Looking for Lush Landscaping? Spring Signals the Start of Grounds Maintenance for Both Beauty and Safety

For many parts of Canada, March and April signal the beginning of spring as perennials break through their protective bulbs and push through the ground and flower buds start to bloom. Strata and condo corporations often have a variety of landscapes to maintain for both safety and aesthetics. As the weather improves, there will be lots of landscaping projects to tackle – and some things to avoid.

Lawn Maintenance

There are three things you can do to help maintain safe and beautiful lawns when spring arrives:

  1. Aerating: Removing plugs of grass and soil will help relieve soil compaction that makes it difficult for grass to grow. Compaction is especially problematic where there is heavy rainfall and a lot of foot traffic. Aeration also helps your lawn absorb water, air and nutrients, which is why this is also a good time to apply fertilizer. It also helps with drainage and prevents water from accumulating and creating potential hazards.
  2. Power Raking: This machine removes lawn thatch that will prevent your lawn from growing thick and lush, especially if there is too much of it.
  3. Moss Control: The best time of year to remove moss is when it’s actively growing in early spring, making April a great time to tackle this job. If you want to keep moss to a minimum, you’ll want to:
    • Mow your lawn short.
    • Apply a moss control product evenly to the area.
    • Use a power rake when the lawn is dry to remove thatch.
    • Rake and dispose of dead moss once it had turned black or brown.
    • Maintain your lawn through summer.

Be sure to check the label on any moss control product to avoid chemicals that could be harmful to people or animals.

Fertilizing

Keeping lawns fertilized is a good year-round practice to maintain a healthy lawn. If possible, fertilize three times a year for the best results:

  • Spring – Jumpstarts new growth.
  • Summer – Keeps your lawn growing and healthy through warmer months.
  • Fall – Helps your lawn store nutrients before winter.

In spring, you’ll want a good balance of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). When checking fertilizer labels, a good number to aim for is a 23-3-23 balance of these nutrients.

Prune Perennials

Perennials are plants that lay dormant throughout the winter and grow again each spring/summer; therefore, they don’t require replanting. If you have these in your landscaping, now is a good time to prune them low to the ground before they start to grow vigorously. This will encourage new buds to grow, making them full and lush when the warmer months return.

What to Avoid

  • Be sure not to over-prune any flowering shrubs or trees. While snipping away unruly growth won’t hurt, major pruning jobs are best saved for late fall and early winter.
  • If you have any sunken concrete pavers or wood that needs refinishing, it’s best to leave this until the dry summer months arrive. Just be sure to keep them clear of any debris to reduce slip and fall accidents.

By following these guidelines, your landscaped areas and shared outdoor spaces will not only be a pleasure to look at and spend time in, but they will be safe.

Content provided by and reproduced with permission from Para Space Landscaping Inc.