Seasonal Tips

First assess the damage caused by winter’s ice and snow. Evaluate plants with broken limbs or branches to see if they can be salvaged with some judicious pruning, or if they need to be replaced altogether. If you have some evergreens that have lost some lower branches, perhaps you can regain some privacy by underplanting with laurels rather than losing the trees altogether.

Early spring is traditionally the time to rejuvenate your lawn. This winter’s heavy snows may have created some extra work this year – filling ruts from cars that missed the drive, or snowplow damage along the street. We have top soil by the bag or by the yard – for pick-up or delivery. We can help you figure out how much you need, as well as recommend the right grass seed and fertilizer. We also carry straw and salt hay to keep the mud down and the seed moist until it has a chance to get established.

Water problems? As the season’s snow is melting, have you noticed any areas of the yard that need to be pitched away from the house to avoid leaks? What about low spots in the lawn? Now is a great time to level up the yard and get some new seed established.

As part of your spring clean-up efforts, look for areas in your gardens where you may have some erosion. Altering the shape or redefining the edges of your flower beds may help to prevent further damage from spring rains. You may find some areas only need a little compost or top soil to build them back up. This is also a good time to design and create new beds so that you can do all your mulching at the same time.

Most people find it easier to spread mulch early, before spring bulbs and perennials emerge. Before you put that mulch down, don’t forget to ask about granular pre-emergent weed preventer. A small effort now can go a long way to avoiding backbreaking weeding down the road.

Don’t forget - early spring is a great time to move or divide most perennials! Many plants benefit tremendously from occasional division, rewarding you with even more abundant blooms. Ask our experts for advise on when and how to divide the particular plants in your yard.