Spring Yard Checklist

As a home owner you are aware of the advantages of regular maintenance work to keep it pleasant and enhance its value.

Every season requires its own schedule of work to keep both the house and the yard in top condition.

By scheduling time for yard work as spring approaches you will be able to ensure that your garden looks great and adds to the curb appeal of your home as well.

Even as you get set to welcome spring and spend more time outdoors in your garden, relaxing with family and friends or unwinding after a long day’s work, you need to set aside time to ensure that the garden is well kept and attractive.

By taking the time to maintain the yard in spring, you will be also be able to enjoy fresh flowers and vegetables from your garden.

Mowing the Lawn

One of the first tasks you need to complete in the yard is mowing the lawn.

Use a lawn mower and ensure that the grass is cropped by a third of its height to create a neat and tidy lawn.

Overgrown grass as well as unevenly growing grass can be unsightly and provide an unkempt look to your home.

Ensure that the lawn is evenly mowed and that the grass does not have ragged edges.

This smooth looking turf will also be easy on your feet as you spend time on the lawn with your children and friends.

Prune the Bushes

If your garden has bushes either as part of the landscaping or as a privacy hedge, you need to prune them.

Before you begin pruning the bushes have a clear idea of the desired shape and prune overgrown branches to ensure the bushes look tidy and neat. Depending on the type of bushes you have and the look you desire, the bushes should be trimmed either in circumference or in height. You need to leave sufficient gap between adjacent bushes to enable sunlight to reach areas of the garden. Bushes that throw a shadow over the lawn should be trimmed to ensure that the lawn receives adequate sunlight.

Pulling Weeds

Next, you need to go over the entire yard and pull out all the weeds.

With spring, weeds to put out new shoots and by rooting them out as they begin to grow you can contain their spread to a larger extent. Check the lawn, the flower and vegetable beds, as well as the ground under the shrubs and trees for weeds and pull them out. You also need to destroy the weeds carefully by either removing them from your yard or mulching them to ensure that they do not reappear soon.

Sprinkler Installation

In the winter months the yard might have been covered with snow or rain, eliminating the need for watering.

However, with spring and the summer months you need to ensure that your lawn and garden are properly watered.

This is easier if you install a sprinkler. Since the lawn should be watered before dawn to ensure its optimum health, consider installing a sprinkler system with a timer. If your garden already has a sprinkler system, run it and check that it works properly. Stand at various parts of the lawn and ensure that the water from the sprinkler covers the entire place evenly.

If not you need to have the sprinkler system serviced or cleaned to make sure the lawn is watered properly.

Cutting Back Trees

Another aspect of preparing your garden for spring is the cutting back of trees.

Examine all the trees in your yard and cut back branches that are too close to the house, cast a shadow over the lawn or the flower beds or vegetable garden, or look as if they can cause injury to people or property.

Branches that are very low or in danger of breaking should also be cut down.

It is better to take the time to do this than risk that branch falling on your car, home, pet, or even you.

You want to avoid any one of those scenarios.

If you do not want to use a chain saw even though that is the quickest way, you can use a handsaw.

Make sure you put some gloves on to protect your hand from weakening the skin if you are going down the manual route.

Planting a Garden

The yard around your home will be beautiful and inviting throughout the growing season if you have a garden of flowers and vegetables. When choosing flowering plants for the garden you should pick some for their color, some for their perfume, and those that attract butterflies. Before you actually plant the flowers, have a color and design scheme in mind or committed to paper so that your garden looks inviting throughout the rest of the year.

When choosing plants for your vegetable garden, you should keep your time constraints and needs in mind.

Select easy to grow plants that do not require special care if you are new to gardening.

Even those who are not expert gardeners can easily grow herbs and greens as well as a few hardy plants.

Sweeping and Clean Up

The final step to preparing your lawn for the spring is the cleanup.

Sweep the entire yard and ensure that cut grass, pruned branches and leaves, weeds, and loose soil and dirt are all collected and disposed of properly. This will ensure that the yard looks neat and tidy instead of cluttered.

You should also collect all the gardening tools and equipment such as the mower, shears, and spades and put them away.

This will ensure that children do not injure themselves by playing with them.

They should not be running while carrying any of these sharp tools either.

While preparing your yard for spring can involve a lot of labor, it will pay off in a fabulous looking garden for the rest of the year. By scheduling the time to mow your lawn, weed, prepare the beds, and prune the bushes, you will be able to have a garden that enhances the appeal of your home and makes it more welcoming.

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A home owner who is willing to spend the time to clean up the yard at the beginning of spring will be able to enjoy a great time outdoors with family and friends during the warm weather. Working in the yard and preparing the garden can be a relaxing activity that allows you to connect with nature, spend time in the sun, and enjoy the joy of watching plants grow and mature.