What a great winter we are having in the Treasure Valley! Nothing like the snow-tracity we had last year. With warmer weather knocking on our door we get excited to start think and talking Lawn Care again.

While we still have a few months before we can safely declare lawn care season with weekly lawn mowing requirements. We thought it would be helpful to share a couple tips which will help as we enter nicer weather here in the Boise Area.  

1. Make sure and Maintain your Lawn and Landscape through out the seasons. As home owners we often trim everything down in the fall, dispose of most it and let the remainder decompose. That’s great, but make sure you are picking up those remnants as we get into the warmer weather. Also, if you have pets, pick up their waste often, even in cold weather if left on the lawn it can damage your grass severely.
2. Dethatch your lawn as we warm up. This can be done by a professional lawn maintenance company and sometimes requires special equipment. Often, you can take a wire rack and comb through your grass, removing the dead shoots and freeing up some space for new growth in your lawn.
3. Have a Fertilization Plan, soil condition is extremely important here in the Boise Valley.  We live in a dry arid climate with little natural nutrients in our soil. Here in Boise, our lawns require fertilizers and if done improperly these fertilizers can do more harm than good. We recommend having a professional lawn technician test your soil and recommend a plan.
4. Pre-emergent and Weed Treatments are often coupled with our fertilizers. Creating a Weed and Feed solution which not only feeds our lawns but kills and prevents weed. Crab grass dandelions, thistles these are all common weeds that develop in local yards if they go untreated. In Boise’s arid climate they spread quick and become quit the chore. Put a stop to them before they start, with pre-emergent formula.  
5. A Local Lawn Care Company might suggest Aerating your lawn if the soil is too compact. The spring make an ideal time for aeration as the grass can quickly adjust and grow-in.  This can be done in a couple different ways depending on the condition of your yard. A simple aeration shoe, with spikes on the sole, might work. While other conditions might call for an aeration machine which pulls larger plugs from the ground. This allows for dense soil to decompress and foster better health for your grass. 

Also keeping an eye on your trees and shrubs as they grow in, properly pruning and trimming them for the summer ahead.

​These are just a few simple tips to get you started to a green lush summer. 

If your family is like mine, you're very familiar with spring and fall cleaning. It's the time when you take care of all the nitty gritty stuff that builds up over the months, like emptying the bug cemetery accumulating in the light fixtures and evicting the dust bunnies under beds and in corners. Yard care is another place where a little extra TLC from season to season will really go a long way to help your lawn or garden stay in prime shape for the coming months. Here are a few tips to get you in your green thumb groove.  ​

Spring is the time of year when life begins to awaken from a long hibernation.  This season starts in March most years but depending on weather, you may have to wait a bit longer. Take this time to clear your yard of debris that have gathered over the winter such as dead leaves, fallen twigs and branches and expired annuals or perennials to make way for new growth. If you wish, you can start a compost with the leaves, cuttings and expired foliage. 
 
As you begin to unwrap the burlap from your plants check their condition as well as that of the lawn. You may notice a few patches of grass have gone to the brown side; this may be for a few reasons, all of them very common due to the unpredictability of the weather. For instance, dormant seeding in the fall followed by an early winter snow could lead to what's known as snow mold. Be sure to till and aerate your lawn very well, as well as using a fertilizer rich in phosphorus to facilitate new seed growth.
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This is also a great time to re-assess the layout of your yard. Are you happy with the placement and proportion of the borders and flowerbeds or is it time to change up the landscape

Leaves transforming into bursts of crimson red, lemony yellow and saffron orange remind us that the season of unending raking is upon us.

As you are preparing your home for the cold to come, begin by clearing out gutters with a hose or other specialty tool. Clear your lawn of clutter, adding leaves, perennial vegetation and twigs to compost as before. As you rake don’t worry about collecting every last leaf; a little ground cover can act as insulation in the winter. Rim your trees and plants with another layer of phosphorus-rich fertilizer and trim the grass as low as possible.

After trimming, empty the gas tank on your lawnmower. This is also a good time to do a little tune-up on it as well as your snow blower. Drain and store hoses and while you're at it, be sure to drain irrigation pipes and fixtures to prevent freezing.  Put tools and appliances you'll need in the winter in an easy-to-find place. Check to make sure your shovels are sturdy and ready for the long winter to come.

The last step is to fix yourself a steaming cup of apple cider and relax on the porch as you admire your efforts!  ​

Happy Gardening!