A Spring Gardening Checklist For a Gorgeous Landscape Year-Round  by Andrea Beck for Better Homes & Garden (February 5, 2020)                                                                         The garden is waking up, and you're in charge! It's time to start planting, pruning, and preparing your flower beds.

Much like a good spring cleaning after a long winter can help freshen up your house, taking a similar approach to your yard will help you get it back in shape for the warmer months. Even after the snow and ice melts, it can be a little overwhelming to tackle all the work that needs to be done for a picture-perfect spring landscape. Use this checklist to help pace yourself as you get your flower beds and shrubs cleaned up. It's broken down into early, mid-, and late spring so you can plan out your garden clean-up tasks and hit each area of your landscape before summer arrives.

Early Spring

When you're first getting back out into your garden, start with these tasks to build a solid foundation for your spring landscape.

1. Check for signs of growth
Did you remember to plant crocus last fall? They might already be poking their way out of the ground. And if you didn't, you can cut forsythia or magnolia branches before their buds open and force them indoors for early spring color.

2. Prep the beds
Remove winter mulch from around perennials or, if already well-composted, work into the top layer of the soil. Clear away dead leaves or any other debris from winter storms from the soil surface so you're ready to plant.

3. Prune
Now is the time to trim fruit trees if you didn't prune in winter. Prune before buds begin to break into bloom or you'll stress the tree and get a tiny crop (or possibly none). It's also a good time to prune summer-blooming trees and shrubs, like potentilla and butterfly bush, just before they push out new growth.

4. Divide perennials
A good time to divide many perennials is just before their spring growth has begun Dividing perennials is a budget-friendly way to fill your garden with more plants or share them with friends. It's also good for keeping your existing perennials healthy; sometimes, if your plants grow in a large clump, the middle can thin out after a few years, leaving a bare spot. Dividing the clump will encourage fresh, new growth.

5. Perform basic maintenance of hardscaping
Check stonework for frost leaves, particularly in paths and edging. Check the general condition of your deck or patio and make any needed repairs. Clean off outdoor furniture so it's ready when you are for relaxing after a busy day in the garden.

6. Plant veggies
Hardy cool-season vegetables, like potatoes, artichokes, peas, and some lettuces, germinate best in cool soil, so plant them in early spring once the soil has thawed. They should be ready to harvest by early summer.