Spring Gardening To Do List (and More)

Everyone likes to give their house a good spring cleaning to look fresh after a long winter. It is the same way you can take good care of your garden to prepare it for summer. A perfect picture spring landscape can be overwhelming sometimes, even when snow and ice have melted.

That’s why we have provided a checklist that will assist you to pace yourself while you prepare for flower beds, shrubs, trees, and other places that need cleaning in the yard. We have made it much easier for you to plan your list, because we broke it into early, mid, and late spring.

Early Spring To Do List

It has been a while, and now you want to get back to your garden after the long winter. It will help if you put some important things for your garden to be ready for the spring and the growing season.

Clean up flower beds

Winter storm debris from the soil surface that you anticipate planting flowers and veggies should be cleared out. Try to remove the protective winter mulch from the perennials and ornamental grasses.

If you want your grass clumps to look clean and inviting, you need to trim off the hedges. While working with plants with prickly leaves (lungwort), don't forget to wear your gloves. Putting on gloves helps to protect your hands from cuts and scrapes.

Divide perennials

Before spring growth, that is the best time to divide many perennials. A budget-friendly way to fill your garden to share with friends or with many plants is by dividing perennials. It is also an excellent way to keep perennials existing healthy.

Most times, it is expected that the middle of plants that grow in a large clump will thin out after a few years, which will leave a bare spot. But, when you divide the clusters, you are helping the plant to generate growth.

Add fresh mulch around perennials

Your yard will look when you add fresh mulch to garden beds. It is an excellent way to retain soil moisture for your plants.

Plant veggies

Please plant cool-season vegetables during early spring when you notice the soil is thawed. It will be ready for early summer.

Mid-Spring To Do List

Your spring landscape should start coming to light because more shrubs, bulbs and other things have taken place. This is when you should add new plants to your garden.

• Clean bird feeders.

• Make notes as you watch the spring show.

• Plant new perennials and cold-hardy annuals.

• Add new trees and shrubs.

• Apply mulch.

Late Spring To Do List

Late spring is the period when you start cleaning up the bloomed flowers

Deadhead bulbs

Plants tend to store energy when removing the blossom from spring flowing bulbs. Allow the foliage to die by itself; try not to remove it until the color is yellow complete or when it dries up.

Shop for summer annuals

Petunias, zinnias, and impatiens are usually the best summer annuals; hence, try to pick them out.

Start warm-season veggies

Transplantation of seedlings of warm-season crops can take place. For example, pepper, herbs of all kinds and tomatoes are warm-season crops.

Plant summer-blooming bulbs

It is usually in the fall that spring-blooming bulbs are planted. Once there's no more threat of frost, it is wise to plant summer blooming bulbs.

If you follow the checklist above, you will have one of the best clean and good-looking gardens. Take pride in your garden and beautify it as you would in your home.

###

Photo by Jill Wellington from Pexels

5 Spring Gardening Steps to Take Now

While some of the country may still be getting hit with snow storms and that dreaded “nor'easter” – for most of us, spring is right around the corner, which means that lots of us have begun to think about all the fun we can have outside, especially when it comes to spring gardening. From daffodils to tulips, spring can bring out the best in our lawns, providing welcome pops of color and signs of new life after the dreary days of winter.

Now is the time to start your spring gardening! Even if there’s still a bit of frost on the ground in your neck of the woods, it’s never too early to get outside and get to planning … so you can get to planting! Read on for five things you can do right now to start spring gardening. And then jump to the end for a handy checklist to get you started.

1. Start with a clean slate.

The first step to any great spring gardening plan is to survey what you’re working with and get your landscape ready to shine. Get out of the house (bundle up if you have to) and take note of how your garden has changed since last year. Maybe there are trees and shrubs that need to be pruned or removed. Maybe your fence or flower beds are in need of repairs. Maybe your lawn needs a good mowing, or last year’s dead plants need to be moved into compost. Whatever it takes, you must get your garden ready to grow before you start … otherwise all your spring gardening plans will be in vain!

2. Hit refresh on your soil.

Now that your overgrown garden has been cleaned up, there’s one more thing you need to do before you get to planting … and it’s a big one! Preparing your soil for spring gardening is vital if you want your plants and flowers to survive more than a couple weeks. Consider testing your soil – it may seem like a lot of work but it’s definitely worth the effort! Even if you don’t live in a climate where it snows or freezes, there’s a good chance that your soil is pretty dried out and packed down after the winter, which means you’ll want to add moisture and other nutrients (again, that’s where soil testing comes in) found in fertilizers and other organic materials. Now is also a good time to add mulch to the mix – it prevents weeds, keeps your garden moist and even helps to maintain its temperature. Remember, if your soil thrives, your garden will too!

3. Pick your plants.

You may already know that there are different types of plants and flowers that thrive in different seasons, but did you know that you can even break that down to months? And with April just beginning, it’s the perfect month to pick your plants and start your spring gardening! Of course, you can head over to your local nursery or home improvement store and have them pick out planting bulbs for you, but if you want to get creative and build something unique, just a few minutes of research can help you find the best flowers and plants to make the perfect garden. A few of our favorite springtime gardens include dahlias, tulips, lilies and daffodils.

4. Consider fruits and veggies.

While you may be the most focused on creating a beautiful oasis in your spring gardening, you might also consider planting some delicious fruits and veggies! In fact, month-by-month planting makes even more sense for food. Beets, carrots, cucumbers, melons, peas, peppers, squash and tomatoes are all perfect for April. Think about how colorful and delicious your spring gardening will be! Once you’ve decided which plants, flowers, fruits and/or veggies will kick off your spring gardening, all you have to do is buy the seeds or bulbs and get to planting!

5. Start with spring. And plan what’s next.

While spring is the perfect time to start your garden, don’t stop there! You can continue this perfect pastime throughout the spring, summer and even into the fall. We love this monthly planting guide that will help you plan the perfect garden all year long, so whether you’re starting with spring gardening or waiting until the summer, you’ll know what to plant and how to do it!

Your Checklist for Spring Gardening

▢     Remove debris of winter like leaves, fallen branches, etc.

▢     Prune overgrown plants or trees

▢     Remove dead plants or flowers

▢     Check your gardening tools and order new ones if needed

▢     Repair any infrastructure like fences or flower beds

▢     Test your soil

▢     Add fertilizer and/or mulch to your flower beds and garden

▢     Pick the plants and flowers for your new garden

▢     Plan what you’ll plant next and into the summer and fall!

Are you ready to get started on your spring gardening? Let us know what you decide to plant in the comments section below!

###

Photo by Neslihan Gunaydin on Unsplash