Time to get working out in your spring yard!
Now that we have officially welcomed spring, it may not be time to pull out all the patio furniture, but there are some things you can start doing to get your yard ready and give it a little TLC. A few simple tasks today can make all the difference in how lush, green, and beautiful your outdoor space looks when the warm weather arrives. We’re sharing your ultimate spring yard checklist to get started on right now.
Sustainable landscape expert Cynthia Bee shared some to-do list items to help you get ready.
Weed Prevention and Control
One of the first tasks to tackle is weed prevention and control. If you are less eager about weeding, now is the time to get started. “ We’re going to avoid all kinds of problems all season long just by doing the right things at the right time,” Cynthia emphasized.
“There are two kinds of weeds. We have annual weeds, those are the ones that come up really lush and full in the spring and then they kind of die out. Then we have perennial weeds, and those are the ones that’ll start emerging a little bit later,” Cynthia explained.
Using a pre-emergent early in the season can prevent annual weeds from ever sprouting. “ The annual weeds come up from seed every year, and we can avoid them entirely if we use a pre-emergent early enough in the season,” Cynthia said. A pre-emergent prevents the seeds from germinating. She uses one that has a yellow dye in it so when the soil gets wet, you can tell if you have good coverage.
“ It does not affect existing plants. It won’t kill anything,” Cynthia emphasized. “If the weed’s already sprouted, this won’t do you any good. But it will prevent a lot of those annual weeds from cropping up in the first place.” She explained that you don’t want to use a pre-emergent anywhere that you’re planting seeds, like a vegetable garden. It will stop those seeds from sprouting.
Weed Removal Tools
If weeds have already sprouted, it’s a lot easier to remove them while the soil is still wet. Cynthia recommended using tools like a hand weeder or a hula hoe that work best on small weeds. “You dip it down in and move it back and forth and it’s going to pull those weeds up,” Cynthia demonstrated. “ What you’re doing is you’re just working that up, then take your weeds and pull them off the top.” If you leave them in the dirt, they will just re-sprout.
“ This hoe is really great when the soil is wet and when the root systems are still small,” she said. If you wait until the weeds get bigger, you won’t be able to use it. If you want to be organic about your weed removal, this is the way, and the time, to do it. The longer you wait, the bigger the problem, and then you may need to get chemicals involved.
Planting Cool Season Vegetables
Spring is the perfect time to plant cool season vegetables like lettuce, radishes, spinach, and peas. “I’ve got lettuce that’s like, four inches long already,” Cynthia shared. These vegetables thrive in cooler temperatures and can be harvested before the summer heat sets in.
“ They’re designed for [dipping temperatures]. That’s why they will naturally germinate right now because that is the conditions they want,” she emphasized.
The Magic of Mulch
Mulch plays an important role in maintaining soil health and moisture. “Most people just do too light of a coat of mulch,” Cynthia emphasized. “We wanna do three to four inches.”
“ I don’t recommend weed barrier fabric,” she said. “Instead, [do a] heavy coat of mulch and then the weeds you do get come out more easily.” A thick layer of mulch also helps retain soil moisture and provides nutrients.
Planning Summer Projects
Pre-planning summer projects will save you time and effort. “63% of the state’s population live in areas where they can get up to $3 a square foot for changing out lawn to other things, like vegetable gardens and planting beds,” Cynthia explained. If you want to benefit from a project like this, planning and submitting it early makes sure you’re not part of the long line to get approved come May.
Find more details on planting in Utah at slowtheflow.org.
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