Throughout the year, your lawn and other plants require different maintenance and care. Sometimes knowing when to apply what type of treatments and maintenance can be confusing. We at Matt Myette Landscaping have provided a seasonal landscaping guide in an effort to help you keep your landscaping looking gorgeous and healthy all year long.
March – May Spring Landscaping Maintenance Tips
If the yard was not properly mulched in the winter, mulch the beds early in the spring season. Over the perennial beds, broadcast a light application of 10-10-10. Get the lawn mower blades sharpened. Set your lawn mower to 3- 3 1/2 inches. Be sure you mow the lawn once a week and avoid cutting more than 1/3rd of growth at any one time. After flowering, most spring-flowering shrubs can be cut back and fertilized. To extend the bloom times in most species, deadhead perennials after they flower. To prevent crabgrass invasion, apply a pre-emergent to lawns in early March. As they appear in the lawn, spray the broadleaf weeds.
June-August Summer Landscaping Tips
After blooming, make sure the spring-flowering shrubs pruning and fertilizer is finished. In early June, be sure to apply the second round of pre-emergent. Continue to spray the broadleaf weeds as they grow in the lawn. Perform deadheading when needed in mid-summer and apply a second application of 10-10-10 over the perennials. Inspect the plants, trees, and grass for any insect infestation and spray when needed. Be sure to weed beds as frequently as needed to avoid flowering and setting in more seeds. Throughout the summer water deeply and consistently.
September – December Fall Landscaping Guide
Any time from late August to early October, aerate and seed the lawn. From September to November, fertilize the lawn. Until weather cools and frost is common, continue to water throughout fall, particularly the evergreens and newly planted trees and shrubs. The perennial gardens should be cleaned up and the plants cut back. The trees and shrub species that should be pruned in fall should be done in September. By pruning, the new growth is stimulated which would be otherwise killed off in the early frost. Do not prune heavily after September, it would be better to wait. In November to early December, plant the spring flowering bulbs. Particularly on newly seeded lawns, ensure the leaves are cleaned up weekly.
January- February Winter Landscaping Months
Gently brush the snow with a broom from shrubs and tree branches using am upward motion on the branches whenever possible to avoid pushing down the branches. Getting the snow off will prevent the limbs from breaking under the weight. Continue to clean up the stray leaves as they fall to the ground. With the beds cleaned up and the bulbs and perennials being dormant, now is a good time to mulch. Mulch offers more protection for the plants, preventing them from heaving from the ground due to freezing and thawing as well as offer the soil more protection from drying out. Hollies and boxwoods and other evergreens should be pruned and fertilized in February and the crape myrtles can be thinned.
Lawn Care, Landscape Maintenance & More in Greater Morrisville, Stowe & Lamoille County, Vermont
For your convenience, Matt Myette Landscaping offers quality lawn and landscape services to help keep your lawn and plants in prime condition.