USU Extension experts offer early-spring landscape tips: plant bare-root trees, time pre-emergent herbicides and watch soil moisture

USU Extension landscape professionals Roe and Ben opened the Utah Division of Water Resources webinar with concise early-spring maintenance advice for Utah homeowners.

Roe (USU Extension, Emery County) recommended using the thaw in March and early April to plant bare-root trees and shrubs so they can establish early, remove trunk wraps and burlap as snow melts, fertilize spring bulbs just before they bloom, and delay pruning of trees and shrubs until later in the season. He urged homeowners to avoid walking on overly wet soil to prevent compaction and to take soil samples when conditions allow.

Ben (USU Extension, Washington County) focused on irrigation and weed control. He warned that unusually dry winters have led to evergreen decline in some areas and advised homeowners in dry-winter regions to provide supplemental irrigation if feasible — for winterized systems, a hand-water with a hose once or twice a month can help trees survive prolonged dry spells. Ben also recommended pre-emergent herbicides for many xeric landscapes: they target weeds as seeds germinate, typically require reapplication about three times a year, and must be watered in to reach the top inch of soil where they act.

Both presenters encouraged homeowners to consult local master gardener groups or extension offices for site-specific timing and guidance and to plan maintenance expectations for the first two to three seasons after conversion projects.

The session moved into a longer presentation and Q&A after the maintenance minute; follow-up materials and a recording were promised in a post-event email.