Spring has arrived! Now is the time get a jump-start on creating a beautiful yard you can enjoy all spring and summer long. Spring clean your yard with these helpful ideas.
Winter has passed but has left your yard looking drab and lifeless. Get started on your outdoor cleanup now, and you’ll have your yard in tip-top shape in no time!
Do a general tidy-up
- Clean up any miscellaneous garbage that has collected in your yard.
- Remove debris from any drainage sites such as ditches and from retaining walls.
- Pick up sticks and twigs that have fallen from your trees, shrubs and perennials.
- Remove pet waste.
- Wash down patio furniture, kids’ play centres, decks, sidewalks and gazebos, then paint, re-stain or repair if necessary.
- Check out your landscape hardware, such as outdoor lighting and underground sprinklers, to ensure they are in proper working order.
- Use a power washer to hose down the outside of your house, including the windows.
Lawn maintenance
- Do a deep, thorough rake of your lawn. This will remove any dead leaves, small twigs, dried clumps of soil and garbage that may have been missed in the initial cleanup. A deep raking is essential to remove thatch, which is the layer of grass clippings, stems and roots that has formed between the soil and your grass. A buildup of thatch will lead to an unhealthy lawn.
- If your lawn has come out of its winter dormancy and is growing again, consider using a fertilizer to create a healthy, beautiful green space.
- Reseed or overseed any bare or thin patches of grass to regain the lush look of a full lawn.
- Edge your lawn around pathways, flower beds and mulched, landscaped areas to create a crisp, clean appearance.
Flowers and trees
- Clear away any dead annuals from last fall. Rake the bare soil and cover it with a layer of mulch.
- Prune back your perennials as soon as new growth appears. Use a small rake to loosen the soil around them, mix in some compost and cover with mulch.
- While the soil is moist from rain or melted snow, pull out any weeds with their roots from your flower garden and tree beds. Add fresh mulch to help prevent them from coming back.
- Cut down ornamental grasses.
- Prune the dead or damaged branches from your trees. Avoid pruning spring blooming trees until after they’ve bloomed, or you may end up pruning off their flowers.
More on your yard
Favourite trees to plant in your yard this spring
Make your own compost
Spring garden ideas for young kids
Leave a Comment