You sure can’t tell it from this whacky weather we are having, but it is spring! Just a few short days ago, it really felt like it, but, tonight, we may have a freeze. I already have my spring flowers in the ground, so I guess I will have to do some covering today. That’s why this time of year is kind of tricky. You start asking yourself things like, “Should I plant my flowers? What about my lawn? What should I do about it? What about weed control?” Hopefully, you will have some of the answers to those questions after you read this article and visit the recommended websites.

I first would like to address the issue of spring lawn care. Now is the time to get your grass ready for summer and this includes weed control and fertilization. The very first thing that should have been done was putting down a pre-emergent. Because of the warm weather we have had, it is too late to put down a pre-emergent, so you need to keep this in mind for next spring. You may be wondering why it’s too late. The reason is simple: pre-emergent weed control is applied to suppress germinating weeds, and the weeds are now germinating. You should put down a pre-emergent in late February or early March, and, if you have already put down the first treatment, you should apply a second in late spring or early summer. This helps prevent grassy weeds such as crabgrass and dallisgrass. If you have not put down a pre-emergent, put down a post-emergent. This can also help fight grassy weeds as well as broadleaf weeds. If you would like to know more about these weed control methods, visit: MSU Cares. The state covered in the article is Mississippi, so you will want to ignore the schedule. It’s just a great explanation of weed control.

It is also recommended that you scalp your lawn at this time. Scalping is when you lower your lawn mower and cut the grass as short as possible without hitting dirt. Scalping helps cut out the dead grass as well as weeds. You can actually collect the clippings and use it as mulch. I have done a lot of research on scalping, and it is mostly recommended for Bermuda grass. Unless you have planted a different lawn from the original grass sodded by Fox and Jacobs, you have St. Augustine grass and don’t HAVE to scalp your lawn. (It is more for aesthetic purposes.) After the initial spring scalping, you DO NOT want to scalp it again unless you are planting a different seed. Scalping at any other time can actually harm your lawn. In April, mow your lawn frequently to keep it dense, spreading, and better able to crowd out weeds.

The third thing to know about spring lawn care is about applying fertilizer. You want to apply a high nitrogen fertilizer on our grass. You can apply a 15-5-10 mixture the first of April and a 21-0-0 the first of May. There is so much to know about lawn care. A very excellent website to visit for answers is yarddoctor.com. If you would like to join an excellent forum about lawn care, visit lawncare.com. Have all your questions answered!

Now is also the time to beautify your yard by planting flowers, trees, and shrubs. For tips on planting trees and shrubs, refer back to the fall article. Nothing makes your yard stand out more than planting lots of spring color. You can put down landscape stone around your trees and in front of your shrubs and create beautiful flower beds. Make sure that you choose flowers that will survive the conditions of where they will be planted. For instance, if you are planting flowers that are going to receive direct sun, make sure you select flowers that will withstand that – for example: petunias, snap dragons, marigolds, dianthus, and more. Some flowers that like more shaded areas include begonias and impatiens. Always read the tags that come with the flowers you like. The tag will let you know if they like sun, shade, well drained soil, etc. Also, you CANNOT plant flowers just in the clay soil we are stuck with. Make sure you purchase some gardening soil such as Miracle-Gro gardening soil and plant your flowers in it. Make sure that you keep your flowers fertilized throughout the summer. I have found that watering them with one of those “Miracle-Gro” sprayers attached to your hose provides great success! Only fertilize in this manner according to directions.

You may also want to consider planting flowering shrubs or roses. I have azaleas on the shaded side of the house and roses on the sunny side of the house. Make sure you follow the directions on the tags for planting instructions. You can enjoy roses from spring to winter! However, you need to be prepared to really take care of them. One thing to consider when planting your flowers is whether you want annuals or perennials. Annuals have to be planted year after year. Perennials come back each year without replanting. I addressed some of the perennials, such as bulbs, in the winter article. Perennials cost more initially, but wind up saving you money since you don’t have to buy flowers every year. I am currently adding several perennial beds in the backyard, because I don’t want all of the work year after year! I could write pages on planting flowers, but I hope the above tips help.

Lastly, you need to put down fresh mulch. Fresh mulch helps add beauty to your flower and shrub beds. Faded, old mulch is not at all eye pleasing! To keep it short, some of the reasons you have mulch is to help maintain a uniform soil temperature, discourage weeds, and conserve water. Mulch helps control runoff and helps keep the soil moist. Put one to two inches of mulch around your flowers and anywhere from two to four inches around trees and shrubs. Most tags that come with trees and shrubs tell you how much mulch to add. Never put down more than four inches.

I hope that the above tips help you somewhat, but there is so much more to spring planting. Just do the research and you will have a beautiful yard!