Have you been desperately looking forward to springtime? It’s just around the corner, which means that some necessary backyard care is in order!
After the cold and grey winter, spring feels exceptionally refreshing with its warmer weather and colorful hues; you feel like spending more time outdoors, enjoying the natural warmth and sunshine.
However, the winter season doesn’t necessarily leave your backyard in the best state. This means that you have your work cut out for you if you want to make your backyard a relaxing and enjoyable space during springtime.
Here are some essential steps you should take.
Start By Clearing Out Everything the Winter Season Has Left Behind
You’ve not spent a lot of time outdoors during the winter months, and it shows, doesn’t it? There might be a lot of built-up debris of dead leave, twigs, pinecones, and other elements. So, before you take any other maintenance steps, you have to clear out all the debris using a rake or a lawn vacuum.
In all honestly, this is the most difficult and the least fun part of backyard care, but it’s necessary. Once the debris is removed, the grass and plants in your backyard will be able to get the sunlight and oxygen they need to look healthy. It’ll also feel like you have a clearer canvas to work with.
Clean Out the Gutters
Unfortunately, cleaning the backyard alone isn’t enough. The leaves and the rest of the debris can make it to the drain pipes and gutters, so you’ll have to clean those up too.
This is incredibly important since cleaning out the gutters before springtime ensures that by the time it rains, your gutters will be ready to handle the excess water, and there will be no unnecessary damage to your home’s structure.
Clean Out the Shed and Restock Tools and Supplies
Do you have a backyard shed you haven’t visited at all during the entire winter season? You’re not alone. Many people don’t pay much attention to their shed or the tools in it during the colder months.
But since the tools have been sitting in there for some time, it’s important to get them out and clean them up. You’re also going to have to sharper up some tools and see if anything needs to be replaced. This is extremely essential if you want to make your garden maintenance tasks easier later on.
Deep Clean Your Pellet Grill
Even if you closed the pellet grill and put it under cover for the winter, it’s still a good idea to give it a good cleaning post-winter, simply to get it ready for all the heavy cooking you’ll be up to.
Springtime is the perfect time for barbeques and cookouts, so you’re pellet grill will be used a lot. Since you’ve left it out all winter, check it out and see if everything is in order before you start using it!
Give Your Outdoor Furniture a New Look
Did you cover your outdoor furniture? You probably did, but after spending several months out of use, your outdoor furniture will need to be refreshed. It’s also important to check if there’s any dust that has made its way beneath the covers and whether there’s mold.
So, at the very least, you should clean it thoroughly. This will help remove any dirt and grime. You can also consider pressure washing it and washing any fabric covers separately.
Alternatively, if you want to give your furniture a new look for the spring, you can repaint it or change the covers!
Pressure Wash All Paved Areas
If your backyard has paved areas like a paver patio, walkways, or pathways, it’s a great idea to pressure wash them after winter when the weather starts getting warmer. The pressure washing will help remove excess dirt, debris, and even any stains, and it’ll make your paved areas look practically new!
Pressure washing is also one of the easiest ways to clean paved areas because it cleans out the small spaces in between the pavers, giving your backyard a fresh look for spring!
De-Winterize the Pond
Do you see your pond slowly coming back to life again? That’s because the water is getting warmer! Now’s the time to take steps to de-winterize the pond. This essentially means reversing everything you did to help the pond get through the winter season. For instance, you can turn on the pump again and start feeding the fish as well.
Also, if there is a lot of debris and fallen leaves in the pond, you can remove it all using a skimmer net or pond vacuum. You should try and avoid deep cleaning the pond completely since that would mess up the balance and algae control. Instead, clean the filter if needed.
Some additional steps you can take are fertilizing the existing pond plants and adding new ones.
Do Some Necessary Gardening
When you finish all the cleaning-related tasks, you can start with some gardening tasks. This may include everything from checking for snow damage on your plants to cleaning out flower beds.
You should also consider testing and feeding the soil to ensure it’s ready for spring gardening. Also, prune the shrubs and mow the grass to make sure it all looks prim and pretty!
Consider Improvements and Modifications
If you’re going to be hosting a lot of backyard parties during the spring, it’s a great idea to consider some modifications and improvements for the space.
This could mean trying out some new landscaping ideas, adding a backyard pond (if you don’t have one already), or you can add a paved seating area or an outdoor kitchen in the corner.
Also, if you have kids, backyard play set kits are worth investing in. You can find more ideas for these at Backyard Alpha. We also have some excellent gardening tips online, as well as online backyard designs you can explore.
Check it all out to get your backyard ready for springtime!
