Spring Gardening Checklist: Ideas and Tips

Winter is thawing away and spring is creeping up on us. And as we prepare for spring cleaning inside, we also realize there's spring cleaning to be done outdoors.

Winter to spring is a big annual transition for our gardens and there's a lot to be done, but it's not just hard work! It's also a ton of excitement, change, and trying new things.

But if you feel overwhelmed with all that needs to get done for spring gardening, have no worries!

We have a spring gardening checklist for you to approach those tasks pragmatically and productively so that you enjoy the loveliest garden throughout your spring and summer!

Preparing Your Garden For Spring

Here's the list of things you need to take care of in your garden to prepare it for the warmer months:

Clean Flower Beds

You should start by cleaning your flower beds. Last year's perennial foliage, dead leaves, and general debris would have accumulated during the winter and it would do you well to tidy up the mess to return the clear and neat borders.

Return the borders and garden beds to their soil layer so that the soil warms. Remove any weeds that might have grown inside the beds. And leave them prepared for the new plants.

You can start putting a fresh layer of organic matter for early spring gardening now but it's fine if you focus on cleaning everything first and then start focusing on planting.

You should also clean your pots and re-apply the soil. You can clean the pots with a light bleach solution and leave them to dry out.

Divide Perennials

Dividing perennials is very beneficial to the plant and helps it perform better as a general rule. It gives the root more space and helps them absorb the water and nutrients needed more efficiently

.You should do it late fall before the hot sun of summer arrives because that could dry out the plant.

Clean Bird Feeders

Don't forget your bird feeders. They should also be included in this spring cleaning, as leaving it with their winter dirt could harm the birds.

Clean Winter Debris

Now that you're done with carefully cleaning the garden beds and preparing them for spring gardening, it's time to clean the plant debris from your whole garden and lawn.

But don't throw them away!

Don't Forget Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental plants also gather a lot of dirt, dust, and fizz and needed to be cleaned so that they wouldn't taint the look of your beautiful garden.

Without using much water, use a damp cloth with a little soap to gently clean the leaves and make them shiny.

Put The Debris into a Compost Bin

The debris that winter has left behind could be very beneficial organic materials for your plant. So don't throw anything away (except weeds) and instead put them in a compost pile.

Your bin could be very useful to prompt new growth during early spring!

Re-do Pest Control

This is the type of maintenance that has to be done regularly year-round and should at least be done by the beginning of spring.

With the end of the colder months, more insects, ants, and slugs emerge. However, you want to be careful and professional with your spring insect control because there are beneficial insects that you don't want to eliminate from your garden!

Fix Any Fences or Structures

Make sure that all your structures are in shape by the end of the colder season. A winter storm might have cracked a fence or any other structure and it got covered by frost.

So make sure they are all sturdy and fix any broken parts, then clean them off.

Then also take care of any woody plants that might have gotten any damage!

It's unlikely anything would have happened to hardy stepping stones, but you should also clean them well to welcome the new season!

Move Demanding Shrubs

See the shrubs that need more room and space, as well as trees, and move them to other areas where they can get that space. You could also prune them now so that they enjoy their healthy, new growth comfortably.

Late fall or early spring is the best time to do it so that your garden is well-structured for your spring gardening.

Start Spring Planting

Now that everything is neat and clean, and the soil is fed and prepared, now is the time to get into the exciting part and start planting.

What Plants To Get

Here are our suggestions for what to get plants you should start shopping for in your local nursery and garden centers.

Cool Season Vegetables

If you have a vegetable garden or want to have one, now is the perfect time to start. A spring garden with vegetables for your kitchen is lovely.

Cool-season crops have to be planted in early spring so that they have their full summer and spring growth and reach maturity before the warm weather departs and it starts snowing.

So, for early spring gardening, you can plant lettuce, onion, beans, carrots, and spinach.

Then you should protect those spring bulbs from any spring frost by covering them with old sheets.

Warm-season vegetables can also be planted in late spring or early fall after the last frost date. Remember that they only have one growing season, so you're on top of planting.

Those include tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and eggplants are good to start with for your spring garden.

If you also want to include summer fruits in your late spring gardening, you can choose plants melons, and apples.

Start With Sowing Long Timers

If you want to include slow-growing plants in your spring gardening, then you should start with those in January or February.

Those include eggplant and pepper. Growth appears with those plant bulbs alongside the others, but their planting time needs to be earlier.

Early spring is a marvelous time to take care of a garden and wait for beautiful blooms to appear. However, if you're not happy with the landscaping and layout of your garden, then you'll just be postponing your real enjoyment of your spring garden.

And there is no reason to do that because at shrubhub we're currently offering a 70% discount on all our design services, which include a 3D design depiction of your new landscape. All you need to do is sign here now to take advantage of our offer!

ShrubHub.com