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Maintenance Tips for Your Landscape

Grace Smith Grace Smith
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Yard work can be fun, but good curb appeal can also increase the resale value of your home. Unfortunately, getting your landscaping in Oxford ready for spring can be a daunting task, especially if you are like many other homeowners who look around the yard and don't know where to begin. Before you start pulling out weeds and gassing up the mower, take a walk around your property to assess the current condition. The following tips will help you prep your landscaping for spring and maintain throughout the spring/summer season.

Mowing & Maintaining the Grass

In order to properly maintain the lawn, it is important to first get it in shape for warm weather. Before mowing, you will need to “wake up” the grass, so it's time to grab a rake and get rid of all the dried and dead grass. Dried and dead grass can be deep and thick, which can affect the growth and appearance of the new grass, so make sure to remove as much of the old stuff as possible. Keep in mind that if you notice a few brown spots, it doesn't necessarily mean the grass is dead; it may come back to life after you rake over it.

When mowing, resist the urge to mow the grass to short. This will damage it and possibly cause it to stop growing. To maintain the yard, it is best to alternate the mowing pattern. Mow weekly during the growing season and try to only cut about 1/3 of the leaf blades at a time. Make sure to keep the blades on the mower sharp and check the oil before each mow.

Weed Control

After the mowing is complete, it's time to get rid of the weeds and crabgrass before they get out of control. You should get the crabgrass and the weeds under control before the temperature of the soil reaches 55 degrees, because this is when growth will start. If you are putting weed control on the lawn, you should wait at least eight weeks before putting down grass seed.

The best way to keep the weeds at a minimum is to keep the turf healthy. Make sure to only use selective herbicides, because using a non-selective herbicide will also kill the grass and plants. The easiest way to maintain and prevent the overgrowth of weeds is to remove them, which should be done weekly.

Trim the Trees & Shrubs

Trim out all of the dead tree branches and high growth on shrubs. If you have a large tree that is located near your house or if the branches are near the roof, contact a local company that provides landscaping in Oxford. It can be dangerous trimming a large tree, so keep this part of landscaping maintenance to a professional landscaper. Shrubs should be trimmed on a regular basis to prevent uneven growth. When trimming shrubs, try to follow the natural growth of the tree and shape by removing only about an inch of growth.

The easiest way to get organized with your landscape maintenance is to create a list of everything that needs to be done at the beginning of the season and a separate list of maintenance projects. For example, fertilizer may only need to be put in at the beginning of the season, while the mowing and weeding should be done weekly. The key to a great landscaped yard is to routinely walk the perimeter of your property and address any problem, such as bare patches and dead flowers as soon as you notice the problem. For more info, get in touch with Home Improvement Services.