Springtime is here even if the weather has already begun to feel like summer for those of us in Southwest Virginia! With SPI’s 20+ years of landscaping experience, we’ve picked up on seasonal trends for homeowners looking to get their lawns and landscapes prepped for the warmer months when more time is spent enjoying their outdoor living spaces. As Roanoke’s experts on planting and landscape design, we want to celebrate our favorite time of year by providing our readers with a mulching checklist!
So we all know this time of year is mulching season. Look around Roanoke and Salem, and you’ll sec homes and businesses alike with the freshened look of vibrant mulch accented by shrubs and greenery.
Prep The Beds – Step 1 on Your Mulching Checklist
But before installing mulch, there are other steps you should think about! Obviously, take the time to clear leaves, old overgrown weeds, and other debris from the mulch beds and lawn. You will always find some leaves you missed in the previous fall. Having the landscape clear beforehand will always look better than using mulch as a cover-up job.
Bloom Where You’re Planted
Another mulching checklist item that goes right along with the theme is planting! Nurseries and landscape supply shops offer plenty of choices suitable for Spring planting in Southwest Virginia’s climate. With the new life each Spring brings, it’s an opportunity to breathe new life into the look of your yard through updated plants that will pair perfectly with the existing contours of your yard and the exterior of your home.
On top of a mulching checklist, you might want a second one just for the variety of plants that thrive in our climate! Think of flowers such as tulips, daffodils, or peonies (especially if you want something that comes back yearly). Maybe you prefer the more pronounced look of shrubbery brought by azaleas, boxwoods, or the holly.
You can never go wrong with a combination of these! We’ve successfully refreshed the look of hundreds of commercial and residential landscapes in the Roanoke Valley through our expertise and knowing what works best, so trust SPI when it comes to the arrangement of your plants and mulch, or if you just need ideas to get started!
Time to Make The Cut
If you’re happy with the current makeup of plants and shrubs, then now is a good time to trim the existing ones in your beds! Rather than wait until after you’ve applied the mulch and dirtied it with trimmings, trim any shrubs and vegetation before the mulch goes down! You’ll be glad that was done first!
While you’re already pruning old growth, why not take the edge off too? That is, the edge of your mulch beds! Use this as an opportunity to redefine the edge of the grass and make for that classy look that will set your landscape apart. SPI will consider all of this as we’re making a game plan for your property.
The Final Box on Your Mulching Checlist – Materials Make The Landscaper
The obvious box that needs to be checked on your Mulching Checklist is the mulch and what you’re using to put it down. That’s why you hire experts like SPI; we’re already ready with everything you need! When mulching a larger area, it’s better to source the mulch from a landscape supply store to keep costs down. Smaller jobs or hard-to-access spaces may only necessitate bagged mulch.
We’re not promoting rioting, but have your pitchforks ready, too! They’re the ideal tool for scooping, spreading, and smoothing the mulch, negating the need for a different tool for each step! A pitchfork combined with mid-heavy-duty wheelbarrows for the mulch is how you streamline a job as you’re making your way down your Mulching Checklist.
If this sounds like a lot, that’s because it is! Mulching jobs may look straightforward from afar, but it takes professionals to obtain that professionally installed look truly! SPI is here for homes and businesses in Roanoke, Salem, and beyond who want to knock out their mulching checklist!