Newswatch April 2019,jpdf

Shenandoah Homeowners Association
NEWSWATCH
April 2019 Issue 4 Serving the Homeowners of Shenandoah Estates Since 1972
642 517 482
Your yard requires some spring cleaning to look its best after a period of winter dormancy. Taking a weekend to clean up as the weather begins to warm will save you time later and it helps prevent some problems later in the summer. Survey your yard before you begin to help formulate a specific checklist of what needs done to get it ready for the season.
Pruning
Many non-flowering shrubs, trees and woody plants respond well to spring pruning, which cleans up their appearance. Flowering shrubs typically aren’t pruned heavily until after they finish blooming, although you can trim out dead and damaged branches. Cut back dead perennials that were left in the yard for winter interest, such as coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) or ornamental grasses, to within a few inches of the ground before new growth begins. Pull up any dead annuals still remaining in the yard.
Debris
Yards collect debris over the winter months, including fallen leaves, dead grasses and other detritus that blows in. Rake up collected debris from the lawn and garden beds and dispose of it or compost it. Piles of debris left on the lawn can kill the emerging spring grass beneath it and also
provide a nesting site for slugs and insect pests. Rake when the grass is dry, otherwise the rake may pull the grass out of the soft, wet soil.
Mulch
Winter mulch that protected perennials looks ragged come spring. It often washes or blows from the bed. Pull old mulch away from the base of of trunks and stems so a small space remains between the plant and the mulch layer. Rake blown mulch back into its proper location. Spread fresh mulch over garden beds to replenish the old layer and maintain a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Remove old sheets of plastic mulch from annual garden beds and replace with new before planting. Plastic mulch usually only survives for one year before it tears, becomes ragged and needs to be replaced.
Lawn Repair
In mild climates that experience little to no snowfall, winter lawn damage is usually minimal. Avoid walking on soggy areas until they’re dry so the grass doesn’t become damaged. You can overseed thin spots on warm-season grass lawns in spring, while it’s best to overseed cool-season grasses in fall. Resume mowing once the grass grows to 4 to 5 inches tall and only trim it back to 3 to 4 inches. Mowing too early in spring or too low results in weak grass that is more prone to
summer damage during dry periods. [ —Continued on page 7
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