Spring begins on March 20th! Here are your March Outdoor to do list items that should be taken care of as we officially enter into the spring season! If you are a Dowco client, many of these services will be done for you!
Outdoor Trees & Shrubs
- Spring brings rain and storms. If your trees or shrubs are broken by strong winds, prune or remove them accordingly.
- As your ornamental trees and shrubs come out of dormancy, Dowco will stimulate them with a deep root fertilizer if you’re on our tree & shrub program.
- Common shrubs such as Boxwoods may show signs of winter burn early in the month. Hold off on pruning to see what recovers naturally.
- If you want to transplant any trees and shrubs to a different part of your landscaping, now is a good time to do it 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.
- Tall Ornamental Grasses should be cut back if they have not been already, or they will begin to blow all over the property in the wind.
- 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 first 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 when appropriate.
- Prior to lawn mowing, ensure that the turf is clear of leaves, gumballs, sticks and other debris.
- Through the early part of the month, avoid walking on soggy or frosty lawns as this may damage your grass plant.
Irrigation & Other Maintenance
- 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!
- As the ground thaws, observe your property for low spots or drainage issues.
- Prepare to resume watering again closer to the end of the month.
As you review your Dowco maintenance contract for 2014, call us with questions. If you want help crossing off your March Outdoor To Do List and you are not a Dowco client, request a proposal today!
