It’s that time of year again—the snow is melting, the sun is shining, the days are getting longer, and all things spring yard prep are top of mind. Spring is an opportune time to start planning your garden and other outdoor projects and preparing your yard for the warmer days ahead.
Colored mulch is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to rejuvenate residential and commercial landscaping. The SMSC Organics Recycling Facility now offers three additional mulch options—black mulch, western red cedar, and playground mulch—to our four existing mulches (natural, dark brown, gold, and red). Of course, April in Minnesota is a little early to put down mulch or plant your garden, but it is a great time to think about your plans and prepare for May gardening. Keep in mind that the best gardening takes place after Mother’s Day.
In the coming months, you can prepare your soil for compost. Compost is a rich soil amendment that will help you create flourishing gardens and healthy landscapes wherever you sprinkle it. The most important thing to remember when using compost is that it is a soil amendment, not soil itself. Think of compost like a fertilizer—you wouldn’t want to plant your plants in straight fertilizer. For best results in creating a healthy yard and/or garden, we recommend top-dressing your lawn with compost. To do this, first run a core aerator over your lawn to harmlessly remove small plugs of grass. Then, a thin layer of compost can be spread over the lawn and raked into the holes left behind by the aerator. This will give your lawn a nutrient boost and help you to water less. The amount of compost you need depends on your application. Compost can be used for establishment or maintenance of trees and shrubs, flower gardens, vegetable gardens, lawns, and more. To help you determine how much compost or mulch you need for your project, use the materials calculator.
Need to add soil or nutrients to your garden? Compost is a great addition to many gardening projects. Don’t worry if mixing and tilling compost sounds too labor intensive for you—the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility offers a variety of premixed compost blends.
While you work to spruce up your yard for spring, please be advised that the cities of Shakopee, Savage, and Prior Lake have made the decision to cancel the 2021 spring yard waste drop off program. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) supports their decision to cancel the program for the health and safety of the public. You are still welcome to drop off yard waste for a small fee at the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility—visit smscorf.smscmarketing.org/residential for current rates and facility hours.
