Is Your Backyard Ready For Spring? A Comprehensive Checklist

Spring is right around the corner, which means it's time to start thinking about your backyard. When the snow stops falling, and all the ice melts, your lawn and backyard are probably in a sad state. Take our list and check it twice to make sure that your backyard is ready for spring and summer.

Time to Tidy

Over the winter, leaves and debris will have collected in your yard. It's important to get all of the junk off your lawn before you do anything else to your yard. If you don't want to pick everything up and put it in your yard waste bin, you can use a mulcher to mulch all of the leaves on your lawn. Mulching adds extra nutrients to your yard as well, so it's a win, win.

As part of your clean-up, tackle the trees too. Some cities have parks and rec officials who will help you analyze the health of your trees for free. If you don't have local resources to help, Youtube is a great place to learn about properly caring for your trees. Once you know what to do, trim and prune your trees as part of your yard cleanup efforts.

Gut Your Gutters

The gunk in your gutters has got to go before spring and summer are in full swing. A clogged gutter is a problem waiting to happen. When water can't flow away from or off your house, you end up with leaky roofs and flooded foundations. Be careful when you clean your gutters out and make sure your ladder is one hundred percent secure.

Once all of the debris has been cleared from your gutters and drainpipes, check the system's integrity. Look for leaks or breaks and take care of them before the spring showers set in.

Exfoliate the Exterior

The outside of your house needs a little love too. Exfoliate your exterior with a pressure wash. You can rent a pressure washer at some hardware stores if you don't own one, but as a homeowner, it may be a handy thing to keep around.

You can DIY a pressure washing solution using vinegar and phosphate-free laundry detergent. Only use ingredients that won't damage your lawn and flower beds when the water drips down from your house.

After you've given the house a nice bath, spray down your driveway too. Especially if you used any rock salt ice melt in the winter, it's important to wash down your driveway.

Patio Prep

After you've power washed your house, pay a little attention to your patio. Power wash the patio and then pull your patio furniture out of storage. Clean up the fabric with powdered tide and water or water and vinegar. If you don't love the way your patio is looking, now is the time to let your DIY creativity shine.

You can update your outdoor rugs and cushions or DIY a patio cover that is both affordable and attractive.

All about Aeration

To keep your lawn green and healthy, you need to aerate early in the year. A local lawn care company can take care of aeration for you, or you can rent an aerator. If you aerate your own lawn, make sure that you don't fertilize before you aerate. When you aerate first, you allow your lawn to grow full and lush and get the most out of any lawn treatments you do.

When you aerate, the holes need to be two to three inches apart and one to two inches deep.

Feed and Fertilize

After everything you do, you need to fertilize your lawn and plants. Pick a fertilizer that is specific to the grass and soil in your area. This will give your lawn the best results. Follow the instructions on your fertilizer and keep it out of reach of children when you store it.

You also want to get specific when you're picking fertilizer for your flowerbeds. You want to feed your flowers the things that will help them thrive.

As you prep your lawn for spring, don't get overwhelmed. Make a day of it and tackle the whole project in just a few hours.