Whether there’s another staycation in your future or you just want someplace inviting to hang out with family and friends in the warmer days ahead, it’s time to start spring cleaning your yard. Yard clean up in preparation for spring helps clear away things winter left behind and gets your property looking good again.
Tidy up the Landscaping
Remove any garbage that may have been deposited in your yard during the winter months, including pet waste.
Thoroughly rake the front and back yards. It’s a good start to allowing the lawn to breathe.
In early spring, as soon as weeds make an appearance pull them before they have time to take root in other places in your yard. Check for weeds that might spout in between landscape rocks, pavers, and patio blocks or pathway pavers.
Yard maintenance should include any water features such as a pond, fountain, or water wall. You don’t want leaves, twigs, and other kinds of debris floating in the water.
Mow and Seed the Lawn
Make sure the lawnmower is in good working order and the blade is sharp. When mowing for the first time in spring, cut close to help remove dead grass and make room for new growth.
While up close and personal with your lawn, check for thin or bald patches. Patch up any areas showing damage by reseeding the lawn. Sprinkle a thin layer of topsoil over the seed and keep it moist for 10 days.
Add New Mulch
Strategic mulching can be an integral part of your landscape design. Mulch provides much needed nutrients to the soil. Adding new mulch in the spring to flowerbeds and around trees and shrubs helps prevent weed growth and encourages plants and trees to grow stronger.
Because mulch will break down over the course of the year, there is no need to remove it before adding more in the spring.
If your landscaping includes new plants and shrubs, fertilize them first before applying the mulch.
Inspect Your Yard
Inspect your property. Did the fence survive the winter? Will the siding need to be repaired? Does the shed still have all its windows and padlock?
Check any other garden structures that are on your property such a gazebo, greenhouse, arbours, or trellises. If any of these buildings have gutters like a garden shed or a detached garage, ensure they are cleaned and the downspouts are clog-free.
How did the gutters survive winter? Look for dents (metal, aluminum gutters), cracks (vinyl gutters), loose hardware, and mold. Clean the gutters inside (remove debris) and out (wash away surface grime).
Renew Walkways and the Driveway
Power wash walkways and the driveway to do away with grime, dirt, oil stains, and grease.
Add visual interest to the front yard by installing outdoor lighting along the length of the driveway.
Edging walkways, the driveway, or flower beds adjacent to the driveway and paths with seashells, stone, or bricks defines the area, giving them character and purpose.
Prune Trees and Shrubs
Trees and shrubs can become damaged during the stormy days of winter. Inspect them for broken limbs, broken branches, exposed roots, or leaning. Remove dead and broken limbs. For trees with exposed roots that appear sickly or damaged and tall, leaning trees, consult an arborist to see if they need to be removed.
Prune back overgrown limbs, but because it’s still living, know when it’s the right time. Hold off on pruning spring-flowering shrubs like azaleas, lilacs, forsythia, and fothergilla until after they have bloomed. While you might not be able to see them, the buds of these types of trees are already in place.
On the other hand, summer-flowering shrubs such as sarcococca, Daphne bholua, and viburnum can be pruned before buds appear.
