Spring brings warmer weather and renewed life. Now is the time to gather your supplies, pull out your tools, and get to work bringing your garden back to life. These tips will help you get the job done.
Tidy up flower beds and borders
Remove leaves, other debris, and weeds, making sure you get the roots so they won’t grow back. This is a good time to sharpen your garden tools, if needed. Remember to wear gardening gloves to help protect your hands from cuts and scrapes.
Revitalize the soil
Your soil is likely dried out and packed after winter; it’s time to add moisture with organic material like compost or manure. Test the soil to see what nutrients it needs, to ensure you give it the right mixture. You might also need to add more fertilizer to increase the health of the soil and increase the life of your plants.
Prune trees and shrubs
Plants that survived the winter will need to be pruned so they’ll grow anew in the spring. Make sure to wait until mid-April or May in case there’s an unexpected freeze. Blooming plants should be pruned right after they bloom to avoid cutting off future flowers, while summer plants should be pruned in early spring.
Add fresh mulch
Adding fresh mulch to flower beds and around trees is one of the easiest ways to add a polished look to your yard. It aids in preventing weeds and diseases, and helps the soil maintain moisture and temperature. The rule of thumb is to keep the mulch a few inches from the plant stems to prevent roots from rotting.
Plant new flowers and shrubs
Once you’ve gotten the garden in shape and handled all of the old plants, it’s time to turn your attention to new plants. Some recommendations for good spring plants include pansies, snapdragons, lilacs, tulips, and vegetables like lettuce, peas and arugula.