| As spring and warmer weather begins, it’s hard to ignore the unkept flower beds and scruffy edges along the yard. April is usually the month that I start to notice and think about this aspect of homeownership again. It is weather dependent and can vary from year to year as well as region but I recommend waiting until the snow and freezing temperatures have passed to start your spring yard cleanup. One thing I’ve learned is that getting through the cleanup aspect of yard care at all is a task in itself, and an important one to complete prior to planting new flowers and bushes. BEFORE Spring Yard Cleanup    We moved into our home at the end of last summer and decided to wait until the following spring (now) to add plants or flowers to our flowerbeds. We topped the flowerbeds off with fresh bark last year but since laying it a good portion has blown away and it has become discolored; definitely not at its best. There are so many things to do when cleaning up your yard in the spring that I’ve created a simple checklist to help you get started. Spring Yard Tasks •REMOVE fallen branches, pine cones, dead grass. •RAKE leaves. •DISCARD pet waste. •TRIM. Cut back any overgrown trees or shrubs. PRUNE. Remove and discard dead and damaged branches from trees and shrubs. •PULL WEEDS. Try to pull out down to the root versus breaking. •REFRESH. Gravel, bark, wood chips, etc. •STONEWORK: check for cracks and frost heaves •IRRIGATION. Check sprinkler system, drip lines and soakers. •STRUCTURES. Inspect and clean arbors, outdoor heaters and fire pits, fences, sheds, decks, patios, etc. Repaint or stain if needed. •VEGETABLE GARDEN: remove vegetable remains from last season, add a new layer of compost, seed. •PULL any dead annuals. •REMOVE dead growth and divide perennials (wait until soil has thawed, but before they start their spring growth) •MULCH. Loosen bark mulch and plant matter to allow water and air to flow to the plant roots. •EDGE along flowerbeds to keep grass from growing in them and refresh your lines. •LAWN: seed bare spots, apply spring fertilizer •OUTDOOR FURNITURE. Wash, touch up with paint, bring cushions back outdoors, etc. •CLEAN GRILL. Check that everything is working on it. Get a new propane tank if needed. **A few more exterior projects you may want to think of at this time include cleaning gutters of debris, sealing your driveway and replacing or cleaning doormats. Handy Tools for Spring Cleaning Your Yard •Garden shears •Hedge shears •Heavy-duty hand pruners •Gardening gloves •Garden kneeling pad •Loppers (for thick branches) •Watering can •Weeding tool •Hand rake •Hand trowel •Rake •Shovel  AFTER Spring Yard Cleanup  After weeding and adding new plants and bark mulch our flowerbeds are looking much better. I’ll be touching more on garden prep and garden tips later this month; stay tuned! |
Post compiled by: Haley Parker // // @
