Basic spring cleanup

You can get outside to clean up the garden as soon as the day time temperatures are about 15 C or 60 F. Remove any protective covers or collars from plants, clear away piles of leaves first thing after the snow is all melted. This allows moisture and light to the crowns of plants like hardy perennials and rose bushes to warm the earth and help them start new growth. Clear and cut off any old brown stems and leaves; discard them into the trash, do not compost. Take special care with moving large heavy planters that have been stored over winter. Roll round containers with soil and get help with cement pots and bird baths when needed to move them.

Check all trees, shrubs and ground covers for winter damage and remove broken branches or any part of the plant that appears black or rotted.

It’s a good idea to replace the top half of the soil in pots with fresh triple mix each spring. Also spring is the best time to add manure or compost to garden soil. After cleaning up, lay compost onto the surface of the soil. Apply it about two inches deep and let the worms do their thing. Well rotted manure or other organic fertilizer can be used this way too. If you are digging new gardens, add some manure or triple mix in your trenches, then mix well with soil using a garden fork. You can buy this mix or make your own. I often use black soil with peat moss, then add compost or bags of manure. Do this at least 3 or 4 weeks before you want to start planting. Decks, lawn furniture and garden ornaments all need to be washed for use in the spring. Use a bucket of soapy water to scrub, then rinse off with garden hose and let them dry out in the sun. This works for plastic, glass, ceramic pots too. Power washing is for walls, fences and decks. If you have a pond that needs cleaning you might want to start by draining the water to clean all debris before refilling it. Service and clean pumps and plastic tubes before starting them again.