Spring is an exciting time of year for gardeners and professional landscapers alike. As the temperatures begin to rise and the sun stays out longer, the natural world comes to life after a long, cold winter. However, for those living in Colorado, getting started on spring landscaping can be a little more challenging. With unpredictable weather patterns, late-season snowstorms, and freezing temperatures, it can be difficult to know when is the best time to start landscaping in spring here in our home state.
In this article, we’ll explore some tips and advice for landscaping in Colorado during the spring:
For Spring Landscaping in Colorado, Timing Is Everything
Timing is crucial when it comes to landscaping in Colorado during the spring. The state’s four climatic regions and varying elevations mean that planting and landscaping times can vary considerably depending on where you live. In general, late April or early May is a good time to start spring landscaping in Colorado, once the ground has thawed and temperatures are more consistently above freezing. However, if you live at a higher elevation or in a colder climate zone, you may need to wait until late May or early June before you can get started on spring plantings.
Once the weather has warmed up sufficiently to start landscaping in (relative) safety from snow and freezing temperatures, here are some tips to help your spring landscaping endeavors:
Prepare Your Soil
Preparing your soil is essential for successful landscaping in Colorado. The state’s soil is notoriously poor, with low organic matter content and a high clay content. This can make it difficult for plants to grow, as it often doesn’t provide the right nutrients and drainage that grasses, flowers, trees, and shrubs need to thrive. Therefore, it’s important to amend your soil with organic matter, such as compost or aged manure, before putting in new plantings. This will help to improve soil structure, increase nutrient content, and improve drainage. Aerating and fertilizing will also ensure that your plants can get all the nutrients, oxygen, and water they need.
Make Hardscape Repairs
Winter weather and services can take a toll on your hardscapes. Frost action from repeated freezing and thawing can easily cause cracks in walkways, stairs, curbs, and retaining walls. De-icing products can also damage concrete hardscapes, causing them to disintegrate or scale as the chemicals eat away at the surface. Damaged hardscapes should be repaired or replaced immediately in order to reduce the risk of accidents from tripping, slipping, or having concrete crumble underneath someone as they are walking.
One way you can prevent damage to your concrete hardscapes is to apply a concrete sealer. Concrete sealers penetrate the pores in the surface of concrete and make your hardscapes waterproof, while also acting as a barrier against the harsh chemicals in de-icers.
Irrigation Startups and Service
Starting up your irrigation system in the spring is key to being prepared for the summer heat. This will give you time to make any necessary repairs or calibrations to make sure that all of your zones are receiving the right amount of water. Minimizing your irrigation system’s water usage is essential in Colorado. One of the best ways to cut down on water consumption and maximize your sprinklers’ efficiency is to water plants deeply, rather than frequently. This will help to encourage deep root growth and to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. The best time to water is in the early morning or evening, when there is less chance of water evaporating due to high temperatures.
Landscape Enhancements
Spring is an excellent time to make improvements to your landscape – or transform it entirely. Enhancing your landscape is sure to garner new attention to your property and could even draw in new customers. Some ways that you can make landscaping improvements include:
- Planting new trees, shrubs, seasonal flowers, and annuals
- Making drainage and erosion control improvements
- Utilizing energy efficient landscaping design to help keep your property cooler during summer and warmer during winter
- Xeriscaping your property to emphasize the use of native low-water plants and cut down on irrigation costs
- Installing new (or upgrading to) energy efficient lighting in parking lots, walkways, and open-air spaces
Looking for Spring Landscaping Services for Your Denver Area Commercial Property?
Our team at GroundMasters Landscape Services has the expertise you need to transform your commercial property into a winter wonderland and keep it well-maintained no matter the season. Our year-round services include lawn care, irrigation system maintenance, tree & shrub care, and landscape enhancements – along with storm cleanup and snow & ice removal for any pesky late-season snowstorms.
To see what GroundMasters can do for your Denver-area business or commercial property, give us a call at (303) 750-8867 or get in touch with us online to get started.