Lawn and Garden
Spring Cleaning
There is much winter damage in most local landscapes that needs to be dealt with. By the averages we should not
have any more major freezes. We may still freeze but it should be a dip just before sunrise and then warm up once
the sun is up. This causes minimal damage and is generally not a concern.
To assess winter damage on an affected plant simply use your thumbnail to scratch the bark of the plant. If it is
brown where the bark was removed the plant died back closer to the ground. Keep working down the plant until
green is discovered. Cut the plant back to this area. The other option is to simply wait until some of the buds on the
plant sprout and then cut out the browned areas.
Try to use the plant debris in your yard. It can be cut small and used as mulch or ‘bury’ it under newly placed
mulch so those nutrients get recycled to the mother plant. Plant waste can also be used in your composting unit.
Using the waste material on site reduces the amount of energy needed to haul it off as well as the amount of
applied nutrients from future fertilizations.
For the lawn it is best to allow for some greening to occur before encouraging new growth. Once some green
newly produced grass blades are observed you can mow the lawn at a lower than normal setting. These clippings
will be brown winter killed grass blades. Collect these if you have a bagging mower. If using a mulching mower
let the clipping remain. If you have neither of these type mowers, rake up the brown blades. Once again use these
clippings as mulch or compost them.
Immediately after mowing, set the mower’s deck back to its normal cutting position. For either St. Augustine or
Bahia it should be at least three inches. Since the lawn has been opened up with this mowing it is a good time to
fertilize. Water in any applied fertilizer with ¼ inch of water. Sweep up any fertilizer that has fallen on hard
surfaces so it does not get washed into the storm drain.
To support the spring flush of growth fertilize with a slow release fertilizer. Look for one that says time released
or polymer coated on the label. These products feed more gradually so they tend to be the more efficient choices.
