Pesticides can be used at other times of year, but is often most effective when applied just before the majority of weed seeds begin germinating in the spring. If you're using a non-selective herbicide like Roundup, you can cause damage to your evergreens as well.
In a majority of cases, herbicides are not necessary for weed control if a garden receives consistent upkeep. A pre-emergent is a type of herbicide that prevent weed seeds from germinating. Always choose the right herbicide for your application, pay attention to where you spray, and always follow packaging directions. With herbicide, more is not always better, and in many cases over-applying can cause a weed's foliage to wither so fast that the herbicide is not translocated into the root system by the plant. This makes it easier for the weed to come back after the spray, among other environmental and health risks
Early spring is the best time to fertilize evergreens, ideally before they begin to put out new growth. Stick to a standard all-purpose NPK fertilizer for most situations, and use only the recommended amount of fertilizer based on the packaging. Water your plants thoroughly before and after watering, and don't fertilize during periods of high heat and drought. It is possible to cause "fertilizer burn" to the root system if there is too much fertilizer or too little water. There's often no need to fertilize evergreens at all, so only consider it if you see unusually sparse or slow growth, short or discolored foliage, or if you are trying to jump start the growth of a young plant. For any issues like this, first determine whether there are other reasons beyond soil nutrition that may be causing the problem before jumping to fertilization. For instance, too much shade can also be a cause of sparse growth and fertilizer won't be a good solution. Similarly, a plant that is still getting established will have slow growth above ground, but fertilizer will disrupt the important root growth that is happening below ground in favor of new foliage.
You'll want to begin increasing your watering schedule as temperatures rise in spring. This is typically a time of year when we receive quite a bit of rain, but always check your plants and soil to make sure that they're getting enough water and follow best watering practices for both your new and established plants.
This is typically the best time of year to do any major pruning, and this is when you'll be able to prune out any branches with winter cold damage. You can remove dead and damaged branches at any point in the year. When doing a full prune, always follow best pruning practices. One exception to pruning at this time of year would be spring-blooming evergreen shrubs, as you don't want to impact their blooms.
New mulch can be applied at any time of year, and should always be applied immediately after planting when new garden beds are established. For established beds though, spring is typically the best time to put down new mulch. This gives the best weed prevention, and helps create a good barrier to preserve soil moisture right as temperatures are rising and plants are starting to need that water most.
Mulch serves numerous purposes in the landscape - preserving soil moisture, keeping soil temperatures from reaching extreme highs and lows in the root zone, adding nutrients to the soil and improving soil texture as it breaks down, preventing soil erosion, inhibiting weed growth, and enhancing the look of the garden.
There are many types of mulch materials available for residential gardens, but by far the most common are bark mulches. Some of the other options and variations you may see are wood chips, synthetically dyed bark mulches, bark chips, pine straw, leaf mulches, stone mulches, and plastic mulches.
Fully organic mulches like un-dyed bark mulch, wood chips, and pine straw will always be superior at improving soil texture and nutrients because they are able to break down properly. This makes them some of the best options for plant health. Dyed bark, and especially stone and plastic mulches, are often chosen for aesthetics, and the stone and plastic in particular because they don't have to be reapplied as often, however all come with drawbacks for for plant health in the short and long term.
The pros and cons may make one type of mulch the better choice on a slope, or around a pool deck, or on a woodland edge, but proper application is important no matter the type. That means laying mulch at a proper depth and reapplying at appropriate intervals to keep it serving its purpose. Too thin or too thick of a mulch layer, of any type, can lead to problems with moisture, temperature, and more.
J.R. Thomas Landscaping ~ 10464 St. Rt. 48 Loveland, Ohio 4514 ~ 513-677-4340