Celebrate Spring Bloom Week with Us!
Learn How to Care for Your Yard through the Warmer Months
Taking pride in your home goes beyond your front door. We believe that tending to your yard is a lovely way to contribute to your community and beautify your world.
To help you on this journey, we’re celebrating Spring Bloom Week from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. In our Sales Centres, we’ll be handing out wildflower seed packs on a first come, first served basis and holding a contest to win a $150 Home Depot gift card! Visit us to enter and read on for lawn and garden maintenance tips.
Planting Your Garden
Think of your garden as an outdoor extension of your personal style. You could keep it simple and lush or bright and cheerful. You’ll also have to consider which plants will thrive in your climate, how much sun your yard gets, resistance to pests and disease, and the level of maintenance you’re prepared for. Considering these factors, research the best plants for you or visit your local garden centre for guidance and help with planning. See a few of our recommended garden centres below.
Maintaining Your Lawn
After a long, cold winter, your lawn needs the most attention in the spring. At this time, you’ll want to focus on watering, weeding and fertilizing. Once you’ve raked up the remaining leaves, branches and debris, it will be easy to see any bare spots in the lawn. For optimal growth, use a rake to rough up the soil in these spots and add compost, topsoil or fertilizer. With the ground prepped, you can spread your grass seed according to the package instructions.
Creating a Watering Schedule
Rainy weather is greenery’s best friend, but your lawn will need approximately 1"–2" of water per week, no matter what the forecast. Give your lawn a good soaking once or twice during drier weeks. Plants and shrubs should be watered directly at the base to ensure it reaches the roots. Watering early in the morning is best for reducing evaporation.
For more sustainable watering, consider using a rain barrel. Visit one of the stores listed below for assistance with all your yard enhancements.
Keeping Weeds at Bay
Your best defense against weeds is to get rid of them as soon as they pop up. The longer they sit in the warm sun, the harder they are to pull out. Staying on top of it during the early spring and removing all weeds before fertilizing will prevent them from developing a strong root system and taking over. Alternatively, an organic pre-emergent herbicide applied in the early spring (March – April) can help keep weeds from ever breaking through.
The Importance of Pruning
Pruning is more than just removing the wilted or broken branches of your plants – it is an essential part of encouraging your garden to thrive and produce new growth. With most shrubs and trees, it’s best to prune in late winter or early spring on a dry, sunny day. For annual and perennial flowering plants, remove individual blooms once they’ve begun to fade. Removing old growth will allow the plant to put that energy into producing more flowers and greenery for you and your neighbours to enjoy.