When to Start Your Spring Landscaping Projects in Indiana

Your Guide to Spring Landscaping in Indiana

Springtime means beautiful weather that makes you want to spend all of your time outside. But before you grab your morning coffee or afternoon lemonade to hang out on your deck, you should consider refreshing your landscape.

But landscaping in Indiana can be tricky. With the weather quickly changing, it can be hard to know what projects to tackle and when. Luckily, we have your spring landscaping guide with all the information you could ever need.

Your lawn and garden will look the best it ever has if you follow these tips for spring landscaping.

After the Last Snow

You’ll want to wait until after the final frost before you start the bulk of your yard work. Once the ground thaws, it will be easier to plant and garden. After the last snow of the season, you can begin to prepare for this season’s landscaping.

Clear Any Debris

The snow has melted and revealed that your lawn may need some cleaning up. You may find branches or leaves on the ground leftover from the fall. Before you start any new projects, you’ll want to clear away any debris.

Rake up the sticks and leaves to give yourself a clean yard. Remove winter mulch to allow the ground to begin thawing.

Assess Lawn Damage

Without the debris, you’ll be able to get a better look at the condition your lawn is in. Months of cold weather can cause your lawn some damage, particularly your grass.

Snow mold is a fungus that can grow under thick snow, and you may only notice it after it’s melted. You can treat the mold with a fungicide made for lawns.

You may also find patches of grass that have died or dried out and need to be replaced with sod or new grass seeds.

Get Rid of Pests

Warmer weather means the emergence of bugs and pests. You’ll want to thoroughly check your lawn for pests, especially larvae. Some pests, like cutworms, can do damage to plant roots, leaves, and structures.

When you remove debris and mulch, you may be able to find pests before they have a chance to take over. You’ll also want to check your trees for any pests that may like to make homes in the trunks or branches.

Treat your yard with a natural insecticide or hire a pest control company to take care of the creepy crawlies.

Early Spring

Around early spring, the temperatures are much more consistent, and the ground is no longer frozen. These warmer temperatures mean it’s the best time to landscape and start gardening projects.

Reapply Fertilizer and Mulch

Prepare your lawn for new plants and flowers by applying new fertilizer. Mulch helps maintain moisture levels, reduces soil erosion and compaction, and creates a barrier to keep the ground at a constant temperature.

Add new mulch anywhere you’re planning to plant new flowers, greenery, or trees. Look for reputable places to buy mulch in Indiana that can give suggestions based on your landscaping ideas.

Plant Your Annuals and Perennials

Gardening for Indiana spring may seem daunting, but it’s really about timing. With new mulch on the ground, you’re ready to plant your annuals.

By planting in early spring, you’ll ensure they’ll be blooming by late spring or early summer. Violas, primroses, pansies, and ranunculus are great flowers that do well planted in the early spring.

Plant Grass Seeds

It’s no secret that colder weather can be rough on grass. Over the winter, your lawn may have died or dried in spots. That means in the spring; you may need to plant new grass seeds.

Though you’ll want to plant in the early spring, you’ll want to wait until daytime temperatures are consistently between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The sunshine and rain will help bring your grass back to life.

Do Your Weeding

You don’t want to have beautiful blooms and a lush lawn littered with unsightly weeds. Early spring is when you’ll start to see weeds popping up, so you’ll want to remove those throughout your lawn and garden.

Be aware of weeds that may grow between stones or pavement. Leaving these to grow can cause cracking to movement in your hardscaping.

Late Spring

Once spring is in full swing, you should feel comfortable maintaining your garden and lawn. Warmer temperatures mean all of your plants will be thriving. Perform proper maintenance to keep them looking fresh and beautiful.

Start a Watering Schedule

With the weather warming up, you’ll want to be sure your lawn and garden don’t dry out. Lawns need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water each week. This can either be from a hose or from the rain.

Flowers should be watered daily for the first week to keep the soil moist. Then change to watering your flowers a few times per week. It’s best to water in the early morning to allow the water to soak in rather than evaporate.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Now that your flowers are blooming and your grass is lush, the final step is to maintain the health and appearance of your lawn and garden. You may want to consider creating a maintenance schedule to stay on top of tasks.

Perform regular weeding and pruning of flower beds and boxes. During the growing spring growing season, you’ll want to cut your grass about once per week.

Your Guide to Spring Landscaping in Indiana

A stunning yard can really turn heads in your neighborhood. Imagine beautiful green grass and lots of blooming flowers right outside your door. It may sound too good to be true with wild spring weather in Indiana, but you can make your yard look like it came from the pages of a magazine by using this spring landscaping guide. When you know when to tackle which projects, your lawn and garden will be the perfect spring oasis.

Ready to transform your lawn and garden? McCarty Mulch & Stone is excited to help bring your dream landscaping to life. Contact our experts about our products, pricing, and advice for your lawn.