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Seasonal Tips

Think About:

Scheduling the spring cleanup jobs you will need completed once the snow melts.

Any landscape designs or renovations can be designed this time of year so they can start once the snow is melted. Call us today to meet with a designer. 515-382-8830

Take advantage of our spring specials! 15% OFF Boulder Fountains and 10% Compost Lawn Topdressing.

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Lawns:

Immediate:
No action is needed now.

If there are large snow piles on your property, you can spread them out to help the snow melt faster. Eliminating snow piles and long grass cover helps reduce vole and snow mold damage in the spring.

If you plan to overseed thin areas this spring remember to avoid applying a crabgrass preventer to those areas.

Coming Soon:
Early April will be the time to apply a crabgrass preventer. Wait until soil temperatures get close to 50 degrees before you apply them. Crabgrass geminates when soil temperatures reach about 55 degrees for 12-48 hours. Do not apply crabgrass preventer to areas you have overseeded.

Kentucky Bluegrass needs slightly warmer soil temperatures to germinate than crabgrass so you may not see germination until later. This is one reason why fall is the best time to overseed.

Mowing will begin around April 10th. Grass should be cut at 3" in Central Iowa. You do not need to lower the mower deck to mow in the spring.

Landscape:

Immediate:
This is an ideal time of year for dormant pruning of your shrubs in the landscape.

When pruning shrubs such as spirea, prune them back as far as you like. We usually recommend a little larger than a basketball.
When pruning shrubs like viburnum and dogwood, remove 1/3-1/4 of the largest canes.
DO NOT PRUNE spring blooming shrubs such as lilacs as you will cut off the buds that will bloom in the spring. Instead, prune them once they have completed blooming.
DO NOT PRUNE oak trees between February and October.

Coming Soon:
Ornamental grasses can be cut back to 3"-4" in height in early April.

Topdress mulch beds with a fresh 1" layer of a ground hardwood mulch. This is best done before perennials show too much new season growth.

Early April is a great time to apply a pre emergent weed control to your mulch and rock areas. PREEN is a popular product for this application. Be sure to read and follow label directions of any product you use.