I’m sure everyone’s excited for the summer, after the wild winter the Pacific Northwest has had this year. Here are some things you can do to get ready for the warm season.

Clean Up

• Gather branches and stems and use them as future firewood, mulching material, or dispose in the city compost bins.
• Rake out planting beds, paths and lawns. A lot of this organic debris can be reused onsite as mulch or compost.
• Sweep off decks and patios.  Keeping dirt out of cracks will prevent weeds from starting and compromising the materials.
• Clear out gutters and water features.
• Check that trellises, rain chains, arbors, lights, etc,  are intact and clear of debris.

Prepare Tools

• Get your pruners, loppers, and clippers ready for use by sharpening and oiling the blades. Sterilize them with a 10:1 water/bleach solution to prevent transfer of diseases.
• Sharpen mower blades.

Mulch

• Prepare planting beds by removing weeds and adding 2″ of mulch. Wood chips or bark dust is great for perennials and trees. Straw and leaves are great for gardens. Compost is great everywhere.

Prune

• Early spring is the perfect time to prune most summer-blooming shrubs and vines. Remove old, dead and diseased wood.
• Prune to shape but don’t remove more than 1/3 of the plant.
• Spring-flowering shrubs should be pruned immediately after the blooms die off (lilacs, rhodies, etc).
• Cut back ornamental grasses to allow for fresh new growth.
• Shear hedges if overgrown.

Check Sprinklers

• Turn on and test your irrigation system to ensure the heads are clear and have adequate water pressure.
• Check that drip lines are in the ground and haven’t been damaged.

Lawn

• Rake out areas of thatch.
• Seed patchy or thin spots.
• Apply fertilizer if no rain is expected.

Blessing Landscapes has year-round maintenance packages to meet your needs! Contact us to discuss a plan that’s right for you.