“Spring Cleaning is a term that should apply not only to the inside of your house but the outside as well”, says Val Morano Sagliocco, Owner of Weaver Gardens, Ridgeway Garden Center and Morano Group, formerly known as Morano Landscape Garden Design Ltd. “It’s fundamental, not just for leaf and debris removal,” he says, “but to de-thatch the lawn, allowing new seedlings and new growth.”

Start, if you haven’t already done so, by removing all the branches, leaves and other debri, drowned by winter’s fury. Then, rake up the leaves and other remnants freed from snow and ice. You may find the next step odd since your lawn will look nubby, but now is a great time, Sagliocco says, to rake it - giving seeds and new grass room to breath.

The lawn should be de-thatched when it is actively growing and the soil is moderately moist. The best time of year for de-thatching is the same as for aerating: early spring or early fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer (after the second mowing) for warm-season grasses. That's when your grass is growing most vigorously.

After you’ve done all this, take a moment to walk around your property to note what may be in need of repair and what plants need to be replaced. It’s “game on”, Sagliocco says, for planting trees and shrubs, along with early spring color - pansies in masses, then your bulb plants, such as daffodils, tulips and hyacinth. Next month, plant your summer color - perennials like begonias and annuals like impatiens.

Last but not least, you’ll want to have your deck chairs and patio furniture cleaned and ready so you can put your feet up and admire all your hard work and vibrant results.

April 2020

By Sam Hochman & Georgette Gouveia

Spring Clean Up