Spring is just around the corner!

You know what that means, right? Time to start thinking about the beautiful lawn you want to have this year! Here are a few tips for a yard that will have all of your neighbors jealous.

In order to have a healthy yard this Spring and Summer, you will need to start with pre-emergent herbicides, which are chemicals that prevent undesired weeds such as crabgrass, clovers, and ragweed from growing in your lawn. They do not prevent the germination of the seed but help control it so that it will not sprout. Due to the way these herbicides work, the timing of the application is the most important aspect of weed prevention. Typically it is recommended to go ahead with your pre-emergent care in a couple of months prior to spring time, i.e February, March, and April. If the weed has already sprouted and is visible, pre-emergent herbicides will not help solve the weed problem.

​ Continue protecting tender container plants from freezing temperatures, spring may be on the horizon, but it is still too cold for new plants to survive on their own. In addition, remember not to drive or walk on frozen grass. The grass is will break and be damaged when it warms up again.

Don’t forget to water your plants even during the winter. The cold air removes moisture from plants faster than they can absorb it, newly planted trees and shrubs are especially vulnerable and need extra attention and care.

Avoid using salt on frozen driveways and sidewalks this year. Salt does a serious amount of damage to your lawn. Because salt is water-soluble that means when it comes into contact with water, ice, or snow, in this case, it breaks down into its two main components, sodium and chloride. Neither are good for your lawn and often cause brown patches to occur. This is because plants need very little sodium and in this case, it becomes heavily present in the soil, essentially causing the plant to become dehydrated and die. Instead, try using sand, organic kitty litter, or sawdust. All of which are safe to use in your yard and will have a similar ice melting effect.