Getting Your Yard Ready for Spring: Tips from Red River Landscape Services

For most of us, April brings spring, and spring brings us back outside to our yards and gardens, getting ready for a fresh start to the year. You may have already done some prep in the fall, or you may be wondering what you should be doing now in the spring.

Jason Stanfield, owner of Red River Landscape Services, sat down with us to share some tips and insight on how to properly prepare your yard and landscaping for the season ahead.

Pre- and Post- Emergents

From pre- and post-emergent treatments to spring blooms and mulching, Jason covers some of the most common questions and offers practical advice for this time of year.

While observing Jason and his team completing maintenance on-site for one of the properties they manage, one of the first things you’ll notice is the application of a pre-emergent in the landscaping beds. The purpose of a pre-emergent is to prevent weeds before they break the surface.

Jason notes that it’s ideal to follow up with a post-emergent treatment several weeks to a month later to address any weeds that may have already started to grow. If you’re applying both pre- and post-emergent treatments to your yard, it’s important to allow enough time between applications, especially if you’re also seeding, so they don’t interfere with each other.

Time to Trim?

Looking at a plant that appears dead and unsure if it’s coming back? It’s best not to reach for the clippers too quickly. Jason explains that new growth isn’t always visible until mid to late April or even early May, as the ground needs time to warm up before plants begin to come back.

This is especially common with boxwoods. While they can be shaped and trimmed in the fall, they will often need additional trimming again in mid to late June once new growth has fully developed.

Mulching

Mulching is another task many people jump into as spring begins, but is it the best time to do it? Jason notes that fall is often the more ideal time for mulching. Applying mulch too early in the spring can cover plants that have not yet bloomed, making it more difficult for them to push through.

Taking the time to prepare your yard properly in the spring can make a noticeable difference throughout the rest of the season. A few simple steps now can help prevent issues later and set your landscaping up for long term success. If you’re unsure where to start or would rather have a professional handle it, the team at Red River Landscaping is here to help keep your property looking its best all year long.