The Secrets of Spring Landscaping

Spring is here, which means your yard will soon be in full bloom! Although, when it comes to landscaping, beauty is more than soil deep. From the unpredictability of spring weather to the acidity of soil to the positioning of your yard about the sun, many factors contribute to how well your yard will bloom. With spring at our doorstep, New Jersey Lifestyle Magazine interviewed Benjamin Mateos, owner of Be Green All Pro Landscaping, to walk us through everything that needs to be done so that your outdoor space can look its best.

Mateos has devoted his entire professional career to learning the art of landscaping. Born and raised in Mexico, Mateos immigrated to the U.S. 24 years ago and immediately began working in landscaping. “After more than 20 years working in this field, I decided it was time to start my own business,” Mateos says. In 2021, Mateos opened Be Green All Pro Landscaping. After just one year in business, Be Green won a Best of the Press award. “It was such an honor to be positioned alongside landscaping companies that have been in business for decades.”

What are a few basic things everyone should do to their landscaping in spring?

The most basic thing you need to do is remove all the leaves and debris that fell over the winter. You should also clean up the flower beds to prepare them for mulch. Finally, it’s very important to dethatch the lawn. This removes the layer of dead grass so that new grass can start to regrow.

Does your landscaping need anything major in the spring?

The most major thing your landscaping needs in the spring is fertilizer. After the cold winter leaves your yard brown and dead, fertilizer brings it back. It’s very important to fertilize your trees, shrubs, and lawn so that they come back beautifully. If you get the timing right, the temperature in spring is perfect for fertilizer.

What is the right time to start your spring landscaping?

Typically, the right time to start spring landscaping is March, when the temperature starts to go up. Of course, it’s completely weather-dependent, and weather here can be unpredictable. However, as long as the weather permits, the second week in March is usually the ideal time to start.

Are there any trends in landscape design that you’re noticing?

In landscape design, including elements like large boulders and small evergreens is becoming very popular. Landscape design used to feature just a lot of flowers, but by including more evergreens, your yard can look bright and nice all year long.

Do you have any tips for spring landscaping?

The best tip I can give is to start controlling your weeds now. You want to prepare your lawn so it’s not overwhelmed by weeds in the summer. Another great tip is to use the right amount of mulch in spring; this protects the roots in summer so that your flower beds look their best. Finally, test your soil if you can. Determining how acidic or basic it is lets you know what flowers to plant and what will do best in your yard.

What are some things homeowners can do on their own?

Homeowners can clean up their flowerbeds and yards, mow their lawns, and even prune their shrubs with a bit of practice. However, keep in mind that there may be some things they are missing. When we mow the lawn, we don’t just cut the grass. We check water levels to make sure that there’s not too much or too little, as either one can kill the yard. You also want to be careful not to prune too much or too little, as that can damage or even kill the shrub.

What’s better left to the professionals?

Leave fertilizer and pesticide applications to the professionals. If you apply it at the wrong time, either it won’t be effective, or it will damage or even burn the landscaping. You should also talk to a professional when you are doing a new planting. We’ve gotten several clients when they call to ask why their landscaping is not doing well. Each plant has different soil, sun, and water requirements, to name a few. For example, some trees need full sun while others need shade. Knowing these details makes a huge difference in the beauty of your landscaping.

Perennials or annuals?

Both! I love annuals, but perennials are essential too. You should do a nice mix. For example, there’s a type of azalea that flowers twice a year; add some annuals to that, and you will have a beautiful flower bed. And, if you add in some nice small evergreens and hardscaping details, you will have a flowerbed that looks beautiful all year.

Be Green All Pro Landscaping is a family business. Mateos has eight younger brothers that all work with him. “This business is important to all of us, and we all have the expertise to tackle any job. There’s nothing too big or too small,” Mateos says. Be Green All Pro does landscape design and installation, hardscaping design and installation, retaining walls, steps, stone veneers, fence installation, irrigation system installation and maintenance, lawn care, fertilizer and pesticide application, Christmas lights and décor, and snow removal. “Customer satisfaction is the most important part of my business. I’ve spent decades building my knowledge and expertise. Now, I’m building a business, but I’m also building relationships. I truly believe that building great relationships is essential.”