It’s finally April and spring has arrived! Here's a list of 5 fun St. Louis spring activities to accomplish this April. It also includes things to do in the month of April in your garden.
If you are a Dowco client, many of these services will already be scheduled for you!
Outdoor Trees & Shrubs
- Trees and shrubs should receive a dormant oil application. This treatment will cover pests such as scale making them unable to attack your prized specimens.
- Common shrubs such as Boxwoods may still be showing signs of winter burn. Hold off on pruning to see what recovers naturally. Wait until the beginning of May to determine if they will need to be removed and replaced.
- Spring brings rain and storms. If your trees or shrubs are broken by strong winds, prune or remove them accordingly.
- This is still a great time to transplant any trees and shrubs to a different part of your landscaping, when the soil is not too hard, but before they grow too much foliage.
Garden and Bed Maintenance
- Spent perennials such as Liriope will be cut back during Dowco’s spring bed cleanup.
- Preparing the beds for mulch is important. Dowco’s bed maintenance clients will receive a spraying of pre and post-emergence to set the beds up for success throughout the year.
- Now is also a good time to divide Ornamental grasses if they have grown too large for an area. The new grasses can be transplanted to a different area of your garden.
- Establish a crisp shovel edge around your beds. The turf edge should be a 90 degree angle and the bed edge a 45 degree angle.
Lawn Care & Turf Care
- Dowco’s fertilization and weed control clients will receive their second application of fertilizer and crabgrass pre-emergent to prevent the growth of annuals weeds throughout the season.
- The majority of lawns in St. Louis are cool-season grasses (Fescue & Bluegrass). This type of grass will take off as the weather warms up throughout March and April. Expect Dowco lawn mowing to begin the second week of April this year.
- Prior to lawn mowing, ensure that the turf is clear of leaves, gumballs, sticks and other debris.
Irrigation & Other Maintenance
- Schedule your spring irrigation startup and backflow test with Dowco.
- Organize your annual containers where you want them and request a bid for irrigation drip lines for hands free watering. This will really free you up, especially during vacations!
- Ensure that you’ve planned the annuals that you want this summer and prepare to install them in May.
- Observe your property for low spots or drainage issues.
As you review your maintenance contract for the spring and summer, call us with questions. If you want help crossing off your April Outdoor To Do List and you are not a Dowco client, request a proposal today!
