Winter’s Icy Grip Begins to Loosen
As the calendar turns to spring, those green thumbs start to get itchy. The lawn is looking a little shaggy from the winter, and the garden beds are just waiting to be brought back to life. But before you can really dig in, there’s some important preparation to take care of first.
Defrosting the Outdoor Pipes
Ah yes, those outdoor faucets that got shut down tighter than a drum to avoid any frozen pipe disasters. It’s time to carefully re-awaken them from their winter slumber. Inspect each one closely for any cracks or bulges from expanding ice – you don’t want any surprises once the water gets flowing again. Then slowly, cautiously, let that water trickle back through until the faucets are fully pressurized. No gushers allowed!
The Sprinklers Get Their Spring Cleaning
Your sprinkler system was hibernating too, and it probably collected all sorts of gunk over the winter. Go around to each sprinkler head, using a thin poking tool to clear out any dirt, twigs or other debris that made their home inside. Check that the sprinkler heads are angled properly to avoid watering the sidewalk instead of your thirsty plants. A well-aimed sprinkler is a happy sprinkler.
Waking Up the Garden Beds
Those poor garden beds have looked quite barren and neglected, huddled under leaves and debris all winter long. Show them some love by raking away all that cast-off litter. Then comes the muscle work – loosening and aerating the dense soil so new roots can spread easily. Do a simple soil test too, and amend with compost or nutrients as needed to get that earth into prime planting condition.
Putting Winter Tools to Bed
While you’re in spring cleaning mode, don’t forget to dote on your winter equipment too. Drain any leftover fuel from the snowblower to avoid gumming up the works. Give the shovels and ice choppers a good wipe down, apply a light oil to prevent rust, and tuck them away neatly until next winter.
Final Gardening Prep
With your lawn, garden and equipment all prepped, there’s just a couple finishing touches before you can really plant and grow to your heart’s content. Give the lawn a good raking to remove built-up thatch, aerate if needed, and apply pre-emergent weed killer. And don’t forget about pruning your perennials, shrubs and trees while they’re still dormant for a clean start.
At last, you’ve worked your way through the chores – spring is truly sprung! Get out there and enjoy making your outdoor spaces blossom again.
