For those of us that live in colder climates, we usually look forward to warmer weather and planning for spring! There are usually numerous projects that can be done once warm spring weather has arrived. While it is great to get out there and start doing some spring yard work, it is also good to do some planning ahead. Here are some tips for getting some plans underway for your spring landscaping.

Spring cleaning & the right tools

Spring cleaning can be a big task, and you will need to be prepared. This can involve both supplies and manpower. It is likely you will need the basics, like leaf bags, rakes, clippers, and gloves. Once the weather is warm enough, it is time to treat your lawn with things like grub killer, weed killer / suppressant, and fertilizer, but remember that timing is very important. Many of these things need to be applied well before you see things greening up.

Before the weather gets warm enough, make sure that you have the right tools and that everything is working, like a lawn mower, rotary spreader, and any power tools (chainsaw, etc). Another thing to consider is your sprinkler system, which may need to be repaired especially if winter preparations were not taken. It is not uncommon to have to change sprinkler heads in the spring.

Plan out your hardscapes

Hardscapes are any kind of yard elements that are “hard” additions to the outdoors, such as patios, walkways, retaining walls, water features, fire pits, landscape lighting, and so on. It is nice to get things going right away and start your interlocking projects in Spring, so that you can enjoy them all summer. You will want to take measurements and create a rendering of your project.

Plan out your plantings

Before it gets warm out, start brainstorming about what you want to plant around the yard, as well as planters, and get an idea of how you want to design your outdoor space. Annuals are plants that only survive within a year, whereas perennials come up every year. You will want to do your research and take note of how much sun an area of your yard gets, as well as soil conditions and anything else that might influence the area. Once you know what kind of growing conditions you having (including your planting zone), then you can choose things like plant height, color, and so on. Additional things to think about are what time a plant is in flower, or other qualities (like native plant species or those that repel animals).