Spring Yard Care Checklist

Use this checklist to help get your lot in shape this spring. And remember, if you need help with any of these jobs, we have a list of landscapers and other service providers on the portal under Shared Documents.

Lawns

• Remove lingering dead leaves, pinecones, and other debris from your lawn.

• Apply a moss and weed control. Within a few weeks you’ll be able to rake out the dead moss to make way for healthy grass.

• Aerate the soil to encourage growth.

• If you didn’t apply a fertilizer in the fall, you can apply a light layer of slow release fertilizer after your first mow.

• Fill in any bare spots with grass seed.

• Mow and edge consistently to keep yards healthy and tidy.

Trees and Shrubs

• Prune off any dead limbs.

• Trim off any shoots that have grown at the base of trees.

• Wait to prune flowering shrubs until after they have flowered.

• You can trim any NGPA plants that are encroaching your property.

Flower Beds

• Get back to basics and weed those beds. Weeds crop up in landscape rocks, too, so do a full check.

• Prune the dead stalks from perennials.

• Early spring is the time to plant any new trees and shrubs; wait until later spring to plant annuals and perennials.

• Apply mulch in the warmer months to come. It helps suppress weed growth and makes beds beautiful.

General Clean-Up

• Remove any trash or debris from side yards.

• Sweep and tidy front porches.

• Put your trash cans away every time.

Spring Fun: A Window Egg Hunt

Just because we have to socially distance doesn’t mean we can’t do something fun for the kids. This year, we’ll be having a Window Egg Hunt. Here’s how it works:

Between now and Sunday, April 4th:

• Cut out and color one or more eggs (make sure they’re at least half a letter-sized paper). A great template is available on the portal under Shared Documents > Newsletters.

• Place the eggs in your windows or front door.

• Families can “hunt” for the eggs all month long when they’re on walks.

Have fun and stay safe!

Holiday Lights and Contest

Many people are getting an early start on their holiday lights this year to help create a festive atmosphere while spending more time at home. We’ll be having a Holiday Lights Contest in December for a chance to win gift certificates to local businesses, so start planning your display if you haven’t yet! Judges will be from other local neighborhoods. Be sure to take evening walks to enjoy the lights and wave to your neighbors.

Remember, all holiday lights and decorations must be taken down by January 15th.

Fall Yard Care

We saw many sprinklers in the yards all summer -- thank you for watering and keeping grass green! Now just get your rakes ready for autumn leaves, and spend a weekend tidying up your plants now that the air has cleared.

Yard Maintenance

• Until the wet weather settles in, tend to your grass by continuing to mow while growth is still visible and edge one more time.

• Apply a winterizer fertilizer to help strengthen your grass and choke out those pesky weeds.

• Fall is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs. And if you lost any plants to the heat, remove them.

Side Yards

• Homeowners are responsible for keeping side yards clean and tidy. Don’t use them for storage, and be sure to weed them occasionally.

Street Trees

• If trees get too tall or wide, it’s the responsibility of the homeowner to prune.

• If you notice “sprouts” growing at the bottom or out of the tree, they need to be cut.

Preparing for Snow

• Purchase a snow shovel and deicer now before everyone rushes to the store.

• If it snows, it is YOUR responsibility to keep your driveway and sidewalks clear. The HOA does NOT plow streets, that is the responsibility of the city.

Tips for Keeping Your Flower Beds Weed Free

For many homeowners, weeding feels like an overwhelming chore. It can be hard to tell the difference between a weed and a plant, and it seems that the weeds you pull grow back the very next week. Here is a helpful list of some of the most common weed culprits (complete with photos) so you don’t have to procrastinate tiding up your flower beds. We’ve also provided some things you can do to help keep the weeds at bay, while simultaneously keeping in moisture:

1. Fill your beds with perennials, annuals, and shrubs to have fewer places for weed seeds to take root. Adding perennials with thick foliage mean less watering you’ll have to do.

2. After weeding, add a THICK layer (2-3 inches) of fertile mulch to help suppress new growth and hold the moisture in.

3. Don’t stir/rake up your mulch once you lay it. Just pluck out any weeds that may grow through and keep any top layer weed seeds from taking root in the soil.