Now that spring has sprung we can bet your landscaping is looking a little bit dreary. Shifting from the winter to the summer can be stressful on your landscaping design when you look at the big picture. There may be trees and shrubs that need to be trimmed, grass that needs to be fertilized, and flower beds that need to be prepared for the warmer months. It may seem like a lot of work, but there are some simple tricks to preparing for summer landscaping that can make a big difference with minimal effort. Below we’ve highlighted five ways to spruce up your landscaping in La Jolla for summer.

Check On What You Have

While it may not seem like it, your trees and shrubs are still growing throughout the winter. Spring is a great time to check on how your trees and shrubs are doing, so that you can take care of any problems before they get out of hand. If you’ve got a shrub that’s overgrown, now is a good time to trim it back so that it doesn’t become unmanageable later on. Similarly, if you’ve got a tree that has extra long branches or branches that are on the verge of creeping up on power lines or getting too close to your home, this is a great opportunity to remove those before they become a bigger problem. Once the summer months roll around, you’re not going to want to do these projects because it will be too hot.

Plant a New Tree

Instead of looking at your entire landscaping design and getting stressed out about all of the new things you’re going to have to add, make a small change that will add a lot of value to the landscaping design in your La Jolla home or business. Doing something simple like planting just one new tree in your front yard can add a lot of privacy while making just enough change to make you feel as if you’ve accomplished something bigger. Since you’re in the La Jolla area, planting something like a fruit tree will add a cheerful pop of color to your landscaping design while adding some use to your yard. Plant one lemon tree now, and reap the benefits for years to come.

Prepare Your Lawn

Once the weather calms down for the season it’s time to get serious about landscaping in La Jolla. For the San Diego area, this can mean as early as late winter. However, it’s a good idea to wait until spring to start preparing your lawn for the summer months. Checking to make sure that your lawn is free from insect infestations like grubs and ants is just one part of the equation. It’s also a good time to make sure that your lawn isn’t exposed to things like brown patch fungus, damage from pet urine, and other environmental factors that can keep your lawn from growing at a healthy pace. It’s also a good time to make sure that your lawn mower is up to par to what it should be. If you hire a landscaping service like Nature Designs landscaping, we can do things like that for you. But if you mow your lawn yourself, you’re going to want to make sure that your mower blade is sharp and not too close to the ground.

Check Irrigation

It’s always a good idea to check and make sure that your irrigation system is working properly before it’s too late. It’s not uncommon for people to forget to check on their irrigation system regularly, which can result in costly and time consuming repair that will involve ripping up parts of your existing landscaping. Check on your irrigation system once per season to make sure every part of it works properly. To do this, first check on the startup of the system. Make sure that all of the sprinkler heads are on properly, check on the water pressure, and test the water controller. After that, do any necessary backflow testing that is necessary in the La Jolla area. Different parts of California will have different backflow prevention regulations, so check that your system meets any necessary requirements. A proper landscaper will be able to do this for you easily.

Install New Mulch

You’ve probably noticed that mulch can begin to look pretty weathered over time. Make your landscaping design look new again by adding new mulch to areas around trees and shrubs. This will not only make it look a lot better, but it’s necessary for creating a healthy environment where plants can thrive properly. Before you add new mulch, have your landscaper remove any old mulch that’s sitting around. This is a necessary step in making a change to your yard because it will remove any fungus or bacteria that’s had a chance to develop up until now.