18459 Centaur Road
Chesterfield MO 63005

dowco@dowcoinc.com
(636) 532-9192

April Outdoor To Do List

Posted on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014 at 6:25 pm by Weblinx

It’s finally April and spring has arrived!

If you are a Dowco client, many of these services will already be scheduled for you!

Outdoor Trees & Shrubs

• Trees and shrubs should receive a dormant oil application. This treatment will cover pests such as scale making them unable to attack your prized specimens.
• Common shrubs such as Boxwoods may still be showing signs of winter burn. Hold off on pruning to see what recovers naturally. Wait until the beginning of May to determine if they will need to be removed and replaced.
• Spring brings rain and storms. If your trees or shrubs are broken by strong winds, prune or remove them accordingly.
• This is still a great time to transplant any trees and shrubs to a different part of your landscaping, when the soil is not too hard, but before they grow too much foliage.

Garden and Bed Maintenance

• Spent perennials such as Liriope will be cut back during Dowco’s spring bed cleanup.
• Preparing the beds for mulch is important. Dowco’s bed maintenance clients will receive a spraying of pre and post-emergence to set the beds up for success throughout the year.
• Now is also a good time to divide Ornamental grasses if they have grown too large for an area. The new grasses can be transplanted to a different area of your garden.
• Establish a crisp shovel edge around your beds. The turf edge should be a 90 degree angle and the bed edge a 45 degree angle.

Lawn Care & Turf Care

• Dowco’s fertilization and weed control clients will receive their second application of fertilizer and crabgrass pre-emergent to prevent the growth of annuals weeds throughout the season.
• The majority of lawns in St. Louis are cool-season grasses (Fescue & Bluegrass). This type of grass will take off as the weather warms up throughout March and April. Expect Dowco lawn mowing to begin the second week of April this year.
• Prior to lawn mowing, ensure that the turf is clear of leaves, gumballs, sticks and other debris.

Irrigation & Other Maintenance

• Schedule your spring irrigation startup and backflow test with Dowco.
• Organize your annual containers where you want them and request a bid for irrigation drip lines for hands free watering. This will really free you up, especially during vacations!
• Ensure that you’ve planned the annuals that you want this summer and prepare to install them in May.
• Observe your property for low spots or drainage issues.

Here’s a list of 5 fun St. Louis spring activities to accomplish this April.

1. Sign up for a free, private gardening clinic at Summer Winds Nursery on April 5-6. Summer Winds asks that you fill out the questionnaire prior to your appointment to help prepare for the clinic. It is also helpful to bring pictures of your garden! Reserve your appointment.
2. Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, MO opens for the season on April 5th. Take the family for an adventure of roller coasters, games, and entertainment!
   
3. Do you like Trivia? Do you like going to the zoo? Try Zooquest on April 12th! In this event, teams explore the zoo and answer questions in anticipation of becoming the Zooquest Champion. Participants must be 18 years or older and have teams between 2-4 people. The cost is $50 per team for the general public and $45 for zoo members.
   
4. Take the kids to the Children’s Garden where they can learn about plants, search for wildlife, and play on what is essentially a big playground for children.  The Children’s Garden is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from the beginning of April to the end of October. General admission is $5 for children ages three to 12, and $3 for the children of Garden members.

    5. Celebrate Earth Day with the largest festival in the area in Forest Park at the Muny Grounds. The festival will take place on April 27^th between 11am-6pm. It includes a full day of live music, activities for kids, and workshops. Admission is free.  You can also walk over to the zoo after visiting Forest Park for “Party for the Planet”. Zoo keepers will speak about various animals, passports will be given out for activities that will be set up throughout the zoo, and prizes will be given for anyone who collects three stamps on their passport! The party starts at 11am and ends at 3pm. Admission is free.

 

 

 

As you review your Dowco maintenance contract for 2014, call us with questions. If you want help crossing off your April Outdoor To Do List and you are not a Dowco client, request a proposal today!

 

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