News You Can Use

Start now to get your yard ready for spring

University Relations
News Bureau (662) 325-3442
Contact: Abby Barber
Feb. 13, 2003

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Though Jack Frost still nips at our Southern noses, garden enthusiasts know now is the time to begin preparing for the spring growing season.

“In the Deep South, spring actually begins in February,” said Pete Melby of Mississippi State University. “It is a perfect month for creating the yard you have always wanted.”

The landscape architecture professor says the first step begins inside with a survey—browsing, if you will—of plant and seed catalogs, followed by a mental checklist of what will be appropriate for your yard. The final, in-home step involves the literal sketching out of a design plan and the development of a timetable.

Melby, an authority on sustainable landscape design, recommends making wise use of winter’s left-behinds. Instead of trashing excess leaves and pine straw, mulch under closely planted trees, around shrub masses and along property borders. To enhance the attractiveness of the beds, cover with 3-4 inches of leaves, then sprinkle pine straw to help ensure the multi-layered collection won’t blow away. This also keeps rain from eroding the bare soil underneath.

Other Melby tips include:

--Planting early to avoid the heavy rains of March and April;

--Pruning dead or sleeping greenery to encourage new growth;

--Adding a three foot border of leaves around the yard to keep moisture and nutrients inside and create a unified appearance.

--Fertilizing grass only if there are dead spots or if it is too thin; and

--Mulching around trees that are too close together to eliminate mowing and add a sculptured look.