beneficial insects before they get a chance to emerge from their diapause. Because of this, it is important to wait a little bit before your spring yard cleanups.
On the other hand, if you want to cut them down before new growth begins, here are some general rules to follow:
Toss the Plant Stems on Compost
An option that you have to avoid losing the beneficial insects is to toss the cut plant stems on the compost pile in a loose manner. You can also spread these plant stems out.
When you do this, the insects inside the plant stem will easily emerge when it is time for them to do so as you continue with the rest of your spring yard cleanups.
Bundle up the Cut Stems
You can also take the cut plant stems and make a few bundles of a dozen stems each. Then you can tie these bundles with jute and lean them on the tree and again.
The insects will come out of these bundles when it is time. These methods will help you preserve the ecosystem of your garden during spring yard cleanups in Ontario.
3. Prepare Planting Beds
Now that you have done a little bit of cleanup, it is time to prepare your planting beds. Working in some compost will help you to fertilize your plants to get them ready for the growing season.
You must also remove weeds from the garden to ensure a clean yard for your new planting. You can think of compost as a slow-releasing natural fertilizer.
On the other hand, if you use fertilizers for spring, be sure to understand the lawn fertilizer numbers to select the right one. Then, you can follow instructions to fertilize your yard in the correct manner.
If you want to open new planting beds, you must:
- Break ground with a tiller
- Use solarization of soil to convert the dedicated lawn space into a new planting bed
- Build a raised bed for your plants
- Begin landscaping on it
When you open new ground for the beds, you can expect weeds to quickly show up in this area. For this issue, we recommend laying a landscape fabric on the ground and covering it with mulch to protect it from harmful UV rays.
You can also use straw mulch as an alternative to landscape fabric. The choice is yours during your spring yard cleanups.
4. Plant the Lawn and Flower Beds
Next, it is time for you to plant the lawn and flower beds, as this is the best time to plant trees in Ontario. You can also overseed an established lawn for some new growth and greenery.
Before you plant the flower beds, make sure that the last frost date has passed. Knowing this will save your effort, as frost can ruin planting efforts.
5. Deal with Pests and Weeds
It is better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to dealing with pests and weeds in your garden. Instead of waiting for weeds to wreak havoc on your lawn, it is better to use preemergent herbicides to solve this problem.
The key is to apply this herbicide before the soil gets to a temperature of 55F. That is when it will work best.
On the other hand, it is also just as crucial to deal with the pests that appear on your lawn. Preventive measures work best to ensure these pests don’t become a recurring problem.
For example, you can use plants, fencing, and organic pest control methods to guarantee that your lawn is a safe place. This is one of the most important aspects of spring yard cleanups in Ontario.
6. Time to Prune those Shrubs
Now that you have dealt with most of the cleanup in your yard, it is time to prune the shrubs. An important note to keep in mind is to prune your shrubs only after they have finished blooming so you don’t cause any damage to them.
If you have any late-blooming shrubs in your garden, such as Bluebeard, Butterfly bush, or Lavender, you will need to wait a bit for them to bloom and then prune them.
7. Remove the Mulch and Divide the Perennials
The removal of mulch will depend on where you live. A good way to understand when to remove mulch is to monitor the emergence of your perennials.
For example, you must keep an eye on whether the perennials are pushing up. Once you do, we recommend you remove the mulch so your perennials can grow without feeling suffocated.
You must remove the mulch when the weather is warm and replace it when it is cold again. When the warm weather comes back for a long time, we recommend you add fresh mulch to suppress any new weeds from growing and conserve water usage in your lawn.
This is one of the most important aspects of spring yard cleanups in Ontario. You can also divide your perennials in spring, but we recommend you get in touch with our experts to determine if this will be the right choice for you.
8. Repair the Damaged Parts of your Lawn for Reseeding
There might be some damage to your lawn from the winter. If you want a lush yard, spring is the best time to begin reseeding or overseeding the lawn.
The first thing we recommend is to test the pH of the soil. This will help you understand what your soil needs.
Then, you can make the correct modifications and get rid of turf that has been destroyed by plowing, salt, or lawn diseases.
March is the ideal time to ensure the right treatment and fertilizer for your lawn to begin the reseeding process.
9. Time to Conduct Spring Yard Cleanups in Surrounding Areas
Once you have everything else sorted out, it is time to clean up the surrounding area. For example, you can repair wooden patios, fix the fences, and just conduct general spruce-ups throughout your garden or yard.
Remember that wooden fences don’t do so well in Ontario winter. Check for damage, and if you see any rot, then you might need to install new wood.
You can also check other elements in your yard that might have gone through damage in winter. Doing this will allow you to enhance every aspect of your lawn.
10. Clean the Patio and Walkways to Get your Garden Ready
Finally, it is time to add some finishing touches to complete your spring yard cleanups in Ontario. Your patio or walkway might not be in good shape, which is why it is important to replace anything necessary.
You can rake any loose gravel, repair broken pavements, add new paint, or replace the mulch. These repairs will spruce up your garden and make everything come together in springtime.
By the time you are done with this checklist, your garden will be in great shape already. Then, it is time for you to sit back, relax, and enjoy your new garden.
FAQs
What is the first procedure for cleaning up the yard?
The first thing to do during spring yard cleanups in Ontario is to rake all the dead leaves from winter and use a lawn bag or trash bag to dispose of these materials properly.
When should I rake my lawn in spring in Ontario?
Early spring is the best time to rake your lawn. Light raking will keep your turf clean and ensure it is ready for the growing season ahead.
How do you clean a garden in the spring?
Cleaning a garden in the spring requires raking leaves, pruning perennials, cleaning up the lawn, removing and composting annuals, preparing the beds for planting, and following a complete spring cleanup checklist.
What does spring cleaning mean in landscaping?
Spring cleanup means getting rid of dead and loose branches, twigs, leaves, and anything else that might have fallen on your garden in the winter months. Then, you can begin planting and reseeding to guarantee new blooming and growth during springtime.
Final Thoughts on Spring Yard Cleanups
Spring yard cleanups in Ontario require time and effort as you need to consider a lot of things to do things correctly. Follow our checklist step by step, and by the time you are done, you will have a beautiful lawn.
If you don’t understand anything, be sure to get in touch with our lawn experts in Mississauga. Falcon Landscaping experts will get your lawn ready for spring, and it will soon look incredibly beautiful in the coming months.