March/April Issue of D Home: Grow Up!




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Grow Up!

Spring is nearly here, and nothing is more ready for the change of seasons than your shriveled, sad, gray, garden. But before it can return to its lush and lovely splendor, you've got some work to do. We consulted some local landscaping professionals to find out the top five things to do now.

1. Check your irrigation system. "You don't use your irrigation system as much as during the winter," says Renee Fisher, garden services manager at Lamber Landscape Company. "Make sure it's in the working condition before it gets too warm."

2. Treat for contagions. "We like to start treating for insects and diseases that could hurt shrubs, tress, and turf," says Jason New, vice president of garden management at Southern Botanical. "That way your garden will be healthy year-round."

3. Clean out your flower beds. "Do Spring cleaning in your garden, much like you would in your house," Fisher says. "Rake out your flower beds, where there are lots of dead leaves, to encourage new growth.

4. Prune. "We do a lot of rose and shrub cutbacks and tree pruning during March and April," New says. "There is a lot of trimming and shaping done now."

5. Fertilize. "Early March is the time for the first application of fertilizer of the year," Fisher says. "We also focus on deep-root fertilization for your trees."

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