02/19/2021
People get anxious this time of year asking what to do to prepare for Spring. Finish hard/structural pruning on woody shrubs and trees, wait to trim ornamental grasses till the end of March when the threat of frost has passed. Daytime temps are starting to rise so now is a good time to have pre emergent applied in the grass and planter areas to reduce the amount of w**ds that germinate. We recommend a liquid application as it does better in gravel mulch areas on drip irrigation and it allows more of the active ingredient to be applied for better results. Irrigation is not quite necessary or can be put on a very minimal schedule, but now is a good time to check the system for any needed repairs. We recommend applying treatments of gypsum in lieu of turf aeration as it has a longer term effect to help reengineer the soil and to help with the ph levels while aeration is short term, can put holes in your pre emergent coverage if already applied, and can pull up w**d seeds with the plugs. This year had an extended leaf drop due to lack of rain and storms so stay on top of blowing leaves so they don't turn into mush in your gravel mulch. Lastly as plants start to come out of dormancy, keep an eye out for those that have died and try to replace with 5 gallon sized plants if possible. Plenty to do in Feb. and March.
