The Top 10 Tasks That Get Your Garden Spring-Ready!

When temperatures get warmer and rain showers coax your bulbs into bloom, it’s time to get your garden spring-ready. Take a walk around your outdoor spaces and see what needs to be done. Is your mulch thinned out? Could your deck use a paint job? Time to make a list. Start with the top 10 tasks that will get your garden spring-ready.

10. Choose your plants and draw out a plan.

Take a sketchpad and draw out your dream landscape. Decide if you’re going to start new plants from seedlings (a good money-saving option,) or if you’re going to rely on mature plants for your beds and garden. No matter which route you choose, making a plan keeps your landscape from looking haphazard.

9. Walk your landscape and see what needs to be weeded and pruned.

Spring winds bring seeds from unwelcome sources to your garden. Make note of what beds need to be weeded. Check your lawn for dandelions and other encroaching weeds.

8. Prepare your composting.

Did you keep up your composting through the winter? Good! If not, it’s time to start gathering food scraps and yard waste for the compost pile. If you’re composting for the first time, here’s a great how-to pictorial from WikiHow.

7. Get your soil ready.

Pick up a soil test kit from your gardening or home improvement store. This will help you determine if your sandy soil needs to increase its water capacity, or if your clay soil needs help with aeration. The type of nutrients you use will impact your garden.

6. Check your tools.

Inspect your rakes, saws, trowels, and other yard and garden tools for loose handles or rusted blades. Sharpen any dull blades. Get out your power tools and clean them out, check their power sources, and empty and re-fill the gas tank if they have one. You should be emptying the gas tanks when you put them away for the season, as gas that sits too long can turn foul.

5. Inspect decking and hardscaping for damage and molds.

Give wood decks, stairs, and rails thorough inspections, checking specifically for wood rot and damage. Note any mold or stain growing on the wood, and clean it off. Pressure-wash your concrete patio and hardscaping.

4. Fertilizer and lawn care.

Fend off crabgrass with a pre-emergent herbicide. A full application of fertilizer is usually not necessary until late spring, but check with your local extension service to see what they recommend. And always time your treatments with a light spring rain—it ensures that the application will wash into the soil.

3. Maintain your outdoor lighting.

Replace burned–out bulbs immediately. Trim any tree limbs or shrubbery that have grown into your lighting (make sure you turn it off first!) It’s also a good time to add any new lighting to your landscape.

2. Add mulch to your beds.

Have the elements washed away your mulched beds? It’s time to replace! The recommended amount of mulch for any bed is 2 to 4 inches. More than 4 inches can stress the plant and cause root rot.

1. Add a rainwater harvesting system to your landscape.

A rain barrel, underground tank, or storm water management system allows you to take nature’s natural watering system and put it to good use in your garden. There are rainwater harvesting systems for every size yard or garden, and every size budget. If you’re not sure where to start, visit our website and start exploring the options. It’s so important (and easy) to recycle rain for your use. We can create a custom plan that suits your garden’s needs and your budget restrictions. Call us at 800-654-9283 to get started!