Winter can be challenging on your landscapes, but when springs come around, it is time to start planting again. Transitioning from winter weather to planting season can be tricky, but with the right techniques and strategies you can get things moving. Here’s our checklist for proper spring prep:
Recover from Salt Damage
Road salts and de-icing agents are frequently used in cold regions, and they can have harsh impacts on the landscape. Excess salts can soak into soil, where the sodium and chloride ions displace nutrients. This disrupts plant nutrient uptake, as well as soil structure and pH. If grass or plants are looking lifeless and dehydrated near areas of applied road salt, flush the soil with fresh water to dilute the salt and help recovery. Calcium-based solutions may help with salt damage recovery.
Develop Roots
After a long winter and a period of dormancy, plants and roots may need some additional help to bounce back. As the soil warms, roots become more active and seek out nutrients and water. On lawns, aerate the soil after the ground has thawed and when grass begins growing. Aeration creates holes in the soil, relieving compaction and giving roots more room to grow. It also allows oxygen to penetrate the soil and lets the roots transpire or “breathe” more easily.
You can provide a nutrient boost to soil and roots with fertilizers or compost. There are a lot of different nutrients that plants may need at this time of year, such as phosphorous and potassium for root growth and disease resistance. A soil test or analysis of plants will let you know if there are any nutrient deficiencies in the soil you need to address.
Ensure Proper Watering
Think about your landscape’s watering needs for the coming season. Start by checking on your irrigation systems to make sure they’re in good shape. That means looking for leaks, cleaning sprinkler heads, and making sure water will spray where it is needed. New plantings and seeds will need more water than established trees and shrubs that have deeper root systems. A moisture management program with the right products can help water penetrate soil to encourage deeper root growth.
Enhance Flowering in Trees and Shrubs
It wouldn’t be spring without flowers! Some flowering shrubs need some help to look their best, however shrubs that bloom in spring, like lilacs, put out buds on old woody growth, so they should be pruned after flowering has ended. By contrast, summer-blooming flowers such as panicle hydrangeas and butterfly bush put out flowers on new growth, so prune them before buds start to emerge. That will allow the bushes to fully grow all season.
Trees can also be pruned before leaves start to emerge. Dead or diseased branches should be removed, as well as any that look like they’re growing in disruptive patterns. You can read more about branch pruning here.
Spring is a busy time, so make sure to stay on top of the essential tasks! With some organization, you’ll be able to get everything done and enjoy the year to come.
Recommended Products
- Na-X: flushes excess salt from soils
- NutriRoot: improves rooting and soil health
- Hydretain: retain more water in soil
- BloomPlex: enhances fruiting and flowering