By Lisa Allen Do It Yourself • Landscape • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Spring 2021 Lawn and Landscape Checklist

While Spring doesn’t officially happen until March 20th, the days here in Olathe and surrounding areas are starting to feel like the season is already here. And you know what that means: it’s time to pay attention to your lawn and landscape! This is true if you want to make big changes as the weather gets warmer, but it’s also true if you just want to revive your space. No matter your plans for the coming year, doing these few things in Spring will ensure a beautiful lawn and landscape.

Take a Good Look Around

You don’t know what you can do until you know what you’re working with. Once the temperatures start to warm, you can start inspecting your lawn and landscape. Pay particular attention to shrubs and trees. Look for broken branches and overgrowth, and prune if necessary.

This is also an ideal time to assess the possibilities your space has to offer. Look around: do you have a sunny spot that might be good for a flower bed? Or a partially sunny corner that might be a great home for an herb garden? Take a little time to think about what you want in your space. Maybe a birdbath and bird feeder, or a butterfly garden, or even a new gazebo or outdoor kitchen. The first step is assessing your space and seeing where there’s potential to grow.

Get Your Tools In Order

If you stored your tools properly before the cold temperatures set it, this step might be as simple as unpacking everything. But if you let hoses sit out during our freezing temperatures or if you let your tools sit outside, where they were subject to moisture and rust, then you might have to take inventory. While some tools can be cleaned and used again, others might need to be replaced.

Prep Your Soil

Do you know the Ph of your soil? Have you determined the right fertilizer and how often it should be applied? How about nutrient profiles—do you know what your soil needs and how to supply it?

It’s absolutely fine if you answer those questions by saying no. Spring is the perfect time to assess all of this information. Connect with your local extension office (many offer free soil testing) or visit your favorite lawn and garden store. Once you know how to best nourish your soil—and which plants will grow best in the soil you have—you can plan the lawn and landscape of your dreams.

Spring Clean Your Yard

Spring cleaning isn’t just for kitchens! Take this time to rake leaves and other debris, clean up refuse that got trapped under snow, and clean up the edges around your lawn, trees, and flower beds.

Want help turning your Johnson County landscape from boring to gorgeous? We’d love to talk to you. Shoot us an email or call—or visit our Facebook page to see various projects.

By ddmg Do It Yourself • Landscape • Management • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

How to Prep Your Landscape For Springtime

Fall isn’t exactly fun, and winter worries us. From a gardening and landscaping perspective, these months aren’t the most fun. So what season is spectacular? Springtime!

If you’re in love with your landscaping and giddy about gardening, then you love when spring has sprung. You know that a little effort on your part before the fresh weather finds its way to Olathe can add a lot of value to your landscaping efforts.

As Olathe Landscapers, we know this, too. We prepared a few quick tips to help you properly prep your landscaping and garden for springtime:

  • Clean It Up

As spring rolls in, you’ll want to clean up your landscaping. Keep the garden beds and the lawn fresh and clean as the weather changes. Make it a habit to pick up branches, debris, and more during the cold months. Once the good weather hits, you’ll be back doing the fun stuff – instead of cleaning up.

  • Prioritize Pruning

You’ll want to focus on primping and pruning right as spring hits. Start by removing any weeds in garden beds. Then give your perennials a good trimming and haircut. Next, focus on lightly pruning trees and shrubs. Make sure to remove any and all dead branches.

  • Maintain the Mower

A huge part of your landscape is your lawn. You may hire a professional Olathe Landscaper to mow your lawn, or you may do it yourself. If you mow your lawn, then make sure you sharpen the mower blades before taking a crack at the lawn for the first time in the spring. If you don’t, you may damage the grass, as unsharpened blades tear the grass instead of cutting it.

P.S: Make sure to mow your lawn a little higher in the spring. The grass is still starting to grow during this time. You can damage it by cutting it too low too soon.

  • Fertilizing Fun

Your plants need proper nutrition to grow. So make sure to feed your plants some fresh compost and fertilizer as the weather changes. Test your soil before you do anything. This can help you find out if the soil is deficient in any nutrients your plants require.

  • Mulching Mania

Don’t forget to get out the mulch as spring comes. You’ll want to add a 4-5 inch layer of the freshest mulch to all your garden beds. This will reduce the amount of weeds you’ll deal with this year.

  • Transplanting Plants

If you want to move plants around or plant some new ones, then the springtime is perfect. The temperatures are comfortable, and your plants will be able to adjust to a new area much easier. Trying to transplant during a drought or high heat just won’t work as well. Trust your favorite Olathe landscaper on this!