SPRING CLEANUP: OUTSIDE…Check railings, fences, and walkways; check exterior windows; clear roofs and gutters; add/update exterior lighting; refresh/paint or stain; service AC; get screens ready; clean off porch/patio/deck; power wash outside of the house if needed; LANDSCAPE… pruning, dig up soil to remove rocks and weeds, test for Acidic or alkaline soil planting, fertilizing, mulching; review a need for trellises or stakes or pathways; INSIDE…Interior update; check and clean ceiling fans. 

BEFORE YOU PLANT…Clean your garden beds and remove weeds, trim back dead material (hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, woody perennials, etc.), prepare the soil (till or turn the soil until the soil is workable), and test to ensure PH level is suitable. Once results come in, apply fertilizers and soil amendments based on results, and prune summer-flowering shrubs (prune spring-flowering shrubs after flowering). Divide perennials and check your gardening tools. These should be cleaned once a month and sharpened. 

Make sure weeds have been removed before you lay down mulch. Be sure mulch is not hugging plants, stems, or trunks. Spread mulch around the area of each plant’s canopy. Don’t mulch around plants that spread or trail like creeping thyme, grasses, or trailing vinca. Do not mulch over existing weeds. Mulch helps control weeds, keeps soil from overheating as weather changes, and holds in moisture. 

Have a great time getting your garden ready for planting…