Tomorrow is the first official calendar day of spring! Though we have been experiencing some spring-like weather for the past few weeks, in Nebraska it seems almost impossible to know if the warmer weather is here to stay! But regardless if this really is the end of winter, it’s time to start prepping your garden for growing season. Our Purple Polo crews have already been out working on spring clean ups for the last two weeks, getting gardens ready for a great season with pruning, edging, mulching, soil building and much much more.

So that’s the what but where’s the why? Why do our crew leaders have ‘Spring Clean Up’ written all over their planners for the next two months?

It’s a great start to the season! March kicks off the growing season with warmer temperatures, fresh air and rain fall. With a proper garden clean up your space is positioned to take advantage of what March has to offer and roll right into April and May poised to have a stellar showing. Now we will go through the whys behind the whats of basic spring clean ups.

WHAT: Edging

WHY: To keep the lawn out of the bedding and the bedding out of the lawn. Sharp bed edges also maintain the design intent and a clean line for the eye to follow in a garden space. Bed edges are present in all four season, creating a consistent structure for a space so spring is the perfect time for a fresh start.

WHAT: Mulching

WHY: A thin layer of mulch is used to try and keep the weeds at bay and create a uniform look in empty spring bedding. We like to focus on more plants and less mulch in hopes of creating living ground covers for the spaces we take care of.

WHAT: Soil Building with Leaf Compost

WHY: Leaf compost as a mulch substitute or raked in with a standard mulch product does a great job of building soil structure for a healthy spring. Leaf compost helps balance the pH level of your soil while also giving plants some of the nutrients they need.

WHAT: Removing Caging

WHY: Spring clean ups are a great time to take down any caging used to keep the bunnies at bay. With the green returning to the scenery, rabbits are less likely to graze on woodies and shrubs so it is safe to take the caging down and let your plants grow freely. It’s also important to time this right before the plants get too big; pulling caging off after plants have grown through can damage the plant.

WHAT: Pruning

WHY: Now is an easy time to cut out winter kill and check for insects and diseases. The temperatures are rising so pruning now is more enjoyable then in the dead of winter, yet you can still easily see the form of the plant with little to no foliage.

WHAT: Fertilizing

WHY: Low nitrogen fertilizers are activated with spring rains and give plants a great boost for the growing season.

So now you know the WHY behind the WHAT and all the glorious benefits of spring clean ups. PLUS it’s not too late to get on the schedule! If you want your garden to start off strong this season give us a shout! 402-457-6492