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APRIL 2018 HOME 5 K i t c h e n s | B a t h s | D e n s | C a b i n s | O f f i c e s | R e c R o o m s Work With Experienced Design Professionals "We Specialize in Cabinetry" 1005 Richards Road, Hartland | 262.367.9439 www.kitchencreators.com Cabinetry For Every Room, Every Budget! 260036007 We Beat All Big Box Stores and all Competitors | Visit Our Showroom By Appointment SHOWROOM CLOSEOUT SALE GOING ON NOW! WE SPECIALIZE IN NORCRAFT'S MID CONTINENT CABINETRY MILWAUKEE — Warmer temperatures are coming, and for homeowners that means yardwork. Landscap- ing professionals can help homeowners avoid landscap- ing mistakes. "Spring maintenance cre- ates the beautiful yard you want with less summer care," said Heidi Sommer of Wandsnider Landscape in Menomonee Falls. Milwaukee National Asso- ciation of the Remodeling Industry members provided 15 do's and don'ts to help homeowners get their spring yardwork done right: 1. Do cut down spent perennials and remove leaf debris. "This will also remove potential diseases that may have over-win- tered," Sommer said. 2. Do edge planting beds with a power edger or a spade shovel. "This will give the planting bed a nice, clean, unified look, keeping grass from growing into the bed and mulch from falling out into the grass," Sommer said. 3. Don't plant too early. Jeremy Santori of Bluemel's Garden and Landscape Cen- ter in Greenfield said, "Planting too early in spring may lead to plant damage. Be mindful of the overnight temperatures so that you select the proper plants." 4. Don't rush to judg- ment on the survival of your hardy plants. They may be OK, even if they look like they aren't recovering from winter. "Soil tempera- tures are key," Santori said. "Your plants may need more time to leaf out, especially if we have a later or delayed spring." 5. Do use pre-emergent herbicide and fertilizer before seeds germinate. Santori said, "Once soil tem- peratures begin to rise, weeds will begin to germi- nate." 6. Do mulch planting beds with a shredded hardwood mulch. "The mulch will suppress weeds, insulate the soil, help retain moisture, reduce soil ero- sion, help feed plants and aesthetically improve your landscape," Sommer said. She recommends using a product with natural forest nutrients to help plants grow. 7. Don't prune forsythia, lilac and viburnum shrubs. Sommer said prun- ing them in early spring could result in removing the flower buds. 8. Do prune other shrubs and most trees. Sommer said it's easier to do before they leaf out in the spring. 9. Don't mulch too thick. "Two to 3 inches is a good thickness for planting beds," Sommer said. 10. Don't use colored mulch for perennials or groundcovers. Sommer explained, "Many colored mulches are made from con- struction debris. This kind of mulch can rob important nutrients form the soil that are critical for plant growth." 11. Do mulch in early spring, before the perenni- als pop out of the ground. Although waiting would decrease the amount of mulch used, Sommer recom- mends mulching early to save time, so that homeown- ers don't have to mulch around the plants. 12. Do use high-quality soil. "Awesome plants loaded with color need awe- some soil," Sommer said. "You can improve the soil over time with regular appli- cations of a natural mulch or leaf compost, fertiliza- tion, and aeration." 13. Do use the right fer- tilizer for different plants. "Rhododendrons and azaleas are acid-loving plants that need a boost if growing in less fertile soils. A complete fertilizer designed for acid- loving plants may be applied in early spring," Sommer said. 14. Don't rush to judg- ment on your yard's drainage if water pools. "In early spring, the ground is still frozen," Santori explained. "This leads many to believe their yard has a drainage problem due to pooling water caused by frozen ground. Allow the ground to thaw and see if the problem persists." 15. Don't start a hard- scaping project before the thaw. "Allow the frost to fully come out of the ground before beginning your proj- ect. Retaining walls and patio projects that begin before frost has been removed have a significantly higher risk for settling or failure," Santori said. "If you decide to have work done, it is important and to your benefit to start with a professional land- scape plan," Santori said, urging homeowners to start planning this process now. "The sooner a plan has been established, the quicker you can get work scheduled and into a construction calendar. Starting the planning process early will allow for more quality time in your newly landscaped yard." Photo courtesy of Wandsnider Landscape A mix of plantings incorporated with functional areas for relaxation and entertainment didn't come overnight in this award-winning design by Wandsnider Landscape of Menomonee Falls. 15 spring yardwork do's and don'ts from NARI

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