how do i take care of my backyard

12 Tips for Taking Care of Your Backyard, From Pruning to Weed Prevention Aerate the Soil. Seed the Lawn. Prune Plants and Trees. Clear Out Leaves. Mulch Flower Beds. Mow Higher. Prevent Weeds. Invite Pollinators.

Full Answer

How to keep soil compacted in winter?

After the winter, the soil in your garden beds may be completely compacted. Remove thick layers of leaves which are covering evergreen ground cover beds. Thin layers of leaves in your beds can be left alone and simply mulched over later . They’ll break down and add organic matter to your soil.

When to deal with weeds in the yard?

Deal with weeds in early spring. Invasive or aggressive weeds will only get worse as daylight hours increase during summer. As they grow, their roots will strengthen and they will be very difficult to pull out.

What flowers can you cut off if you prune too early?

Since they bloom on the growth of previous season (“old” wood), you will be cutting off their buds and flowers if you prune too early. Examples are: azalea, forsythia, mophead hydrangeas, lilacs, and wisteria. See our complete pruning guide to common shrubs, bushes, and trees. 2.

How should I prune hydrangeas?

1. Prune in Winter and Early Spring 1 Prune summer-flowering shrubs hard at end of winter or very early spring BEFORE any new growth starts! They form their flower buds on “new” wood (i.e., wood that will grow this spring). Examples include butterfly bush, smooth hydrangeas, panicle hydrangeas, and roses. 2 Prune spring-flowering shrubs after spring flowers fade. Since they bloom on the growth of previous season (“old” wood), you will be cutting off their buds and flowers if you prune too early. Examples are: azalea, forsythia, mophead hydrangeas, lilacs, and wisteria.

How long does it take for a lawn to grow brown spots?

If you're then applying pre-emergent herbicides, we would also fertilize any spots in the lawn early; in a few weeks shoots will grow and fill in the brown spots. If the brown patches are too big or you just can’t wait, sod is the better option.

How much water does grass clippings contain?

This saves you time and energy, while also improving the condition of your lawn. Since grass clippings contain up to 90 percent water, the clippings dry up very quickly. It’s almost as if the grass clippings disappear. Plus, this returns 25 percent of the nutrients to the soil—a fantastic fertilizer. 7.

When should I prune a shrub?

Prune summer-flowering shrubs hard at end of winter or very early spring BEFORE any new growth starts! They form their flower buds on “new” wood (i.e., wood that will grow this spring).