There are plenty of things you can be doing in the garden now to make your life easier later.
WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER
1. MULCH ANY SPOTS THAT NEED IT
Mulching in the spring before everything wakes up is the easiest time to do it. Simply spread the mulch over the entire bed, and as perennial plants wake up, they will just pop right through the mulch. This way, you don't have to work around everything. Spread mulch at least 2 inches thick, preferably 3-4 inches. This will help keep weeds down and moisture in. That means less weeding and less watering in the heat. If you missed it, check out our guide on proper mulching for more information.
2. PUT DOWN WEED PREVENTERS
Put down a pre-emergent to prevent weed seeds from germinating. You'll have even fewer weeds when combined with mulch! See our post on preventing weeds for more information. Pre-emergent products are available for both the lawn and landscape.
3. PRUNE PLANTS THAT NEED IT
If you need to control their size, now is the time to prune any plants that bloom in the late summer or fall. Some people call these plants new wood bloomers. Not sure whether or not your plant needs to be pruned? ASK! (ask us, not the plant)
Also, see our guide on pruning to learn more about proper pruning techniques.
4. SPREAD COMPOST
Put down compost on bare soil to make it softer, lighter, moister and higher in nutrients. No need to dig it in if you don't want to, mother nature will take care of that.
See our guide about improving your soil for more information about spreading compost.
5. FERTILIZE
Put down an early spring feeding for the lawn with a product like our MaxLawn Fertilizer. Make sure to also feed your landscape plants too! Now is a great time to put down an all purpose fertilizer (like a 10-10-10) on all of your trees, shrubs, evergreens, and perennials. When they start to wake up, they'll the have the food they need to thrive!
6. CLEAN UP
Clean up any fallen leaves, dead annuals, or old perennial stems that are in the way. Most perennials can be cleaned up with a weed whacker. (No bending over!) Just leave an inch or so above ground so you don't damage the crowns that are just below the soil.