Spring Gardening Tips to Get Your Yard Ready

March 28, 2018

Another winter is behind us. It’s time to get outside and enjoy this South Carolina spring weather. Spring is a great time to look at opportunities like McGuinn Homes’ communities and custom homes built on your lot throughout the Columbia, South Carolina area. Spend a little time preparing for the gardening season. McGuinn Homes offers these spring gardening tips to get your yard ready! Start with a Good Clean-Up Even if you raked out your beds and dead-headed your plants, you still have some spring cleaning to do. Pick up any dead foliage, pine needles and cones, and debris that found its way onto your lawn, around your shrubs, and in your gardens. Pressure wash your outdoor living area, walkways, driveway, and other surfaces. Provide Good Drainage Never attempt to work with your soil when it’s very damp. Cultivating wet dirt will destroy the soil’s structure and lead to a hardened result when It does dry. If you are anxious about getting started, raise the garden beds to provide the necessary drainage. Know Your Hardiness Zone Depending on where you live in South Carolina, you could be in a hardiness zone 7a, 7b, 8a, or 8b. Your zone will determine which plants will thrive in your climate. Click here to make sure you know yours. Ease Your Seedlings If you’re planning to start plants from seed, don’t rush into transplanting the seedlings into your garden when they start to sprout. Gradually expose them to the sunny conditions for a few hours. Increase the exposure daily before planting them in the garden. Clean Your Tools Give all of your gardening tools a good scrub to make sure you don’t unknowingly transmit unwanted fungus, bugs, or other things that could have collected on your tools over the winter. Also, check your hose for leaks and repair or replace it. Fertilize Your Lawn The best time to fertilize your lawn is early spring and late fall. Also get a head-start on fending off crabgrass, weeds, and pests with a pre-emergent herbicide. Amend Your Soil After you’ve raked out your garden beds, add a fresh layer or nutrient-rich soil. Rake it to mix the new soil with the existing soil. Prune Carefully Many of your trees and shrubs are beginning to grow again after a dormant winter. Remove the dead branches that might encourage infestation. Prune back the limbs until you see a hint of green. That’s where the healthy growth will begin. Plant Container Gardens and Hanging Baskets Give your yard a splash of color by creating these portable gardens. Find interesting pots, baskets, and containers to add character. Fill them with spring-blooming annuals, like petunias, pansies, impatiens, dianthus, and alyssum. Brighten up your entry and add colorful container gardens and hanging baskets wherever you want, the perfect pick-me-up for spring. Spring is also a great time to think about buying a new home. We also have energy-efficient new homes available right now. Talk to us when you’re ready to change your life and your home.