Spring is a busy time for commercial landscape maintenance. The seasonal cycle of freezes, dormancy, and new growth mean there are many tasks to address after winter loosens its grip.
Even in the Atlanta area, landscapes can experience the ill effects of freezing temperatures. Spring is a time to assess damage, repair and replace as necessary, clean up, and prepare for the summer growing season.
Our handy commercial landscape maintenance spring checklist will help property managers get their facility in tip-top condition.
Improve Your Property’s Appearance with a Spring Cleanup
Check for Freeze Damaged or Dead Plants
One of the most critical parts of commercial landscape maintenance is ensuring a healthy and safe environment.
When it comes to softscapes, that means thriving flowers, shrubs and trees. Not only are healthy plants more aesthetically appealing, but they’re also safer.
Dead or damaged shrubs and trees can have sharp branches or rotted limbs that can fall onto walkways, buildings, or people.
In the spring landscape, it’s important to assess plant health, especially after a hard freeze. Some plants may look dead with shriveled, brown, or missing foliage. However, if there’s green wood beneath the bark, they’re probably viable.
An experienced landscape professional can identify which plants may recover after severe winter injury, and which ones need to be replaced.
Prune Trees and Shrubs
Many plants benefit from pruning in the spring. Renewal or hard pruning helps maintain shape while encouraging abundant new growth.
However, it’s important to know when and where to prune. For example, different varieties of flowering shrubs set their buds at varying times. If pruned at the wrong time or in the wrong place, they may not flower that season.
Tree care is another essential aspect of grounds maintenance. Pruning allows room for people to move freely without danger of bumping into low hanging limbs.
Additionally, commercial landscapes can benefit from a plant growth regulator to control growth and keep pruning needs down. Not only is this approach more cost effective but it also reduces noise and disruption around your facility.
Remove Fallen Leaves and Other Debris
Even when you engage in ongoing leaf control during the fall, your landscape will benefit from spring maintenance.
Stray leaves, pinecones, broken branches and other landscape clutter tend to accumulate in landscaped areas and even parking lots over winter.
Cleaning out natural debris and manmade litter ensures your property puts its best foot forward for spring.
Add Curb Appeal with Seasonal Color
Nothing brings your commercial landscape to life like seasonal color. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinth and phlox signal that winter has come to an end.
Flower beds and containers filled with bright annuals add visual interest to any commercial property. They help boost morale and create a positive visitor and resident experience.
Additionally, seasonal color helps reinforce the impression that your facility is well maintained. This is critical for encouraging retail visitors, boosting occupancy rates, and keeping tenants satisfied.
Commercial landscape maintenance professionals can prepare beds, test and amend the soil. They can also choose the right spring mix of annual flowers to make your property look its colorful best.
Don’t Forget the Mulch
After planting, mulch provides the finishing touch for your landscape beds. From a practical standpoint, mulch helps suppress weeds, keep the soil moist, and insulate bedding plants from both heat and cold.
Aesthetically, mulch and pine straw help your property shine by creating a uniform, cared-for appearance.
A spring mulch application is an important part of commercial landscape maintenance. Apply mulch at a depth of 2-4 inches to get the maximum benefits.
Turn on Irrigation and Make Needed Repairs
Another essential spring task involves irrigation maintenance.
The Atlanta area often experiences high heat and even drought conditions during the summer months. Consistent watering is critical to keeping your turf healthy and thriving.
When turning on your irrigation system, it’s important to wait until the danger of frost has passed. If turned on too early, a late freeze can damage your investment.
After restarting, check each sprinkler zone for potential problems. This involves looking for damaged or disabled heads as well as line ruptures.
An irrigation expert can assist with any necessary repairs or system upgrades.
Fertilize Turf and Treat Weeds
Seasonal color often steals the limelight, but healthy turf is another essential component of a well-maintained commercial landscape.
Turf should be free of weeds, fungal diseases, and pests to ensure aesthetic appeal as well as safety.
Spring is the time to fertilize your lawn, apply pre-emergent herbicide for different weed types, as well as pest control. A regular maintenance program can help avoid common turfgrass problems.
Spring is also a good time to install new sod for both established and newly built commercial properties.
Clean Water Features
Fountains, ponds, and reflecting pools are popular in many commercial landscapes. Water features add tranquility and create a natural focal point in landscape design.
Maintenance is a critical part of keeping your water feature looking its best. Over the winter, fallen leaves and other debris accumulate and settle at the bottom. Too much organic matter can turn the existing water brown.
Early spring, after temperatures reach above 5 degrees, is the perfect time to do a clean-out.
For most water features, this involves draining the existing water and then rinsing off rocks and gravel. During the process, remove the dirty water with a pump until the bottom appears clean and clear.
Ask the Commercial Landscape Maintenance Experts
The best commercial landscape maintenance programs address checklist items before they become a problem. From ongoing maintenance to repair and replacement, Creech Landscape is a full-service landscape company. We have the knowledge and experience to keep your property safe, functional, and looking its best all season long. Contact Us or or give us a call at 770-988-4635.
