Chicago Home and Lifestyles – 4 ways to keep your garden fresh in late spring

Now that most of the new plantings are in, you may think it’s time to relax—but it’s not! There are always tasks that need to be done to keep the garden and landscape. Here are a few things to do at this time of year. 

Grow grass seed. The lawn is at its best with this cooler weather. It’s a great time to thicken up that lawn and make it strong enough to survive and thrive in the later summer heat. If you applied pre-emergent weed control in the early spring, you should be able to grow some grass seed now! Overseed with a good blend for your area. The seed will emerge in 7-14 days. Water lightly every day to keep the seed moist till it sprouts. As the grass grows add fresh topsoil and lightly rake in. 

Water and fertilize. Usually in the spring we have sufficient rain, but here in Chicago (and many other parts of the country) we aren’t getting our normal amount of moisture. Your lawn and garden need more water, as many of the plants are new and haven’t had time to develop root structure yet. Ideally an inch per week, but with new plants a good soak twice weekly is recommended. New plants in the garden and elsewhere will also thrive with a bi-weekly fertilizer. Use a general all-purpose fertilizer like Miracle-Gro. 

Keep your gutters clear. Even if rain is infrequent, we still need to keep those gutters, downspouts, and outdoor drains clean and flowing. Watch your downspout during heavy rain. Water should be visibly flowing. If not, either your gutters or downspouts are clogged. If you are comfortable on a ladder, get up and clean out those gutters! Run a hose up and rinse out the gutters and downspouts till you see debris flow out. Call a professional if you don’t feel safe. Clogged gutters are one of the main causes of water damage to roofs and foundations. 

Regularly inspect your foundation. Clean away any dead plant material away from your foundation. This is a good time to inspect all around the foundation for any damage from the winter. See any cracks or other problems? Call a foundation specialist to inspect. As you are going around the foundation look up at your windows. Is all the caulking intact? Caulk is cheap and can save you dollars on cooling costs. It also prevents water damage. 

Do you have any other suggestions for things to do around the landscape?

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago