How to Spring Clean Your Yard

Getting your yard ready for spring can be a daunting task but before you give up, give this step-by-step guide a try.

Melting snow often reveals unwanted debris brought in by gusty winter winds. The first step to getting your yard ready for Spring is to pick up any garbage. Wear gloves, or use a grabber tool to make the job a little easier; remember to recycle any salvageable plastic or glass! Rake and bag any leaves leftover from Fall and keep twigs and sticks you find as kindling for your fire-pit. Larger branches can also be broken down for firewood. 

If you have any trees on your property it's recommended you inspect them annually and after major storms. Check for broken and hanging branches.  It's a good idea to call in a certified specialist to remove them as these branches can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous.  Inspect trees for any dead branches, which are easiest to spot during the growing season since leaves will be missing. Finally, missing bark or growing fungus are both signs of deadwood and should be removed at any time of year.  Taking care of your trees will not only keep them healthy for years to come, but more importantly, keep you, your family, and your neighbors safe. Bonus: Healthy, mature trees can add up to 20% to the value of a house!

Get ready for the next growing season by cleaning up flowerbeds, gardens, and around plants. Get rid of leaves, weeds, and dead plants and trim and shape shrubs and hedges. If you wish to move a perennial, early spring is the best time. However, don't move a perennial that is in bloom. If you want to move a plant that has already begun to bloom, hold off until the Fall.  

Now the fun part! Plant some new plants and flowers (depending on the timing).  Make sure to do your research on what you've chosen to plant so that you are planting at the appropriate time for your location. To get a head start, consider starting them indoors and transplanting them when it's consistently warm. Lastly, just as a cake needs frosting, a garden needs a fresh top layer of mulch!

Winter is not kind to yards. If your goal is for yours to be luscious and green, just like many things, it is going to require some maintenance and upkeep. The most hassle-free way to care for your lawn is to follow the Scotts Spring-Fall 4 Step Application Program

To get your mower ready to go, check or change the oil, make sure there's enough fuel, and sharpen blades. Dull blades rip the grass rather than slice it and make the mower work harder than it needs to.

By now, you are probably more than ready to relax and enjoy all your hard work. Take any outdoor furniture out of storage and give it a good wash and rinse if you didn't do so before you stored it away for winter. Now is also the perfect time to clean the furniture covers that may have collected some dust.

Lastly, put the finishing touches on your yard by putting out any lawn and garden decor. This could include things like statues and wind chimes. 

It's no secret maintaining a yard is work. But if you take your time, go piece-by-piece, and keep up on routine maintenance, it's extremely rewarding.