This is a collaborative post
The sun is getting a little brighter, the flowers are blooming, and the birds are chirping, indicating that spring has arrived. Spring is a season of fresh beginning, and one of the best ways to get things started is to clean up your garden.
Spring is the time to begin planting, pruning, and preparing for the upcoming growth season when your garden wakes. To get your garden ready for the warmer months, follow the same procedure as you would to give your house a thorough spring cleaning to revive it after a long winter.
To tackle all your outdoor tasks like a pro, you should divide your cleaning into various tasks. This will help you prepare your garden spaces for the growing season on time. This article will cover the critical steps to a successful spring clean-up of your landscaping.
Do a Thorough Inspection
Take a stroll around your garden once the snow season is over, and note any areas that require repair or particular care. Examine whether your garden walks appear disorganised, whether your gutters need to be cleaned, or whether any plants have been harmed by the winter. Keep these tasks in mind as you plan out your spring gardening “to-do” list.
Repair Hardscape Elements
After assessing any damage from the winter, it’s time to clean up and refresh your hardscape components. If you have a traditional wood deck, start by power washing it or cleaning the stones in your walkways. However, if your deck is made of composite boards, cleaning is much easier. Composite decking requires minimal upkeep, just a quick rinse with soapy water or a mild cleaner is usually enough to remove dirt and grime, leaving your deck looking fresh.
Start Indoor Seeds
Next, start your indoor seeds. The majority of indoor seeds are sown in March, although some slow-growing plants are sown in February and other fast-growing plants in April. When your garden warms up, your newly transplanted flowers, vegetables, and herbs will be ready to use.
Clean Up Flowerbeds
Remove any winter detritus, such as dead leaves, from the soil surfaces where you intend to plant vegetables and annual flowers. Cut down last year’s withered foliage and remove protective winter mulch from surrounding ornamental grasses and perennials. Don’t forget to wear gardening gloves to prevent cuts and scrapes, particularly when handling plants with thorny leaves.
Check for Rodent Damage
Rodents like voles may dig in the garden or chew on drip irrigation systems. Spring is the best time to check for these concerns, fix broken drip lines, and smooth up lawn tunnels.
Clean Out Birdhouses
Cleaning out birdhouses is best done in late fall, but if you forget to do it earlier, you can do it in the spring. However, avoid using soap or scented cleansers, as these can hurt birds, instead, if the bird box is very dirty, use a 5% bleach solution and a sharp wire brush to clean it out. Also, make sure you finish cleaning before they begin nesting.
Prune Certain Plants
Pruning spring-blooming plants, such as lilacs and forsythias, should usually wait until they have finished flowering because doing so too soon will damage flower buds. Nonetheless, Plants that bloom from late summer to fall can typically be pruned in the spring. For example, plants like dogwood, ninebark, and winterberry usually respond well to pruning in early spring while they’re still dormant.
Control Weeds and Pests
Every garden has weeds, which need to be removed in the spring for the best summertime results. Weeds will be prevented from spreading throughout your property if they are identified early and removed quickly. Don’t fail to use organic approaches like the use of homemade bug repellents or introducing beneficial insects. The best defence against pests is prevention.
Check Up on Your Irrigation System
To make sure the cold weather hasn’t damaged your irrigation system, it’s crucial to check it out after winter. Examining your irrigation system can help save time and money by preventing harm to the plants or lawn. On your inspection list, check for cracked pipes, broken sprinkler heads, and other wear-and-tear indicators that can call for replacement or repair.
Complete Lawn Edging
A great way to improve your landscape’s definition and curb appeal is to edge your lawn. Edging gives clean lines and gives your garden an appearance of neatness and good shape. Edger tools like a spade or an edging machine can be used to create clear borders between lawns and flowerbeds. Aside from looking lovely, it prevents weeds from overrunning your garden and grass from intruding on flowerbeds.
Conclusion
Cleaning your garden in the spring doesn’t have to be a chore, but it does need some preparation. With the help of this spring gardening checklist, you may create one of the most attractive gardens on the block. Although there are still some seasonal maintenance duties to complete, if you tackle these springtime chores early in the growing season, you’ll have more time to relax and enjoy your garden all summer long.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post