Prepare Your Garden for Spring!
Even though it may not look like it, Spring is already here.
While you’re staying at home due to social distancing measures, one safe and productive thing you can do is to prepare your yard for the upcoming season. Visualize what you’d like to see in your outdoor space and start planning by creating a to-do list and updating it as the snow melts and the season progresses.
1. Clean up your lawn
Get rid of weeds, dead perennial leaves, branches and other debris.
2. Prune Roses
Prune shrub and other landscape roses before new shoots are more than 1/2-inch long.
3. Fertilize
Once the ground thaws, apply granular fertilizer around the trees, shrubs and perennials.
4. Clean up your trees and bushes
Prune off any broken or damaged branches.
5. Edges
End of winter is a good time to cut sharp edges along all garden beds. It creates a “lip” to contain mulch that can be applied once the soil warms consistently for the season. Keep edges weeded and grass-free.
6. Prepare your soil for planting
Turn the soil over with a pitchfork and rake it out, clearing any weeds that may have grown.
7. Tools
Make sure your tools are ready for the new season! Sharpen and oil pruning equipment, restore digging tools, change spark plugs etc.
8. Extra Touches
Right before new growth begins is an ideal time to dig and divide most perennial flowers that are growing beyond where you'd like them.
Now it’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy your finished work!
