5 Landscaping Tasks Every Homeowner Should Do Before Summer

Spring is here, which means summer is just around the corner! After months of dormancy, your landscape is beginning to wake up and bloom. As you start thinking about adding new plants, preparing for outdoor gatherings, and getting your yard back into shape, there are a few important landscaping tasks you should tackle before summer arrives.

Preparing your landscape now will help keep it healthy, vibrant, and looking its best throughout the warmer months.

Mulching

Mulch is an important part of maintaining a healthy and beautiful landscape. It helps insulate and protect the soil, conserve moisture during hot summer days, reduce temperature fluctuations, control weeds, and prevent soil erosion caused by wind and water. On top of its practical benefits, mulch also gives your landscape a clean, polished appearance.

Types of Mulch

There are many different types of mulch available, and each breaks down at different rates depending on the climate, soil conditions, and material used.

Common mulch options include:

  • Wood chips
  • Pine needles
  • Hardwood or softwood bark
  • Cocoa hulls
  • Leaves
  • Compost mixes

Pruning

Pruning at the right time is essential for keeping your shrubs and trees healthy and encouraging beautiful blooms the following spring. Pruning helps remove dead or diseased branches, promotes new growth, and can even help reduce insect and disease problems.

Spring-flowering shrubs such as viburnums, lilacs, and forsythias develop their flower buds on the previous year’s growth. Because of this, timing is important. To preserve next year’s blooms, these shrubs should be pruned shortly after they finish flowering.

Edging

Spring is also the perfect time to re-edge your landscape and garden beds. Over the winter months, bed edges can become uneven and overgrown.

Fresh edging helps define planting areas, keeps grass from spreading into beds, and gives your landscape a neat, finished look. Clean edges can make a major difference to your property’s overall appearance.

Weeding

Get a head start on weeds before they take over your landscape. Young weeds are much easier to pull because their root systems are still small and weak. The sooner you begin removing weeds, the easier they are to manage throughout the season.

If weeds have already become overwhelming, you may want to consider using an herbicide. Be sure to carefully read the label and select the correct product for your needs.

Types of Herbicides

  • Nonselective herbicides kill most plants they come into contact with.
  • Selective herbicides target specific types of plants.
  • Pre-emergent herbicides prevent weed seeds from germinating, but will not control weeds that are already growing.
  • Post-emergent herbicides are designed to control weeds that have already emerged.

Always read and follow label directions carefully. Improper use can reduce effectiveness, damage desirable plants, and impact future planting. For the best results, combine herbicide use with good landscaping practices like mulching and proper watering.

Planting Annuals

Once the threat of frost has passed, typically around May 15th here in Illinois, it’s time to start planting annuals and bringing vibrant color back into your landscape.

If you created a list of plants earlier in the year, now is the perfect time to put those plans into action. Visit your local nursery, explore new varieties, and start planting the flowers you’ve been dreaming about all winter long.

Annuals are a great way to add seasonal color, texture, and personality to your garden beds, containers, and outdoor spaces.

Hydrangeas in a garden with fresh mulch

Hydrangeas in a garden with fresh mulch

 

Let Sweeney’s Custom Landscaping Help

Getting your landscape ready for summer can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Whether you need help with mulching, pruning, edging, weeding, or seasonal planting, Sweeney’s Custom Landscaping is here to help keep your property looking its best all season long.

Our Lawn Maintenance packages are designed to help take the stress out of maintaining a beautiful landscape, giving you more time to simply enjoy your outdoor spaces. And if you’ve been dreaming about transforming your yard into the perfect outdoor retreat, our team can help design and create the landscape or garden you’ve always envisioned.

👉 Contact Sweeney’s Custom Landscaping today to schedule your FREE consultation and start getting your property summer-ready!