With winter behind us, new spring foliage is already starting to show up. While it may be early in the year, the warmer air and soil temperatures have kick-started spring growth in Austin. Crepe Myrtles and Mountain Laurels are blooming, grass is starting to green and grow again, and trees that had lost their leaves are now budding with beautiful bright green baby leaves. Now is the time to start prepping your landscape and lawn for spring and the inevitable scorching Texas summer.

Your lawn and landscape require year round care, which if neglected can add up to many days worth of work. Regular care and maintenance will help you avoid losing money and time. Devote a couple hours to your yard every week to save yourself the headache of having to replant everything. Keep in mind that taking good care of your lawn and landscaping one season will make it that much stronger and more beautiful for the next season. Here are a few Spring Landscaping tips to help keep your lawn and landscape in tip top shape and ready for the upcoming summer.

• Rake leaves, tree branches and other debris - Bag 'em and tag 'em. Getting all the dead leaves off your grass will allow more sunlight to help it grow.
   
• Tune up and service your lawn mower – change oil and filter, dump and replace any old gas, and sharpen blades.
   
• Fresh mulch and edging for flower beds and tree rings - now is a great time to lay fresh mulch and work on the edges of any flower or landscape beds. This will help retain moisture, assist plant roots, and prevent weed growth in these areas.
   
• Apply new lawn seed in your yard to any bare spots that have shown up over the last fall and winter. Aerate your lawn if you did not do it last fall.
   
• Apply a pre-emergent treatment to your lawn and landscape beds to prevent weed growth. Find and remove any visible weeds you see as they will just multiply if you don't.
   
• Fertilize - Both lawn and garden will benefit from proper spring fertilization. You want them to each be as healthy as possible before the 100 degree summer gets here.

Caring for your lawn, garden, and landscape can be essential to their aesthetic and survival, especially with our extreme Texas summers. If you need assistance creating the perfect sustainable outdoor environment, feel free to contact us and speak to one of our landscape professionals!