It’s that time of year: spring cleaning is happening, whether we like it or not! Inside our homes, we’re scrubbing floors, dusting baseboards, sorting through old clothes, and more. Outside our homes, there are yard chores waiting to be done as well.

What happens if you neglect these yard chores? Or if you’re overzealous in performing them? Your lawn can suffer, but so can your landscape beds. If you’ve invested a lot of money in getting those in shape, then you want to work to protect that investment. However, some of these tasks can be best performed by a lawn care professional like Sunset Mowing.

Here are some of the biggest mistakes you can make when spring cleaning your landscape beds in St. Cloud, MN, and the surrounding areas like Sartell and Sauk Rapids.

Trimming Plants Too Short or Not Enough

Plant trimming is generally done for sizing and shaping plants. If it’s not done enough, the plants can become overgrown. Trimming should be done at least a few times a year, but if you start to trim too often or trim the branches too short, you can harm the growth of your plants.

Neglecting this aspect of landscape maintenance can also lead to other issues. Your plants and shrubs are natural habitats for harmful insects and if they aren’t getting regularly inspected for growth issues or insect infestations, they can see disease spread as the insect infestation grows. Keeping your plants regularly trimmed with a proper maintenance schedule can help negate these easily prevented problems from manifesting.

Pruning Plants Too Much or at the Wrong Time

Trimming and pruning are two very different things. Generally, pruning should only be done once a year. When pruning should be done depends on the type of plant. For example, flowering trees and shrubs that bloom in early spring should only be pruned after they have finished blooming. However, other plants may need to be pruned while they’re in their winter dormant period.

Pruning too much or at the wrong time can cause immense damage to your plants, but when it’s done properly, your plants can grow and thrive. The intent of pruning is to remove dead, dying, or diseased branches. Trusting this task to a lawn care professional means that your plants will always receive proper pruning at the proper time.

Installing Mulch Improperly

Mulch has many great benefits. It helps to prevent soil erosion in your landscape beds. It can also serve as a weed barrier, blocking sunlight from reaching those weeds you don’t want growing there.

But if mulch is installed improperly, you won’t be reaping any of those benefits. Mulch must be laid down in a thick enough layer, usually 2-3” deep, in order for it to work. If it’s too thin, it won’t help to prevent weed growth or soil erosion. Instead, you’ll start seeing those pesky weeds poke through and be left wondering why they’re still there!

When a lawn care professional puts mulch down for you, you can rest assured they are putting down the right amount to help you protect your plants and your investment in your landscape beds.

Neglecting to Establish a Regular Weed Control & Fertilization Schedule

The soil in your landscape beds needs nutrients to help plants survive and those nutrients are supplied through regular fertilization. Without fertilization, your landscape bed health suffers. It’s vital to establish a regular fertilization schedule for your landscape bed plants.

In the same vein, if you don’t have a regular weed control plan, then your plants are losing those nutrients to weeds. You’ve made a big investment in your landscaping. Don’t let it fall by the wayside by neglecting a weed control and fertilization schedule.

Consult with us today about the health of your landscape beds!

We’d be happy to come out and give you a consultation and a quote on our services. Call (320) 293-1625 today to find out how we can help you make your landscape beds healthier look great! We work with residents and businesses in and around the areas of St. Cloud, Sartell, and Sauk Rapids, MN.