Spring Into Excellence: Crafting the Perfect Yard Together
by Garrett Jenkins
Introduction
We had a taste of spring in February. Warm weather, sun shining, kids playing outside, and I even saw some birds building a nest. Then we get hit with a few inches of snow earlier this week. That’s Utah weather for ya. Sometimes, you love it. Sometimes, you live with it. We can find comfort knowing that spring is on its way, likely just stopping to ask for directions.
With spring comes the opportunity for us to shine out by making our yards the crown jewel of the neighborhood. We can all benefit by asking ourselves, "What can I do to achieve a high standard of excellence in my yard?" As a community, we can band together in service and effort to shine out like a light on a hill.
With this goal in mind, this article is dedicated to building the perfect starting point for your quest towards a remarkable yard. It provides a roadmap of activities specifically for March to begin your journey.
To Do
Assess your landscape
Tidy up the yard
Prune trees and shrubs
Lawn care (aeration, seeding, fertilization)
Weed control
Planting beds (clean-up & edging)
Add mulch
Irrigation system check
Plan your plantings
More information on each task is given below.
Achieving excellence is a journey, not a sprint. It requires time, effort, and genuine care. You may not be a guru in landscaping or horticulture, but you can make up for it with hard work and dedication.
I'm launching a series of articles in partnership with Kingdom Landscaping. Each article of this series will outline what can be done that month to guide our collective journey toward yard excellence. I hope this series motivates people within our community to craft a strategy for their yard work over the course of this year. Let's build a yard work schedule that helps us reach unprecedented levels of excellence together.
March - Let The Journey Begin
Assess Your Landscape
Before diving into the details of what needs to be done, take a stroll through your yard and assess the winter aftermath. Identify areas that need more care than others. Generate a mental plan of attack that separates each problem area of the yard, then set aside one Saturday of the month to each of those areas in need. I know what you're thinking. We need more Saturdays.
Begin With Cleanliness In Mind
Starting with a thorough tidy-up is the first step towards revitalizing your yard. Remove weeds, debris, twigs, and leaves that have accumulated. Our quest for excellence goes beyond just a clean yard; it's about preparing your yard for a fresh start. This year your lawn, gardens, trees, and hard-scapes will shine if you take this journey with me.
If the cleanup feels too overwhelming, contact a project manager at Coop Services. We've all seen the before and after pictures from their projects. Like the superheroes they are, they will swoop in and have your yard clean by Saturday at noon.
Trees and Shrubs
Thoroughly inspect your trees and shrubs. Look for branches that may have broken off in the harsh winter months. Prune damaged or broken branches. Let the branch start anew.
Most trees and shrubs will benefit from fertilization in the spring months. Use a slow-release product just before mulch is applied.
Lawn Care
A lush, green lawn is the heart of beauty in every yard. Let’s get our lawn on track to win the beauty queen pageant this year by following three steps: aeration, reseeding, and fertilization.
Aeration is important for lawn health. It helps oxygen, water, and nutrients to penetrate deeply into the soil. It’s like giving your lawn a much needed breath of fresh air. Companies like Kingdom Landscaping and O'Brien Property Maintenance offer this service.
For bare patches in the lawn, you can spread grass seed to help create a dense, vibrant lawn. If only we could do the same with thinning hair. For Utah you will generally want a bluegrass blend. Family Stores has a seed blend that works perfectly. It even comes with instructions on the bag. The timing of this application is important. The typical bluegrass blend can take up to 30 days to germinate. Freezing temperatures will kill the seed and stop germination. Avoid seeding if there are freezing temperatures in the forecast.
Fertilization is an important consideration to make for your lawn's health and aesthetics. Think of this as the protein shake after a workout. It provides the essential nutrients that your grass needs to grow thick and green. You will want to wait to fertilize until after the seeds you planted have germinated and you see the new grass starting to grow. There are various fertilizer programs you can apply to your yard. If you are the average DIYer this is not a hard thing to do. Grab a basic spreader and you can spread the fertilizer based on the instructions on the bag. Ensure the fertilizer you apply is specific to this time of year.
Weed Control
Spring is the perfect time to apply pre-emergent weed control for weeds such as crabgrass and dandelions. Most weed control comes in a spray type application that can be picked up at Family Stores. For areas with weeds that have gotten out of control, apply a good old fashioned beat down with a weed-eater. Check out our Spring Cleanup selection for a great deal on weed-eaters.
Plant Beds
Rake the old leaves and debris from plant beds. Pull the weeds that have already started growing. Take the planting beds to a new level by creating neat, natural edges around the beds. It's the crisp, defined edges that truly make a planting bed stand out.
Add Mulch
Add a one inch thick layer of fresh mulch in plant beds and around trees. Don’t let the mulch touch the tree trunks. Keep the mulch depth less than 3-inches. Mulch can elevate the look of a planting bed, but it’s not just for looks. It helps retain moisture in the soil, keeps roots cool in the summer, and insulates them in the winter. Over the years, it will decompose and add organic matter to the soil.
Irrigation System Check
As the weather warms up this month, turn on your sprinklers and inspect each zone. Check for leaking sprinkler heads, or misaligned sprinklers that water too much of the sidewalk. It's disappointing to discover a patch of dead grass in the summer, all because a sprinkler was misaligned.
Check for broken pipes and leaks. Freezing weather can cause pipes to break and leak. Keep an eye out for puddles of water or low pressure in sprinklers. These are both signs of a broken or leaking pipe.
Planning Your Plantings
Start planning your vegetable gardens, flower beds, and fruit trees now. Take into account sunlight exposure, soil type, and water needs when choosing your plants. Also consider the timing for each type of plant. Some vegetables are ok to start towards the end of March and early April. There’s a lot on your plate for this month already. I suggest waiting until April to get the spade out for planting.
Tools and Supplies
Garden Gloves: Protect your hands during cleanup and planting.
Rake: Clear debris and leaves from your lawn and garden beds.
Pruning Shears: Trim dead branches from trees and shrubs.
Garden Fork and Spade: Turn over and aerate your soil.
Compost and Organic Matter: Amend your soil to improve fertility and structure.
Grass Seed: Look for the bluegrass blend for best results in our climate
Lawn Aerator: Improve air, water, and nutrient flow to your lawn's roots.
Pre-emergent Herbicide: Prevent weeds from taking over your lawn and garden beds.
Mulch: Retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds.
Weed-eater: Battle those overgrown areas with the modern day machete.
Conclusion
Our community thrives when we come together with a common goal in mind. March is a golden opportunity for all of us to get ahead with our yard. By starting early, we can set the stage for a season of beauty and growth. As we work in our yards, think of the reputation we can have for excellence throughout our community.
I look forward to this journey with all of you. Feel free to share your progress, pictures, tips, and stories in the comments. Let's inspire each other with our transformations, challenges, and successes.
What's next?
In the next article we'll focus on April projects from our lawn to our fruit trees. Drop your questions, comments, and ideas below to shape the future of these articles.
