As summer approaches, Coventry, RI homeowners can take a closer look at their lawns and landscapes. Warmer weather can increase the need for mowing, watering, pruning, and general landscape maintenance.
A quick pre-summer assessment can help identify areas that need attention before regular maintenance becomes more demanding.
Here are eight practical ways to prepare your landscape for summer in Coventry, RI.
Why Summer Landscape Preparation Matters
Preparing your landscape before summer can help you address maintenance needs before they become more difficult to manage.
It can help you:
- Keep lawns and garden beds orderly
- Identify maintenance problems early
- Check irrigation and drainage
- Maintain trees and shrubs
- Plan larger landscape improvements
8 Ways to Prepare Your Landscape for Summer
1. Assess Your Lawn and Landscape
Start with a walk around your property and look at the lawn, garden beds, trees, shrubs, planting areas, and other landscape features.
Look for areas that are overgrown, thin, damaged, or difficult to maintain. Also consider whether the landscape still fits how you use your property.
This assessment can help you determine which tasks are routine maintenance and which may require additional planning.
2. Clean Up Garden Beds and Overgrown Areas
Clear fallen leaves, dead plant material, weeds, and other debris from garden beds and planting areas.
Trim overgrown vegetation where appropriate, including trees and shrubs that need attention. A cleaner landscape can also make other maintenance needs easier to see.
For larger properties or areas that have become difficult to manage, seasonal cleanup can provide a useful starting point for summer maintenance.
3. Prepare Planting Areas and Choose Appropriate Plants
If you plan to add or replace plants, consider the conditions of the planting area before choosing what to install.
Check the planting conditions: Consider sunlight, available space, existing conditions, and the amount of maintenance you want.
Consider the overall layout: New plants should work with the existing landscape rather than simply filling an empty space.
For larger planting projects, landscape design can help coordinate plant selection, layout, function, and appearance.
4. Check Your Irrigation Before Summer
Check your irrigation system before summer watering demands increase.
Look for areas receiving too much or too little water and watch for problems with the system itself.
One simple way to check sprinkler coverage is to place a few empty containers around the lawn or landscape while the system is running. Comparing the amount of water collected in different areas can help reveal uneven coverage.
If your property does not have irrigation, or the existing system no longer fits the landscape, irrigation installation or maintenance may be worth considering.
Doug Greenwood Landscaping provides irrigation system installation and maintenance.
5. Address Drainage and Water Management
Irrigation is only one part of landscape water management. Drainage problems can also affect lawns and planting areas.
Look for places where water collects or runoff repeatedly creates problems.
If drainage concerns continue, addressing the underlying landscape conditions may be more useful than repeatedly dealing with the visible symptoms.
Doug Greenwood Landscaping provides drainage system installation as part of its landscape installation capabilities.
6. Refresh Landscape Beds With Mulch and Edging
Mulch can refresh landscape beds before summer while helping make them easier to maintain.
Use mulch strategically: Properly applied mulch can help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and give planting areas a cleaner appearance.
Define the bed edges: Edging can create a clearer boundary between garden beds and surrounding lawn areas.
Avoid piling mulch directly against tree trunks.
Doug Greenwood Landscaping supports mulching and edging as part of its landscape maintenance capabilities.
7. Prune and Maintain Trees and Shrubs
Inspect trees and shrubs for overgrown, damaged, or unwanted growth.
Pruning and trimming can help maintain their appearance and keep vegetation within the intended shape of the landscape.
If trees or shrubs require more extensive maintenance, professional tree and shrub care may be appropriate.
Doug Greenwood Landscaping provides tree and shrub care, including pruning and trimming.
8. Set Up a Summer Lawn and Landscape Maintenance Routine
Once the property has been assessed and cleaned up, establish a maintenance routine that fits the landscape.
Regular lawn care may include mowing and trimming. Other needs can include aeration, overseeding, fertilization, weed control, or irrigation maintenance depending on the condition of the property.
The right routine depends on the lawn, landscape, property size, and level of maintenance required.
Doug Greenwood Landscaping provides lawn care and maintenance services for these ongoing needs.
When Should You Consider Professional Landscape Help?
Many routine landscape tasks can be handled by homeowners with the time, equipment, and experience to do the work themselves.
Professional help may be useful when:
- The property has become difficult to maintain
- Lawn maintenance takes too much time
- Trees or shrubs need pruning
- Irrigation needs installation or maintenance
- Drainage problems continue
- Planting areas need significant work
- You are planning landscape design or installation
For Coventry homeowners, Doug Greenwood Landscaping provides personalized landscaping and maintenance services for residential and commercial properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start preparing my landscape for summer?
Start by assessing your lawn and landscape before summer maintenance becomes more demanding. This gives you time to identify cleanup, planting, irrigation, and other maintenance needs.
What should I check before summer landscape maintenance begins?
Check your lawn, garden beds, trees, shrubs, irrigation system, and drainage areas for conditions that need attention.
How often should a lawn be maintained during summer?
The appropriate schedule depends on the lawn and property. Regular mowing and trimming are common summer tasks, while other services depend on the lawn’s condition.
Should I check my irrigation system before summer?
Yes. Checking the system before summer can help identify uneven watering or other problems before watering demands increase.
When should I consider professional landscaping help?
Consider professional help when routine maintenance becomes difficult to manage or when you need services such as pruning, irrigation, drainage, landscape design, or installation.
Conclusion
Preparing your landscape before summer can help you identify maintenance needs and address problem areas before the season becomes more demanding.
Start with the lawn and landscape, then work through garden beds, irrigation, drainage, mulch, trees and shrubs, and your ongoing maintenance routine.
Landscaping Services in Coventry, RI
If your Coventry, RI property needs more than routine summer preparation, Doug Greenwood Landscaping can help with a range of landscaping and maintenance needs.
Doug Greenwood Landscaping provides:
- Lawn Care & Maintenance — Mowing, trimming, aeration, fertilization, weed control, and ongoing lawn maintenance.
- Landscape Design — Planning landscape improvements around your property’s layout, needs, and goals.
- Landscape Installation Service — Installing landscape improvements tailored to your property’s needs.
- Fall Cleanup Services — Helping prepare and maintain your landscape as the seasons change.
- Spring Cleanup Service — Clearing seasonal debris and getting your landscape ready for the growing season.
Schedule a Consultation or call (401) 441-9580 to discuss your landscaping needs and determine what approach makes sense for your property.