What are the Most Important Albuquerque Commercial Landscaping Tasks Businesses Should Do Each Spring?

Now that it’s spring in full bloom, grass can finally start turning green in Albuquerque. With the first 6 weeks of spring already under our belt, let’s hit the fast-ahead button into important commercial landscape maintenance to get your property ready for a vibrant and healthy spring and summer season.

As with all things in landscape maintenance, timing is everything. This is the time to check on winter damage to plants, apply pre-emergent herbicide to turf and beds — and establish a watering plan.

Your Commercial Landscaping Maintenance Checklist

What are the things that are most important to you about the landscape? Whip out this commercial landscape maintenance checklist, and begin marking off these vital spring landscaping tasks, so by the time summer rolls back around, yours will still be growing strong.

Winter Damage Control

AFTERMATH – In the wake of Albuquerque cold temperatures this winter, it seems trees and shrubs that were not protected really took a pounding. Winter burn symptoms are browning or scorched leaves and needles, dead buds and twigs.

Winter burns take place when plants dry out during the winter, making them vulnerable to harm. (It’s similar, in a way, to stepping outside in the cold without gloves, and getting frostbite.) Plant tissue drinks water, and the absence of water makes them defenseless.

The snow has long since melted, but evidence of snow mold is springing up all over Albuquerque lawns. Spring property assessment to comb the area for winter damage is important, so you can take what actions are needed to rejuvenate plants and turf that are curling up and suffering.

Spring Clean-Up

Here is another item to add to your commercial landscape maintenance list—spring clean-up. Some leaves don’t fall off in fall. The remainders are windblown through the winters and dumped on the topography, along with branches and blossom twigs. This trash should be removed prior to mowing. Fallen leaves and other green waste often build up in landscape beds, which are like big magnet beds for fly-away foliage.

An intense spring clean-up prepares beds for fresh mulch and annual flowers. And removing leaves and debris from turf is crucial to let your lawn breathe. Turf needs air movement in order to help control common winter diseases like gray and pink snow mold.

Mulch to the Soil

During winter, mulch decomposes into the soil — and that’s after a summer job of sun, which fades mulch to begin with. There are many benefits of using mulch in the landscape, including helping your soil hold in moisture, inhibit weed growth, moderate soil temperatures and add visual interest.

Thanks to mulch, beds have a clean-lined appearance that showcases flowers and generally offers commercial property a well-manicured appearance. Because here’s the thing: Mulch is a plant health plus, and a curb appeal bonus. And, it’s when you should add a fresh layer of mulch, before planting annuals.

Stop Weeds in Their Tracks

If you want to keep the most infamous of weeds, the grassy kind, from spoiling your commercial lawn later this summer — we’re looking at you, crabgrass — now is the time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide. First up is the very first lawn care application of the season, but a crucial one as this application will stop the germination of some of the most difficult to get rid of grassy type weeds.

If you wait until after the crabgrass emerges in summer, you’ll be limited to treating post-emergently, which is effective but, you know, something about an ounce of prevention. Don’t hesitate to lay down that pre-emergent.

Irrigation Check and Container Must Haves

It is best to get your irrigation system checked out before turning systems on for the season. The first is the soil must be thawed down to a minimum of 12 inches before the system is ever turned on.

A spring irrigation tune-up involves inspecting valves and the controller, looking for wear-and-tear (along with broken nozzles), removing any obstructions such as dirt or debris from the sprinkler heads and checking water pressure.

A watering service is also good for keeping plants and flowers annuals planted in landscape beds and containers healthy and well watered all season. And speaking of containers, it’s not too early to consider the seasonal color of spring and what will go into those pots.

Get into a Healthy Maintenance Routine This Spring

As we break into spring, we are all excited to get outside and we want to make sure that our commercial properties are looking there best come the opening of the outdoor season here in Albuquerque. Prepare this year with these crucial steps to creating a health commercial landscape.

Caring for your property prevents your landscaping investment and minimizes maintenance or replacement costs of plants and grass.

R & S Landscaping Maintenance Checklist

Say hello, spring with summertime almost around the corner! Call us anytime at 505-271-8419, or fill out this easy contact form and we will get back to you.