As the weather warms up, I dare to venture into my backyard to assess the damage left from a long winter. To my great disdain, leaves have collected against my house and around bushes and shrubs in those hard to reach places. I sigh and grab the rake, before long I am working up a sweat and actually enjoying the nice weather and opportunity to get outside and make some headway in my yard. If you find yourself in the same situation and wondering how you will ever keep up with all the care your lawn requires, read below for some simple tips to get your yard in great shape, if not for the love of gardening, perhaps the rise in your home’s value might be motivation enough to pick up a rake and get to work.

Tip #1

Begin by cleaning up a bit after “Old Man Winter”!  Clear away sticks, leaves and any other debris that has blown against your house, shed, fence, and other structures.

Tip #2

Rake away all leaves around your yard. It’s important to rake away thatch that has built up on your lawn to allow new growth to push. Using a de-thatching rake is the best way to do away all of the thatch (excess grass clippings that build-up above the soil).  If you do not own a de-thatching rake you can use a stiff-tined rake.

Tip #3

Feed your lawn. I like to give my lawn a slow-release fertilizer. It works well because it gives the lawn nutrients but doesn’t push the grass to grow sooner that it is ready.

Tip #4

Make sure to take care of any lawn mower maintenance that might be necessary. Getting your lawn equipment ready to for use now will move things along more efficiently when you look out the window and realize spring is here and your grass needs mowed—now! First, inspect the lawn mower to make sure all the nuts and bolts are secure. Check the spark plugs if they are showing wear they will need to be changed. While the spark plugs are out it is also a good time to remove the lawnmower blade. (With the spark plugs removed you can be sure the lawn mower will not start). Use a file to sharpen the blade. Make sure to run the file along the same angle as the blade. Inspect the oil, if it is low, old, or dirty, properly dispose of it and replace it with new oil.

Remember, taking baby steps with your lawn works the best in early springtime. Especially, because this time of the year you can never be quite sure what the weather has in store for us.

Good luck and Happy Gardening!