Gardening Checklist

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Toggle Gather your equipment status

Gather your equipment

Toggle Focus on the soil status

Focus on the soil

;Purchase any needed mulch, compost or other soil improvers, along with a good quality fertilizer to ensure a green, lush garden.

Toggle Find your tools status

Find your tools

;Use garden loppers and clippers to prune shrubs and roses, and a garden shovel to dig holes for new plants. A hoe or garden rake can be used to smooth soil.

Toggle  Get started status

 Get started

Toggle Evaluate your yard status

Evaluate your yard

;Look for areas that could be improved, plants that need to be removed, and spots that are bare and need greenery.

Toggle Plan your spring projects status

Plan your spring projects

;Now is the time to plan new flowerbeds, vegetable gardens or any other gardening projects.

Toggle Build garden structures status

Build garden structures

;Erect trellises, finish laying a path or complete construction on any planned raised flowerbeds.

Toggle Clean up the area status

Clean up the area

;Remove any debris, mulch or dead material left from the winter.

Toggle Improve the soil status

Improve the soil

Soil amendments are added to correct specific problems. Peat moss will acidify the soil and retain moisture. Sand is added to improve drainage. Grass clippings or manure will break down quickly and add nutrients to the soil.

Toggle Pull weeds. status

Pull weeds.

Toggle  Spruce up your shrubs and roses status

 Spruce up your shrubs and roses

Toggle Prune your shrubbery status

Prune your shrubbery

;Prune rosebushes and shrubs as soon as the danger of frost is past, removing dead branches and shaping plants for optimum growth.

Toggle Feed the roses status

Feed the roses

;A good rose-specific fertilizer will get your roses off to a healthy start. Apply once new growth appears.

Toggle Fertilize shrubs status

Fertilize shrubs

;Work an all-purpose granular fertilizer into the soil around shrubs.

Toggle Plant bare root roses status

Plant bare root roses

These are sold in early spring at nurseries and garden centers, and are heavily pruned roses, packaged without soil. You will find the largest selection of roses during bare root season.

Toggle Plant new shrubs status

Plant new shrubs

;Look for healthy shrubs as they become available at the nursery.

Toggle Get to work on the lawn status

Get to work on the lawn

Toggle Fertilize the grass status

Fertilize the grass

;Using a grass fertilizer that includes weed-killer will reduce your work later in the season.

Toggle Reseed the lawn status

Reseed the lawn

;Seed any dead or bare patches with a blend of grass seeds suitable for your area.

Toggle Tune up your lawnmower status

Tune up your lawnmower

;Now is the time to sharpen blades, change the oil and fill the gas tank.

Toggle Check lawn edging status

Check lawn edging

;Replace any broken or missing edging materials to keep your lawn looking neat and make mowing easier.

Toggle Start mowing regularly once your grass reaches 2 to 3 inches high. status

Start mowing regularly once your grass reaches 2 to 3 inches high.

Toggle  Focus on your flowers status

 Focus on your flowers

Toggle Buy and start seeds status

Buy and start seeds

;Start them indoors if in a cold-winter area; sow outdoors if in a mild-winter zone.

Toggle Prepare your flowerbeds status

Prepare your flowerbeds

;Work soil thoroughly in flowerbeds, adding compost to the top few inches.

Toggle Plant your flowerbeds status

Plant your flowerbeds

;Plant annuals or other small flowers once danger of frost is past.

Toggle Plant any containers status

Plant any containers

;Fill your containers with spring and summer-blooming flowers.

Toggle Plant new perennials status

Plant new perennials

;You will find the best selection of perennials at the nursery mid-to-late spring.

Toggle Divide perennials status

Divide perennials

;Dig up and divide any perennials that have formed large clumps, grown too big for their space or are looking unhealthy.

Toggle Take a look at your trees status

Take a look at your trees

Toggle Prune dead branches. status

Prune dead branches.

Toggle Shape small trees status

Shape small trees

;Remove branches that spoil the tree's shape, rub against other branches, or block pathways.

Toggle Fertilize trees. status

Fertilize trees.

Toggle Plant new trees status

Plant new trees

;Stake young trees between two supports for their first year's growth.

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Presented by:

Michelle Tako

Michelle Tako

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Details

As spring warms up the ground, it's time to start waking up your garden, and preparing for the growing season ahead. Take the time now to plan and prepare your yard. By getting your garden prepped and ready for planting early in the spring, you can ensure it will be beautiful all summer long.

Tips

  • Depending on your climate, your spring gardening might start any time between February and May.
  • Most gardening tasks will begin around the average date of last frost for your area.
  • Use a good all-purpose slow-acting fertilizer for your shrubs, trees and flowers. Roses will do best with a fertilizer made for their specific needs.

Who it's for

This Gardening Checklist is for anyone who wants a simple, practical way to get things done without missing steps.

  • Avoid forgetting - keep all your Gardening essentials in one place (external memory)
  • Save time - start from a proven Gardening structure instead of a blank page
  • Stay on track - track progress, come back later, and keep momentum
  • Coordinate with others - share the list and divide responsibilities
  • Learn the process - follow the steps in a sensible order, even if it's your first time

How to use it

How to use this Gardening Checklist

  • Save Gardening Checklist to your free Checklist account so your progress is saved and synced across devices.
  • Customize it in the app: remove anything that does not apply, then add your own details for Gardening (dates, sizes, addresses, notes).
  • If others are involved, invite them to collaborate and divide responsibilities.
  • Work through the list: check items off as you go, and set reminders for time-sensitive steps.

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Scores 4.80 with 136 votes

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