After the long winter months, your landscaping, lawn, and garden may be in need of a little TLC to shake off the dreary weather and embrace the beauty of spring. The good news is that you don't need to break the bank to breathe new life into your outdoor space. In this blog, we'll explore some ways to refresh your outdoor spaces after the winter season, so you can enjoy a vibrant and inviting outdoor living space.
1. Clean Up Debris and Clutter
One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to refresh your outdoor space is by giving it a good clean-up. Remove any debris, fallen leaves, and clutter that may have accumulated over the winter months. Rake the lawn to remove dead grass and leaves, and clear out any weeds or dead plants from garden beds and borders. If you are looking for some guidance, refer to this checklist for help tackling your spring cleanup landscaping.
2. Prune and Trim
Pruning and trimming your trees, perennials, and shrubs can help promote healthy growth and give your landscaping a tidy appearance. Use a pair of sharp pruning shears to remove dead or damaged branches, and trim back overgrown shrubs to improve their shape and encourage new growth. Remember to prune spring-flowering plants after they have finished blooming to avoid cutting off next year's flower buds. For more information on the how, when, and why of pruning the plants in your landscaping, check out our blog!
3. Divide and Transplant
If you have overcrowded or overgrown plants in your garden beds, consider dividing and transplanting them. This will not only create a more balanced and harmonious landscape, but it will also contribute to the health of the plants involved. Divide perennials such as hostas, irises, daylilies, and ornamental grasses into smaller clumps and replant them in different areas of your garden to spread out the color and texture. You can also share divided plants with friends if your space is maxed out!
4. Give Your Mulch a Refresh
If you have areas of your landscaping that are mulched, giving these areas a little refresh will go a long way in helping your landscapes look ready for spring. "Fluffing" your mulch with a rake is a great way to counter the compaction sustained throughout the winter. Also, if your mulch is lacking its original color and vibrancy, turning over the top layer will expose the more protected layers beneath, reviving its original hue and making it look brand new. In areas where mulch is looking thin or patchy, it may be recommended to pick up a bag or two from your local garden center to fill in the gaps.
5. Add Compost to Your Growing Beds
Adding compost to your vegetable gardens and flower beds before you begin planting will set your soil up for success, ensuring that what gets planted later will grow healthy and beautiful. Putting down a layer of shredded leaves, grass clippings, or wood chips can also help to improve soil health, retain moisture, reduce soil erosion, and suppress weeds, adding to the overall aesthetic of your space.
6. Add Color with Annuals
Brighten up your landscaping with pops of color by planting annual flowers in garden beds, containers, or hanging baskets. Annuals such as pansies, violas, petunias, marigolds, and impatiens are easy to grow and provide continuous blooms throughout the spring and summer months.
7. Fertilize Your Lawn
Appling a pre-emergent fertilizer in the spring is a great way to revitalize your lawn. Pre-emergent fertilizers provide your grass with the nutrients it needs to get a strong start to the growing season and also helps to get ahead of the weed population for the season, giving you a beautiful and green yard while making your lawn maintenance a breeze.
8. Aerate Your Lawn
While this is not always a necessary step, aerating your lawn can be very beneficial. Our soil here in Colorado is very dense and clay-heavy, which does not easily allow the roots of your grass to access oxygen. Aeration allows for airflow to the roots of your grass, which can stimulate healthy growth.
Spring Landscaping Ideas to Refresh Your Space
Refresh your landscaping, lawn, and garden after the winter season with these yard maintenance tips and tricks! By cleaning up debris, pruning and trimming plants, dividing and transplanting perennials, mulching and composting, and adding colorful annuals, you can refresh your space and create a vibrant and inviting outdoor space that you'll love spending time in all season long.